Team

Professor McBride received her PhD in Mechanical Engineering from MIT, her MS in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a BS in Environmental Engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno. Prior to joining UPenn as an assistant professor in 2024, she worked at Princeton University as a Presidential Postdoctoral fellow under Professor Howard Stone. Her research interests lie at the intersection of water chemistry, transport phenomena, and interfacial engineering. She is passionate about water and sustainability and maintains involvement in sustainability, advocacy, and education projects outside of her research. Her other interests include microgravity research, water technologies for long-term human spaceflight, patterning phenomena and using art for science communications. She is the recipient of the American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics Milton van Dyke Award, the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research Orr-Reynolds Distinguished Service Award, the Meredith Kamm Memorial Award for excellence in graduate studies, and a Mistletoe Research Fellowship.

Greg is a postdoctoral researcher who holds a B.S. in biochemistry, an M.S. in chemistry, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. His doctoral research focused on the dynamic switching of interfacial phenomena for heat transfer and water management. Greg's research interests include wettability, nanomaterials, thermal systems, and heat transfer, with a strong passion for combating the global water crisis and improving worldwide water quality. He was awarded a Fulbright research fellowship in Poland, where he developed fog water harvesters using responsive electrospun membranes. Greg has teaching experience as a TA for general chemistry, mechanical systems lab, and thermodynamics, and has worked as a quality control scientist in FDA-regulated pharmaceutical labs. He is the recipient of the Founders Award for Excellence, the William R. Osgood Fellowship in mechanical engineering, and the Paul Ander Award for Academic Excellence.

Derek is a postdoctoral fellow with a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Biological Systems Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he also holds a dual Ph.D. minor in Soil Science and Life Science Communication. A former sailor and Coast Guard officer, Derek is deeply passionate about water security and is dedicated to developing technologies for identifying and remediating microplastics in the environment. His doctoral research uniquely combines his love for photography with environmental chemistry, focusing on creating automated tools for the detection and identification of microplastics using fluorescence imaging with Nile Red staining. For his master’s research, Derek investigated improving biogas yield through the application of the white rot fungus C. subvermispora on dairy manure. Believing in the importance of communicating science beyond the laboratory, Derek has collaborated with Sea Grant to develop educational kits, including an interactive tabletop activity called “Plastic Panic!” designed to teach K-12 students about microplastics in wastewater treatment plants. Currently, 23 of these kits are circulating throughout the Great Lakes states. Beyond the lab, Derek engages with the community through his handle “Paradoxically Plastic,” where he shares insights into his complex relationship with plastics, showcasing both his educational initiatives and personal interests related to this pressing environmental issue. [Pictured are his late parakeet - Bloo and Parry]

Younes is a postdoctoral fellow with expertise in hydrometallurgy, mineral processing, and sustainable resource recovery. He holds a Ph.D. in Energy and Mineral Engineering from Penn State, an M.S. in Mineral Engineering from New Mexico Tech, and both M.S. and B.S. in Mining Engineering from Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic). During his Ph.D., he developed a chemical-less process for the selective separation and purification of critical transition metals from acid mine drainage. With over five years of experience in mining, metallurgy, and mineral processing, Younes has focused on innovative solutions for sustainable processing of low-grade ores and secondary resources, including acid mine drainage, sludge, and electronic waste. He is the recipient of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME) Ph.D. Fellowship Grant, Penn State Alumni Association Dissertation Award, and the Outstanding Energy and Mineral Engineering Graduate Student Award. Active in professional organizations such as SME and IMPC, he has served in leadership roles, including the SME Young Leaders Committee and as a representative of the Mineral Processing Division (MPD), in addition to chairing technical sessions, mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, and collaborating with industry. With a strong foundation in research, teaching, and service, he is committed to advancing environmentally responsible and conservation-driven solutions in hydrometallurgy and mineral processing, particularly through scalable technologies that recover critical minerals from secondary resources while reducing the environmental footprint of extraction.

Rebecca Jiuhe Shi is a second-year Ph.D. Student in the MEAM department. 

Her research focuses on integrating interfacial science and microfluidics to develop innovative solutions for environmental sustainability. Before joining the McBride Lab in 2024 Fall, Rebecca obtained her M.S. in Earth and Environmental Engineering from Columbia University in 2024, and her B.S. in Environmental Engineering through a dual-degree program between Beijing Jiaotong University and Lancaster University in 2022. Her master’s work at Columbia concentrated on CCUS and resource recovery. She investigated the kinetics of carbon mineralization involving olivine and magnesite. Additionally, she worked on a DOE-funded project focused on metal recovery using polymeric hybrid functional materials. She successfully enabled the carbonation of Ca/Mg-rich leachate and achieved a high metal separation and adsorption percentage. Outside the lab, Rebecca is passionate about music and traveling. She is a singer and a piano player and has explored over 15 countries and 80 cities worldwide. Also, she loves going back to China to visit family and friends in her hometown Harbin, which according to her, has some of the most beautiful ice & snow sculptures in the world!

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Rehan Kumar is a Ph.D. student in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics at the University of Pennsylvania. His academic excellence and commitment to innovation have earned him highest honors in his undergraduate studies, and he continues to drive progress in the field of mechanical engineering. With his strong background in thermal systems and heat transfer equipment design, Rehan developed a novel water cum air-cooled condenser for tropical climates that harvests water from the evaporator, resulting in a 5% increase in electrical efficiency. He explores heat transfer associated with salt crystal formation from evaporation of saline droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces in the McBride Lab. Currently, he is expanding his expertise in micro- and nano-fabrication techniques at the Quattrone Nanofabrication Facility, mastering various etching and deposition tools to create diverse micro- and nano-textures with tailored surface morphologies and wetting properties, further enhancing his research capabilities. Proficient in a range of computer-aided engineering tools, Rehan is driven to innovate sustainable solutions for real-world challenges.

Murphy is a first-year Ph.D. student in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics at the University of Pennsylvania. They hold a B.S. in Physics from West Chester University. In their undergraduate studies, Murphy worked in a soft matter physics lab where they researched the diffusion of micrometer-sized particles in small confined spaces. They also participated in university activities as the President and founder of WCU’s Underrepresented Genders in Physics club, and as Vice President of the Society of Physics Students. At Penn, they are excited to explore the intersection of soft matter physics and interfacial science. In their free time, Murphy likes to hang out with their cats, do yoga, and garden.

Brian joined the McBride Lab in fall 2025, where his research focuses on understanding interfacial phenomena for water treatment and resource recovery applications. Prior to coming to Penn, Brian earned dual BSE degrees in Nano Science & Engineering and in Energy & Environmental Engineering at Yonsei University in South Korea, and an MS in Earth and Environmental Engineering at Columbia University. His past research includes fabricating of reverse osmosis membranes for improved desalination and water treatment, and his master's thesis centered on direct lithium extraction from brine using green, thermoresponsive switchable solvents. He also worked at one of the largest lithium-ion battery plants for electric vehicles in the world, where he was involved in a wide variety of processes that transformed critical metals into key consumer products. Outside the lab, Brian likes staying active by running, hiking, exploring the great outdoors, and playing racquet sports. He also enjoys the pursuit of becoming more fluent in foreign languages, having formerly worked as both a military and technical interpreter.

Prajwal Poonacha P. B. is a first-year Master’s student in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. His research interests include nutrient transport in soils, environmental sustainability, and advanced water treatment technologies. Before joining Penn in 2024, Prajwal completed his B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering in India. During his undergraduate studies, Prajwal conducted research on nutrient recovery, circular economy applications, and biomass processing. He also worked as a research intern at the National Taipei University of Technology, where he developed a prototype system using Spirulina platensis for wastewater treatment and carbon dioxide absorption. In addition, he gained industry experience at Biocon Biologics, focusing on mammalian cell culture and bioreactor studies, and at Sravathi AI Technology, where he contributed to pilot-scale chemical process development. Beyond the lab, Prajwal has been an active leader in international scientific communities. He served as Conference Chair for the AIChE Asia-Pacific Student Regional Conference and is also a recipient of the MEXT–JSPS (Japan) and TEEP@AsiaPlus (Taiwan) scholarships. Currently, in McBride lab, he is working on analyzing nutrient transport in a 3D visualization chamber, studying PFAS and lead contaminants in water, and developing thin film hydrogels for carbon capture. He is passionate about advancing sustainable solutions to global challenges through research, innovation, and collaborative engagement.

Isabel Garcia is senior in the Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER), studying Materials Science & Engineering and earth & Environmental Science. She is interested in anti-fouling and anti-scaling coatings and passionate about marine renewable energy and environmental conservation. Outside of school and the lab, she spends most of her time singing in multiple music groups and arranging music.

Rithika Ramkumar is a junior studying Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering with a minor in Data Science and is dually getting her masters in Chemical and Biomolecular engineering. She is interested in renewable energy and resource recovery technologies. Beyond academics and lab work, she loves to try new restaurants in Philly, go for runs, and read.