Research Group

Group Alumni

Luke Schwenk - BS, Biochemistry and Biology (2025)

Luke joined the research group late in the spring semester of 2022.  Luke worked with our X-ray fluorescence spectrometer on a study of the compositional variability in fossil and modern shark tooth enamel, particularly trace components such as Sr and Zn.  He examined trends between the metal composition of enameloid and shark species/evolutionary lines and feeding habits.  Between his junior and senior years, Luke had an internship with the Calvert Marine Museum getting a taste for what a career in paleontology might be like and plans to pursue a PhD at the paleontology/biochemistry interface.  Luke is a superstar member of the College swim team and the first SMCM men's swimmer invited to the Division III National Championships, which he attended three times, winning the NCAA DIII National Championship in the 50Y freestyle in 2025.  Luke is currently looking into marine paleontology graduate programs and hopes to earn a paleontology PhD focused on preserved biomolecules.

Tri Phan - BS, Chemistry (2025)

Tri is a transfer student pursuing a BS in chemistry who started with our group in the first semester of his senior year to complete his St. Mary's Project requirement.  For his St. Mary's Project, Tri investigated the role that the chemical properties of anion exchange resins play in removing emerging organic contaminants from water, focusing on the role of resin basicity and chemistry.  Outside of campus, Tri serves in the Army Reserve.

Nasir Howard - BS, Biochemistry (2028)

Nasir joined our group in his first year at St. Mary's College (AY24/25) and is interested in a future career as a medical doctor.  Nasir had a number of research experiences before coming to college and is very interested in learning more about molecular modeling, both in terms of chemical applications and how that can be extended to medicine.  In his first semester with the group, Nasir is learning about ab initio approaches using NWChem and the WebMO Pro interface.  Nasir became more interested in biochemistry and became one of the first research students in the group of SMCM's new faculty member, Yunling Deng, in fall 2025.

Gladis VanGessel-Everts - BS, Chemistry (2024)

Gladis joined our research group during the spring semester of 2021.  As a first year student, Gladis attended our group meetings and became familiar with the active projects in the group.  Gladis conducted laboratory and literature research in the past few years assisting Emma McNesby with the organic matter in carbonate minerals project.   For her capstone research, Gladis is working on tuning the layer charge of phyllosilicates and using novel organic pillars to design environmental remediation materials. Outside the research lab, Gladis was a coxswain on our crew team and ran cross country her senior year.  Gladis joined the Peace Corps after graduation and spent her time in Gambia!

Alex Minor - BS, Biochemistry and Biology (2024)

Alex joined the Bowers group in fall 2022, assisting on a study of the antibacterial properties of modern and fossil shark tooth enamel.  Alex's SMP examined the presence and prevalence of microplastics in chicken eggs. Outside the lab, Alex is active in campus government, serving as the student senate vice president in AY22/23.

Julia Kraft - BS, Chemistry (2023)

Julia joined our group in spring 2020 after completing the instrumental analysis scholarly lab.  There, she performed research trying to quantify compositional elements of fossilized miocene shark teeth that might be diagnostic of tooth age, species, etc.  Julia is continuing to pursue this work for her St. Mary's capstone project, focusing on the composition of tooth enamel and how that impacts dental biofilms.  She had a summer internship with the Naval History and Heritage Command in 2021 and participated in the DOE-sponsored Nuclear Chemistry Summer School in San Diego, CA summer of 2022.  Julia took a gap year and then began a PhD program in nuclear chemistry at Michigan State University in 2024.  Outside the lab, Julia enjoys baking.

Saige Teti - BS, Chemistry (2023)

Saige joined the group in March 2020.  She is primarily interested in attending medical school after finishing her degree at SMCM and is focused on getting health-oriented research experiences off campus during the summers. This prompted her to seek a broader research background during the academic year, drawing her to our group.  Saige will be working on the biomineralization project, looking into the molecular-scale details of renal stone formation and how that is affected by sugars.  Saige has been working on medical research projects on the side every year while pursuing her undergraduate degree and spent the summer of 2022 working on synthetic organic chemistry with Prof. Dan Chase.  Saige currently works as a research coordinator/manager at Children's National Hospital in DC.

Emma McNesby - BS, Chemistry and Math (2022)

Emma joined the group in fall 2019 and assisted with a computational chemistry project during her first year with the group.  During Emma's second year, she took over the NOM-carbonate project studying how carbonate minerals can trap natural organic matter, which became the topic of her senior capstone work.  Emma also conducted an internship at Los Alamos National Laboratory through the US Department of Energy SULI program summer of 2021.  Emma has served as an undergraduate teaching assistant in the Chemistry and Biochemistry department and Math department for several courses.  Outside of class, research, and serving our campus, Emma is on the SMCM crew team.  Emma is attending the University of Chicago to obtain a Ph.D. in theoretical physical chemistry (2027 ant.)

Tristan Fisanich - BS, Chemistry (2022)

Tristan spent several years working in the lab of Prof. Dan Chase on synthetic organic chemistry, then joined the Bowers group in late spring 2021.  Tristan worked on the interaction of organic artificial sweeteners with smectite clay minerals and how those molecules behave in the 2D smectite micropores between the clay layers.  His capstone research will examine how liquid state NMR can be used to explore artificial sweetener interactions with clays.  Outside of the lab, Tristan has done an enormous amount of service to the department, loves to read, and enjoys driving - with aspirations of driving the Pacific Coast Highway end-to-end.  Tristan completed a master's degree in chemical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University in AY22/23.

Jackie Agyemang - BS, Biology and Public Policy (2022)

Jackie joined our group as a second semester student in spring 2019.  Jackie did some work purifying our clay minerals in her first year with the group before going on to research science policy.  Jackie is currently exploring nuclear waste policies and the factors that influence them, which is also the topic of her senior capstone research.  Jackie is also a varsity tennis player.  Jackie is attending a post-baccalaureate program in biomedical research at the University of Rochester in AY22/23 and will be pursuing her Ph.D. in biomedical science at the University of Rochester starting fall 2023.

David McDaniel - BS, Biology (2022)

David joined our group as the spring 2021 semester started up and worked with us for one semester.  He conducted his capstone research with one of our biology faculty (Emilee Brownlee) and graduated in 2022.

Cece Wood - BS, Chemistry (2021)

Cece joined our research group fall of 2018 after attending a few meetings the previous spring and serves as the group peer mentor for AY19-20 and AY 20-21. Cece worked on clay, its hydration properties, and how to work with clay in the laboratory, originally assisting in a project on the role of clay in the origin of life.  She had a summer laboratory internship at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory looking at mineral reactivity in surface thin films of aqueous fluids using IR spectroscopy, which led to a first author publication in Environment Science and Technology Letters, a respected American Chemical Society journal.  Cece worked on a relatively new group project examining natural organic matter uptake by calcium carbonates during nucleation and growth of the carbonate phase her junior year and will be studying permineralization of wood for her capstone research project.  Outside the lab, Cece is a big fan of art with a significant number of art history courses under her belt, and plays and serves in leadership roles for the club rugby team at St. Mary's.  Cece is currently a geochemistry PhD student at Virginia Tech.

Cassie Block - BS, Chemistry (2022)

Cassie started with the group in spring 2019 and worked on a project to study carbonate mineral-NOM associations in their junior year.  For their senior year they are working with Dr. Kelly Neiles on a chemical education research project.  Cassie is a former synchronized swimmer turned swimming coach who also has a soft spot for rocks and minerals.  Cassie will be taking a gap year, then attending graduate school in Australia.

Martin Yepes - BS, Biochemistry (2020)

Martin examined the thermal transformations of the artificial sweetener sucralose when it is adsorbs to different types of metal surfaces.  The project has biological relevance in determining what, if any, degradation products of sucralose are generated during the cooking process or in e-cigarettes.  Martin is active in our department student clubs, particularly through service as a tutor during the open tutoring sessions in fall 2019.  He is currently attending the PhD program at Johns Hopkins University.

Michael Foster - BS, Chemistry and Education (2020)

Michael joined the group in fall 2019 to work on his SMP that focuses on the next generation science standards and their implementation in two local county school systems.  Michael is a commuter student with a family and spends much of his time away from school being a father.

Randy Larsen IV - BS, Biochemistry (2019)

Randy joined our research group in the fall of 2017.  Randy is interested in experimental biochemistry and studied the role of clay minerals in the origin of life via their ability to template lipid bi-layers.  Outside the lab, Randy was part of and co-captained our varsity cross country team. Randy is currently in graduate school at St. Jude Children's Hospital pursuing a PhD in biomedical science.

Tim Baer - BS, Chemistry (2019)

Tim is joined our group in fall 2018 to work on an SMP exploring the energetics and compositional variability of compressed logs and other compressed wood-based heating fuels.  His work largely involved combustion bomb calorimetry as well as assessing the aesthetics of different fire sources.  Tim is also interested in computer programming and is famous for always wearing red.

Amanda Hastings - BS, Chemistry (2018)

Amanda researched organic-inorganic interactions in crystalline phases relevant to renal stones and renal stone formation as part of a literature based capstone project.  Amanda is currently a high-school chemistry teacher, where she also has responsibilities that take advantage of her musical talents.  She is pursuing her certification and education masters courses as well.

Katherine Huerta - BS, Biochemistry (2018)

Katie studied the ability of TGA/DSC/IR to quantify the purity of biodiesel and other fuel samples as well as using thermal analysis methods to characterize a novel high-pressure carbonation reaction of a smectite.  Besides working in the research lab, Katie loves the outdoors and has summited many of the 14ers in Colorado.  She completed a Masters in Data Science at the University of Maryland - Baltimore County in 2020.

Ryan Vreeland - BS, Biochemistry (2018)

Ryan is a biochemistry major with strong interests in mathematics and computer programming.  He spent some time working with Dr. Bowers on optimizing NWChem and WebMO as a tool for predicting UV-Vis absorption properties of moderately complex organic molecules (sunscreens, models of natural organic matter).  Ryan's self-designed SMP project examined issues of scale in reactive transport modeling.  Ryan is a fencer in his spare time and was a computational chemistry intern with the FDA for the summer of 2017.  Ryan currently works monitoring the GOES satellite systems for a consulting firm working with NOAA/NASA.

Sydney Cunniff - BS, Chemistry and Environmental Studies (2017)

Sydney was a chemistry/environmental studies double major who graduated in December 2017, a full semester early!  For her research, Sydney studied the interactions of supercritical methane and carbon dioxide with clay minerals.  Her work had two major branches; examining the carbonation of clays in contact with scCO2 and looking at the role of the cation polarizability in the carbon dioxide uptake and clay mineral physics when clay is exposed to scCO2.  Much of her SMP work was completed during a summer internship at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in the summer of 2017.  Sydney traveled the world in spring 2018 and earned her masters in environmental engineering from Stanford University in 2020.  She worked in both the engineering consulting industry and now works as a grants officer for the EPA.

Emma Skekel - BS, Chemistry (2017)

Emma's SMP Thesis focuses on using solution state Raman spectroscopy to detect and quantify sucralose in water samples.  She also plans to spend some time developing a sampling plan for future determination of sweetener distribution and quantity in St. Mary's County and performed DFT calculations of sucralose to predict the vibrational properties.  Emma received a Master's in Chemistry at Cornell University in 2018 and currently works for the US Navy at their Indian Head Research Facility.

Haley Argersinger - BA, Chemistry (2016)

Haley started working in the research group during the summer of 2014.  Her initial efforts focused on understanding the cation mediated aggregation of natural organic matter (NOM) in solution.  From there, she became the primary student working on the US DOE funded project examining the ways clay and NOM interact with one another and how this impacts the molecular scale dynamics in the presence of fluids.  In the 2015/16 AY, Haley also served as the student mentor for the other research students in the Bowers group.  Haley is quite active on campus aside from research, particularly with Guiding Eyes for the Blind and the equestrian program.  She has worked in the paints and coatings industry, both with PPG and with Honda Motor Corporation.

Jake Olson - BA, Chemistry (2016)

Jake Olson joined the group during the 14/15 AY to help out with a new project looking at the distribution and uptake of artificial sweeteners in the environment.  In the 15/16 AY, Jake will be taking over many of the wet chemical work for the DOE funded projects as Haley Argersinger moves toward completion of her honors thesis.  Jake is an avid swimmer in his spare time and has been on the swim team at Alfred since his first year at AU.  Jake attended the doctoral program in chemistry at the University of Notre Dame and obtained his PhD in 2021.

Maddy Lomax-Vogt - BA, Chemistry and Environmental Studies (2017)

Maddy Lomax-Vogt began working in the group continuing a project that she and her group started in the Alfred Environmental Chemistry course spring 2014 looking at the distribution of artificial sweeteners in the environment and how they interact with minerals.  In AY 15/16, Maddy developed her own project studying renal stone chemistry.  Maddy was extremely active on campus, including a past presidency of the chemistry club and leadership roles in several on-campus organizations.  She is currently a graduate student at the Ohio State University.

Kaylin Cicero - BA, Chemistry (2018)

Kaylin Cicero joined the research group in the fall of 2015, just before Dr. Bowers left Alfred University.  She contributed toward the Department of Energy research projects in clay-NOM complexes under hydrated and supercritical CO2 conditions.

Brennan Ferguson - BA, Chemistry and Environmental Studies (2015)

Brennan joined the research group in the spring of 2013.  A double-major in chemistry and environmental studies, Brennan worked with Dr. Bowers on smectite-natural organic matter composites and understanding how organic coatings influence interfacial structure and dynamics.  Brennan was active inside and outside of the classroom, and was selected as the Alfred University Outstanding Senior Woman in 2015 among numerous other awards.  Brennan obtained her PhD in Environmental Engineering at Clemson University in 2022 and went on to work as a Professor of Geosciences at the University of Georgia.

Brendon Cook - BA, Chemistry and Biology (2014)

Brendon is a double major in chemistry and biology with strong interests in attending medical school and/or graduate school in a field related to medicine.  Since fall 2013, Brendon has been working on a side project preparing Ca2+ doped silica nano spheres enriched in 43Ca.  These nano spheres have proven to be potential targeted drug delivery devices, yet no one as yet knows the role Ca2+ plays in the process.  We hope to study the molecular-level Ca2+ structure using 43Ca NMR.  Brendon actively practices martial arts and participates in a number of leadership roles in campus clubs when not in the lab.  Brendon received a nuclear chemistry Ph.D. in 2018 from Hunter College in NYC.

Tim Johnson - BA, Chemistry (2013)

Tim joined the Bowers group as a second semester sophomore and began his research project fully in the fall of 2011.  Tim inherited the thaumasite kinetics project started by Michael Tomik (BA, Chemistry, 2011) and is working on getting this project to the publication stage.  He presented his work at the American Chemical Society Spring National Meeting in 2012 and has a summer REU fellowship in environmental chemistry at SUNY - New Paltz.  Tim autocrosses cars and plays guitar in his free time.  He wrapped up a Masters in Environmental Engineering at Clarkson University in 2014.  After working several years as an environmental engineering consultant in South Carolina, Tim joined the Army and serves as an Environmental Officer.

Eryn Matich - BA, Chemistry (2013)

Eryn is a chemistry major who joined the lab in the spring of 2012.  She contributed to studies of structure and dyanmics at the organo-clay-water interface.  Eryn received an REU summer fellowship from the University of Michigan in the summer of 2012.  When she isn't working on coursework or in the lab, Eryn spends a lot of her time teaching swimming lessons and was on the varsity swim team since her first year at Alfred.  Eryn received a Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Buffalo in the summer of 2018.  Eryn is currently an instructor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

LeeAnn Tindell - BA, Chemistry (2013)

LeeAnn started working in the research group in the summer of 2012, where she began development of a controlled humidity shipping system for moisture sensitive samples (like our clays).  She will be graduating with a BA and chemistry major with minors in environmental studies and environmental policy in May 2013.  LeeAnn works in the chemical industry in the analytical laboratory.  In addition to her studies, LeeAnn has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. 

Wayde Ross - BA, Chemistry (2013)

Wayde Ross is a chemistry major who joined our group the fall semester of his junior year.  Wayde is supporting Eryn's work to examine the structure and dynamics of H2O and ions at clay-organo complex/H2O interfaces using solid-state NMR and other techniques.  Wayde was an honors student, an active member of the AU Chemistry Club, and an accomplished musician when not in the lab.  He currently works in the food industry doing quality assurance testing.

Jared Singer - Ph.D., Materials Engineering (2013)

Jared spearheaded our research efforts into the structure and transformations of hydrated amorphous calcium-magnesium carbonates (ACMCs) as well as contributing toward our fundamental studies of ion dynamics at clay-fluid interfaces.  Jared has a bachelor's degree in Chemistry from the University of Utah and a master's degree in Geology, also from the University of Utah.  He successfully defended his Ph.D. dissertation on February 15th, 2013.  Jared is an outdoor enthusiast and an accomplished artist in his spare time.

Arielle Polakos - BA, Chemistry (2011)

Arielle Polakos graduated with a BA in chemistry May of 2011 and worked on a fledgling project related to the development and characterization of natural organic matter using C-13 NMR.  Arielle helped to develop a collaboration with Dr. Cheryld Emmons in the biology department at Alfred University and laid the groundwork for future efforts on this research front.  Arielle went on to obtain her Masters degree in Education and her NYS teaching certification in 2014 at SUNY New Paltz and taught for many years at Newburgh High School in eastern New York before moving to Europe. 

Michael Tomik - BA, Chemistry (2011)

Michael graduated with a BA in chemistry May of 2011 and is an alumnus of the thaumasite kinetics project, which he began in the summer of 2010.  He demonstrated the feasibility of this effort that was subsequently continued by Tim Johnson.  We hope to wrap up some details of this project and get it published soon.  Mickey wrapped up a master's degree in inorganic chemistry at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in August 2014 and currently has an industrial chemist position at a small company in eastern New York.  Mickey also is interested in solid-state NMR and computations and is an avid soccer player in his spare time.

Peter Marley - BA, Chemistry (2010)

Pete graduated from AU in May of 2010 and earned a PhD in Materials Chemistry at the University of Buffalo in 2015.  During his semester with our group, he assisting in materials synthesis and characterization for the ACC/hydrated calcium carbonate project.  Pete also performed research with Dr. Andrew Eklund (Alfred University) and had a summer NSF REU experience at the University of Rochester while at Alfred.  Pete played football while at Alfred University and was part of a Saxon team that made the Division III playoffs in 2009.