Our amazing faculty members also teach in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences. View their academic profiles.
director: Samuel Mutiti, Ph.D. - Environmental Hydrologist
Dr. S Mutiti is a hydrologist with experience in physical, chemical, and biological as aspects of water quality (both surface and groundwater), including groundwater modelling, contaminant transport and remediation. Fulbright and Cambridge Commonwealth Fellow.
Faculty AFFLIATES
Dave S. Bachoon, Ph.D. - Microbiologist
Dr. Bachoon is an aquatic microbiologist with extensive experience in analyzing the level or type of microbial contamination in samples (water, soil, food, etc.) and molecular source tracking. He has published over 25 peer reviewed manuscripts as well as written over 30 research proposals.
Melanie L. DeVore, Ph.D. - Plant Biologist
Dr. DeVore is capable of establishing courses and training in ecology and evolution of invasive aquatic plants, ID and biology of aquatic plants with highly specialized morphology (e.g. Cyperaceae, Juncaceae, and Poaceae) for wetlands.
Andrei L. Barkovskii, Ph.D. - Microbiologist
Dr. Barkovskii has researched expertise in the analysis of chemical contaminants (chlorinated dioxins, furans, phenols) in water column and sediments with GC-MS. He also provides water-focused curriculum and student experiences through course work and research.
C. Daniel Burt, Ph.D. - Soil Scientist
Dr. Burt is a soil microbiologist with experience in molecular source tracking and nutrient cycling. His current research focuses on sustainable agricultural practices, specifically microbial nutrient cycling in poultry litter and survival of manure-derived microbes in soil.
Kalina Manoylov, Ph.D. - Phycologist, Aquatic Ecologist
Dr. Manoylov is an expert in phycology and globally renowned diatom expert. She has more than 25 years of experience in research on water quality issues, mostly measured with changes in algal communities due to alterations in nutrient supply and other anthropogenic factors.
Matthew Milnes, Ph.D. - Animal physiologist
Dr. Milnes has extensive experience investigating mechanisms and effects of endocrine disrupting contaminants in a variety of wildlife species.
Christine Mutiti, Ph.D. - Ecologist-Botanist
Dr. C Mutiti's research focuses on ecological relationships that involve the intersection between water and plants and has mentored undergraduate students in stream ecology and wetland research. Cambridge Commonwealth Fellow
Allison Rick VandeVoort, Ph.D. - Soil Scientist
Dr. VandeVoort's experience focuses on soil characterization and soil/water analysis and assessment with a background in a variety of analytical techniques including ion-selective electrodes and electrochemistry, ICP-OES, UV/vis spectroscopy, SEM with electron dispersive spectroscopy, and a variety of field assessment/monitoring techniques.
David A. Weese, Ph.D. - Molecular biologists
Dr. Weese's interest and contribution to the water quality center is in terms of biodiversity. His research would focus on the diversity of organisms in streams as indicators of overall water quality.
Kristine N. White, Ph.D. - Invertebrate Zoologist
Dr. White is a Marine Invertebrate Zoologist, specializing in marine crustacean taxonomy. Her expertise would allow water quality measurements at the organismal level. She has an interest in creating a long-term monitoring program using macroinvertebrates as environmental indicators.
Anna Agi - Graduate Assistant
Anna Agi is a master's student in the GCSU phycology lab. Her current research focuses on diatoms and the creation of a voucher flora for the sampled wetlands as well as a comparison of coarser identification to previous research in order to get more precision in the overall assessment of water quality. She will be working in the Aquatic Sciences Center, planning outreach events as well as expanding our network in the realm of aquatic sciences.
Nina Nkonge - Research Intern
Ms. Nkonge is a master's student at Linköping University in Linköping, Sweden studying Science for Sustainable Development. She is interested in gaining skills that will allow her to offer research-informed solutions to a more sustainable society. Working with the Aquatic Sciences Center using remote-sensing to map vegetation shifts due to climate change-induced salt water intrusion on Sapelo Island, Georgia, United States.
Amber Johnson - Research Intern
Ms. Johnson recently graduate with her Master's from the University of Miami. In working with the Aquatic Sciences Center, she conducted research on the relationship between Vibrio splendidus and microplastics in the waters of Tybee Island and Sapelo Island, Georgia, United States. She was an intern for the Aquatic Sciences center for the 2022-2023 school year and the Center's first research intern.
Partnerships and Collaborators
Ruth Eilers - Academic outreach
Ruth Eilers is the director of GCSU Academic Outreach where students of GCSU gain beyond the classroom experiences providing a variety of hands-on science activities to P-12 students and adults in Middle Georgia and beyond. She is the 2022 recipient of the Georgia Adopt-a-Stream Trainer of the year award and through GCSU Thirst for Knowledge offers Adopt-a-Stream monitoring events and trainings.
Academic Outreach | Georgia College & State University (gcsu.edu)