Dr. Yoshiki Kanzaki
Dr. Yoshiki Kanzaki is a biogeochemist broadly interested in biogeochemical cycling of elements in the Earth’s surface, especially those associated with atmospheric redox and climate changes in the past and future. He received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D in Earth and Planetary Science from University of Tokyo and had postdoctoral experiences at University of Tokyo, University of Copenhagen, Pennsylvania State University, and University of California at Riverside before joining Dr. Chris Reinhard’s group at Georgia Tech as a postdoctoral fellow in 2020. In his research at Georgia Tech with Dr. Chris Reinhard, he works to develop models of reactions and transport in soils, and Earth system models to enhance our understanding of cycles of greenhouse gases from soils, ocean, and atmosphere. His recent research focus has been directed toward developing numerical tools to enable predicting and validating the Earth system consequences of implementing geoengineering techniques, especially enhanced rock weathering in croplands, for removal/mitigation of greenhouse gases.
In his spare time, he enjoys watching video game streams, listening to audio books, and playing with his cat, Kinako.
Dr. Meghana Ranganathan
Dr. Meghana Ranganathan is a glaciologist interested in developing our understanding of ice sheet dynamics through models, theory, and observations. She received her B.A. in mathematics from Swarthmore College and her Ph.D in Climate Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before beginning as a NOAA Climate & Global Change Postdoctoral Fellow at Georgia Tech EAS. In her research at Georgia Tech, she works with Dr. Alex Robel to develop models of ice fracture production in glaciers and to understand how ice fracture may affect future ice flow and ice loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet.
In her free time, she loves to read and write fiction. You could also find her baking or watching tons of TV. You can find more at her webpage meghanaranganathan.com.
Xing Zhou
Xing Zhou is an oceanographer and limnologist with an interest in applying various modeling approaches to address environmental and ecological open problems in both freshwater systems and oceans. During his Ph.D. at Michigan Technological University, he utilized hydrodynamic and biological models to investigate the mechanisms driving Cladophora blooms in the Great Lakes and determine the spatial and temporal evolution of cyanobacteria and microcystin in Lake Erie. His research also included studies on how the lower trophic level food web in Lake Michigan would be altered in a warming climate. In 2023, he joined Dr. Bracco’s group at Georgia Tech as a postdoctoral fellow. At Georgia Tech, Xing is building new modeling tools to explore fish and coral connectivity in the Gulf of Mexico. He is also working on developing a biogeochemical model to simulate alkalinity dynamics in the same region, with the goal of evaluating the effects of specific carbon removal technologies such as enhanced rock weathering and ocean alkalinity enhancement on the Gulf of Mexico’s ecosystem.
In his spare time, he enjoys playing soccer, downhill skiing, and playing video and board games.
Dr. Mitchell McMillan
Dr. Mitchell McMillan is a geologist interested in the processes the build up and tear down mountain belts. During his PhD at the University of Toronto, he studied the evolution of the high Puna plateau in the Central Andes. He combines computer models of mountain building with geologic mapping and sample collection to investigate tectonic hypotheses. At Georgia Tech, he is working with Shi (Joyce) Sim to model the thermodynamic reactions that take place deep within the crust. These reactions drive metamorphism and ultimately contribute to building high topography. In strong dry rocks, the reactions must be catalyzed by water, implying a link between fluids, plate tectonics, and mountain building.
Mitchell also likes to develop apps and websites. He is the developer of Mixel, a comprehensive app for cocktail recipes, available for iOS and Android. More information is available on his personal website: https://www.mitchell-mcmillan.com/
Amanda Timmerman
Dr. Amanda Timmerman is a sea-going oceanographer interested in the phytoplankton's role in biogeochemistry and marine carbon cycling. She earned her BS and MS at the University of Hawaii and her PhD at the University of Victoria in Canada. She Joined Georgia Tech as a research scientist in 2021. She is currently leading an NSF funded grant, collaborates with Dr. Bolden lab and teaches undergraduate courses. She integrates shipboard sampling (both chemical and biological measurements) with models and remote sensing. Amanda has spent over a year of her life on research vessels and has been to all oceans except the Indian Ocean.
She enjoys spending time outside hiking, backpacking, and sailing. She loves doing puzzles, playing board games and baking.
Aislin Reynolds
Dr. Aislin Reynolds is a structural geologist with interests in geomorphology and geologic hazards. She came to Georgia Tech as a President's Postdoctoral Fellow and joined Dr. Lang's TECHtonics group in 2023 after completing her PhD at Montana State University. She is fascinated by the geologic processes that shape, fracture, and deform the Earth's surface on a variety of spatial and temporal scales, with particular interest in how mountains grow and evolve, as well as how they erode or break down over time. During her PhD, Aislin studied active continental rifting (spreading) of the Tibetan Plateau through field observation, geologic mapping, radiometric dating, and thermal modeling methods to investigate the motion (kinematics) and forces (dynamics) that drive continental rifts. The goal of this work was to better understand how rifts can form and evolve adjacent to and even overlapping the Himalayas which are the largest mountains on Earth and are still actively growing today. At Georgia Tech, Aislin is studying how granite domes (e.g., Stone Mountain) along the Appalachians break apart over time to better understand what causes large sheets of rock to peel away from the domes, much like peeling layers off an onion, that can then fall and create dangerous rock fall hazards.To study this process, she will collect Lidar data using a drone to map rock fracture patterns in granite domes and match them to mechanical model simulations to test different potential mechanisms that could have caused their formation.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, photography, gaming, running, yoga, and rock climbing. Check out her twitter or instagram to learn more about the projects she is involved in and to check out some of her photos from the field as a structural geologist!
Yinghao Wen
Yinghao Wen is an environmental chemist who joined Georgia Tech in Dr. Yuanzhi Tang’s group as a postdoc in 2022. With a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Master and PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Northwestern and Texas A&M Universities, he is well versed in water decontamination using state-of-the-art techniques, but at GT he started exploring new research directions. He is now working on recovering rare-earth elements (REE) – which are needed for building components in the high technology devices we use every day, from smart phones, digital cameras, and computer hard disks to fluorescent and LED lights, flat screen televisions, computer monitors, and electronic displays. He is figuring out ways to recover them from secondary feedstocks using synchrotron X-ray techniques and from solid wastes using organic ligands, and has designed new methods for REE purification via wet chemistry experiments and modeling.
In his spare time, he likes working out at the gym, hiking, watching TV dramas and movies… and helping out ALEX, the Atlanta Science Festival Mascot. He is also a cat lover and has two cats: Caramel and Puff!
Karin Lehnigk
Karin Lehnigk is a geomorphologist. She came to Georgia Tech as a postdoc and joined Dr Lang's group after completing her PhD at UMass Amherst.
As a geomorphologist, she is interested in the geologic processes that happen near the surface of the Earth. Right now, she is studying how extreme floods affect the landscape, by modeling how they move sediment around and comparing simulated floods with sediment deposits from huge floods in the past in the Himalaya, the western US, and even on Mars!
When she is not working, you can usually find her writing trivia games, crocheting, running, or volunteering with her local county park system on invasive plant management projects. Check her webpage to find out more about all the cool projects she is involved in!
