Group Members

Graduate Students

Mirela Artner - Lavoine Research Group - College of Natural Resources at NC State University

Mirela Artner

3rd Year PhD Student

Start Date: January 2021
Collaborators: Dr. Melissa Pasquinelli
Research Area: Investigate the unique properties of renewable biobased polymers at the nanoscale to design fully biodegradable multilayer substrates for multilayer food packaging.
From: Santa Catarina, Brazil

Shiyao Hong - Lavoine Research Group - College of Natural Resources at NC State University

Shiyao Hong

3rd Year PhD Student

Start Date: August 2021
Main PhD Advisor: Dr. Lucian Lucia
Research Area: Investigate the fundamental parameters in cellulose crystal self-assembly leading to structural chromism
From: Zhejiang, China
Fun Fact: Shiyao built her baking skills from the experience in the lab. 

Chisom C Umeileka - Lavoine Research Group - College of Natural Resources at NC State University

Chisom C. Umeileka

2nd Year PhD Student

Start Date: August 2022
Main PhD Advisor: Dr. Nathalie Lavoine
Research Area: Development of bio-based, sustainable coating formulations for packaging applications
From: Nigeria 

Undergraduate Students

Linda Posada-Argueta

Linda Y. Posada-Argueta

1st Year Undergraduate Student

Period: 2023 Summer Research Experience
Degree: Major in Environmental Sciences, Department of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, NC State University
Advisors: Dr. Karthik Mani, Dr. Nathalie Lavoine
Research Topic: Biodegradation of plastics
From: Raleigh, NC, USA
Fun Fact: Linda loves collecting indoor plants and learning their scientific names!

Ashley Bean

Period: 2022-2023
Degree: Bachelor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, NC State University
Advisors: Shiyao Hong, Dr. Lucian Lucia
Research Topic: Production of cellulose nanocrystals

Alumni

Postdoctoral Researchers

Karthik Mani - Lavoine Research Group - College of Natural Resources at NC State University

Karthik Ananth Mani

Period: 2022-2023
Collaborators: Dr. Dimitris Argyropoulos
Sponsor: Syngenta, Greensboro, NC
Research Area: Biodegradable Microencapsulation Strategies for Sustainable Crop Management
From: India

Elmira Kalantari - Lavoine Research Group - College of Natural Resources at NC State University

Elmira Kalantari

Visiting Period: March – June 2021
Collaborators: Dr. Lucian Lucia, Dr. Nathalie Lavoine
Research Area: Green synthesis of nanocatalysts based on nanocellulose and their applications in oxidation and reduction of organic and inorganic compounds
From: Gorgan, Iran

Graduate Students

Erfan Kimiaei - Lavoine Research Group - College of Natural Resources at NC State University

Erfan Kimiaei

Visiting Period: February-August 2023
Advisor: Prof. Monika Osterberg
Degree: Ph.D. degree from Aalto University, Finland
Collaborators at NCSU: Dr. Nathalie Lavoine, Prof. Richard Venditti
Research at NCSU: Biodegradation studies and environmental life cycle assessment of composites made of cellulose nanofibrils, lignin nanoparticles and polycaprolactone
From: Iran
Fun fact: Erfan has lived on four different continents so far!

Lisanda Chacon - Lavoine Research Group - College of Natural Resources at NC State University

Lisandra Vanessa Chacon

Period: 2020 – 2022
Co-Advisor: Dr. Richard Venditti
Degree: Ph.D. degree in Forest Biomaterials
PhD Research: Development of innovative sustainable packaging with recognizable recycled content to promote positive perceptions from consumers about a product or brand
From: Merida, Venezuela

Emily Piner - Lavoine Research Group - College of Natural Resources at NC State University

Emily V. Piner

Period: 2020 -2022
Co-Advisor: Dr. Lucian Lucia
Degree: Master of Science in Forest Biomaterials (thesis)
Master Research: Development of biopolymer films for use in food and beverage packaging as an alternative to single-use plastics.
From: Natchitoches, Louisiana
Fun Fact: Emily taught chemistry in a public school for six years. She is also a classically trained pianist.

Joseph Gutierrez - Lavoine Research Group - College of Natural Resources at NC State University

Joseph Nicolas Gutierrez Pena

Period: 2021-2023
Co-Advisors: Dr. Lucian Lucia & Dr. Melissa Pasquinelli
Degree: Master degree in Textile Chemistry (non-thesis), Wilson College of Textiles
Research Area: Structural colors based on cellulose nanocrystals for textile applications
From: Merida, Venezuela

Gregorio Diaz Martinez - Lavoine Research Group - College of Natural Resources at NC State University

Gregorio Simón Díaz Martínez

Visiting Period: 2021-2022
Advisor: Dr. Edith Cadena
Degree: Master degree from the Department of Agricultural Sciences at the National University of Colombia
Research Area: Development of smart biofilms from purple yam starch/flour
From: Chinú, Córdoba, Colombia
Fun Fact: I have a funny sense of humor in English, but in Spanish I tend to be extremely serious! 

Selen Guner - Lavoine Research Group - College of Natural Resources at NC State University

Selen Guner

Visiting Period: 2021 -2022
Collaborators: Dr. Lucian Lucia and Dr. Elmira Kalantari
Degree: Ph.D. degree from the Department of Food Engineering, Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey
Research Area: Prediction of caking behavior for powder food samples to improve their processing conditions and storage quality
From: Ankara, Turkey
Fun Fact: Although people tend to believe otherwise, I am a Food Scientist who cannot cook!

Ramakrishna Trovagunta

Period: 2018 -2021
Degree: Ph.D. in Forest Biomaterials, NC State
Co-Advisors: Dr. Nathalie Lavoine and Dr. Stephen S Kelley
PhD Research: Understanding the synergy between lignin and cellulose nanomaterials for advanced functional foams
From: Hyderabad, India
Fun Fact: Ramakrishna loves learning new languages. He is already well-versed with 8 languages.

Tao Zou

Visiting Period: March -June 2020
Degree: Ph.D. degree from Aalto University, Finland
Advisor: Dr. Monika Österberg, Aalto University, Finland
Research Area: Lightweight composite foams from cellulose and lignin nanomaterials
From: China
Quote: “Life is a never-ending learning process”

Thomas Case

Period: February -June 2019
Degree: Master’s degree at NC State, CBE Department
Advisor: Dr. Lavoine
Research Area: To address the growing concern of petroleum plastic use in microwavable trays
From: Westfield, NJ, USA
Fun Fact: Thomas is a former college lacrosse player

Undergraduate Students

Ari Jindal - Lavoine Research Group - College of Natural Resources at NC State University

Ari Jindal

Period: February-July 2023
Affiliation/Degree: NC State University & UNC Chapel Hill, Biomedical and Health Science Engineering
Research Topic: Experimental-computing integrating approach of cellulose nanocrystals dispersion systems in different solvents
From: India
Fun Fact: I have lived in four states

Siqin Sun

Siqin Sun

Period: Summer 2022
University: Northeastern University, China
Sponsor: NC State GEARS Program
Research Area: Biodegradation of cellulose nanomaterials
From: Shenyang, China
Fun Fact: Siqin is fond of swimming and electronic music

Saurav Jain

Undergraduate Research Experience: 2019 -2022
Collaborators: Ramakrishna Trovagunta, Dr. Kavita Mathur from the Wilson College of Textiles
Research Area: Cellulose nanocrystals for structural colors of textiles
From: Kolkata, India
Fun Fact: Saurav has lived in 3 countries – India, Singapore and U.S.A
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saurav-jain-83828518b/

Daren Zhou 周达人

Period: Summer 2021
Advisors: Dr. Qian Lei, Central South University, Dr. Lavoine
Sponsor: NC State GEARS Program
Research Area: Sustainable materials for packaging applications
From: Central South University, Changsha, China
Fun Fact: Daren is good at tasting food from all over the world！

Jeremy Kaelin

Jeremy Kaelin

Period: May -August 2021
Degree: Undergraduate degree, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, NC State
Advisors: Emily Piner, Joseph Gutierrez, and Ramakrishna Trovagunta
Research Area: Comparison of plastic films to bio-based alternatives
From: Raleigh, NC
Fun Fact: Jeremy loves going to the beach and playing tennis and disc golf.

Jingfu Xu 徐靖夫

Period: Summer 2021
Advisors: Ramakrishna Trovagunta
Sponsor: NC State GEARS Program
Research Area: Sustainable materials for packaging applications – Focus on Biodegradation of Foams
From: Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
Fun Fact: Affection on long-distance running！

Ryan Walters

Period: May -August 2020
Degree: Undergraduate degree in Paper Science and Engineering (PSE) and Chemical Engineering (CHE), NC State
Advisor: Dr. Lavoine
Research Area: Improving the sustainability of an everyday packaging product using Impact 2019 and created course content for PSE 370 (Pulp and Paper Products and Markets)
From: Wake Forest, NC, USA
Fun Fact: If Ryan had a superpower, it would be the ability to read minds!

Annie Chen

Period: January -September 2019
Degree: Undergraduate degree in Paper Science and Engineering (PSE) and Chemical Engineering (CHE), NC State
Advisors: Dr. Nathalie Lavoine, Dr. Richard Venditti, and Dr. Marko Hakovirta
Research Area: Creation of thermoresponsive nanocellulose suspensions and thin films using multiple cellulose-derived polymers
From: Raleigh, NC, USA
Fun Fact: Annie has a 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do

Andrew Chu

Period: May -August 2019
Degree: Undergraduate degree in Paper Science and Engineering (PSE) and Chemical Engineering (CHE), NC State
Advisors: Ramakrishna Trovagunta, Dr. Lavoine
Research Area: Understanding the influence of PFI mill refining on the degree of fibrillation of CNF
From: Raleigh, NC, USA
Fun Fact: Andrew is currently the President of TAPPI at NC State