Y. John Kim Laboratory - The University of Alabama

Yonghyun (John) Kim, Ph.D.
Associate Professor

B.S., Chemical Engineering, Lafayette College, 2002
B.A., Biochemistry, Lafayette College, 2002
Ph.D., Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), 2008
Post-doctoral Training, Oncology, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute & Samsung Medical Center, 2008-2011
Office: SEC 3441
Phone: (205) 348-1729
E-mail: ykim at eng.ua.edu

Wilmer J. Andújar Cruz

M.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2024

B.S., Chemical Engineering, University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez, 2022
McNair Fellow, 2022-2024
Office: SEC 3474 | E-mail: wandujar at crimson.ua.edu

Alexandra D. Avera

M.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2023
B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2020
GAANN Fellow, 2020-2025
UA Outstanding Graduate Student, 2023
Office: SEC 3474 | E-mail: aavera at crimson.ua.edu

Amiya J. Ford

B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2026 (expected)
Office: SEC 3481 | E-mail: ajford5 at crimson.ua.edu

Cassidy A. Griffith

B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2028 (expected)
Randall Research Scholars Program Scholar, 2024-present
Office: SEC 3481 | E-mail: cagriffith1 at crimson.ua.edu

Alexander M. Guirgues

B.S., Biology, The University of Alabama, 2027 (expected)
Randall Research Scholars Program Scholar, 2023-present
Office: SEC 3481 | E-mail: amguirgues at crimson.ua.edu

Ella N. McCarthy

B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2027 (expected)
NSF IRES Fellow, Lisbon, Portugal, 2025
Office: SEC 3481 | E-mail: enmccarthy at crimson.ua.edu

Isabella R. Mejia

B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2026 (expected)
NSF IRES Fellow, Lisbon, Portugal, 2025
Office: SEC 3481 | E-mail: irmejia at crimson.ua.edu

Mason R. Pentes

B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2027 (expected)
Randall Research Scholars Program Scholar, 2023-present
Office: SEC 3481 | E-mail: mrpentes at crimson.ua.edu

Carly S. Schultz

M.B.A., The University of Alabama, 2026 (expected)
B.S., Biology, The University of Alabama, 2025
Office: SEC 3481 | E-mail: csschultz3 at crimson.ua.edu

Juliana C. Bates

B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2023
Tenure in lab: 2020-2023
NSF Graduate Research Fellow, 2025
Kenneth J Tobola Award, 2023
Randall Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award, 2023
Barry Goldwater Scholar, 2022
Research Scholars Program Scholar, 2019-2023
Placement after graduation: University of Virginia

Nicholas G. Belt

B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2022
Tenure in lab: 2020-2021
Placement after graduation: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Brianna T. Beswick

B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2020
Tenure in lab: 2018-2020
Placement after graduation: GenMark Diagnostics

Macy L. Birge

B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2023
Tenure in lab: 2022-2023
Placement after graduation: University of Alabama Birmingham School of Medicine

Ryan A. Brightwell

B.S., Computer Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2022
Tenure in lab: 2018-2019
Placement after graduation: Argo AI

Alexandra Branyi

M.S., Applied Biotechnology, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, 2013
B.S., Biochemical Engineering, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, 2010
Tenure in lab: Spring 2014
Placement after graduation: Redaktion

Spenser R. Brown

Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2023
M.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2019
B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2015
ACS BIOT Peterson Award, 2022
GAANN Fellow, 2020-2023
Alabama LSAMP Fellow, 2019-2020
AIChE John C. Chen Young Professional Leadership Award, 2023
Tenure in lab: 2018-2023
Placement after graduation: Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Bret M. Buckler

J.D., University of North Carolina School of Law, 2017
B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2014
Tenure in lab: 2013-2014
Placement after graduation: Moore & Van Allen, PLLC

Eli K. Chambers

B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2025
Tenure in lab: May 2023-Dec 2023

Isabella M. Concannon

B.S., Biochemistry, The University of Alabama, 2025
Randall Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award, 2024
Randall Research Scholars Program Scholar, 2021-2025
Tenure in lab: 2022-2025
Placement after graduation: Indiana University School of Medicine

Ava M. Concannon

B.S., Kinesiology, The University of Alabama, 2026 (expected)
Randall Research Scholars Program Scholar, 2022-present
Tenure in lab: 2023-2024

Bailey M. Creighton

B.S., Microbiology, The University of Alabama, 2019
Randall Research Scholars Program Scholar, 2015-2019
Tenure in lab: 2016-2018
Placement after graduation: Florida State University College of Medicine

Loria R. DiMartino

B.S., Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, 2025
Strategic Graduate Partnerships Initiative (SGPI) REU Scholar, Summer 2024
Tenure in lab: Summer 2024

Michael R. Doane

B.S., Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusettes-Lowell, 2019
B.S., Biology, University of Massachusettes-Lowell, 2019
NSF Graduate Research Fellow, 2019
Barry Goldwater Scholar, 2017
NSF REU Researcher, Summer 2016
Tenure in lab: Summer 2016
Placement after graduation: Stanford University

Ria C. Domier

M.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2014
B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2014
NSF Graduate Research Fellow, 2014
Barry Goldwater Scholar, 2013
NSF REU Researcher, 2012-2013
Tenure in lab: Summer 2013
Placement after graduation: North Carolina State University

David A. Dozier

M.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2016
B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2011
UA National Alumni Association Graduate Fellow, 2013-2015
Randall Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award, 2011
Tenure in lab: 2012-2016

Adetomiwa A. Fasanmi

M.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2023
B.S., Chemical Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, 2014
Tenure in lab: 2021-2022
Placement after graduation: Texas A&M University

Jack T. Geer

B.S., Biology, The University of Alabama, 2021
Tenure in lab: 2021 Spring
Placement after graduation: University of Alabama at Birmingham

Elizabeth M. Haley

B.S., Nursing, The University of Alabama, 2016
Randall Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award, 2014 & 2015
Tenure in lab: 2013-2016
Placement after graduation: Emory University

Joline S. Hartheimer

B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2019
Randall Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award, 2019
Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, 2019
McKinley Scholar, 2017-2018
Randall Research Scholars Program Scholar, 2015-2019
Tenure in lab: 2016-2018
Placement after graduation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine

Donte E. Johnson

B.S., Biomedical Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2025
NSF REU Researcher, Summer 2023

Margaret E. Kapperman

B.S., Microbiology, The University of Alabama, 2023
B.A., History, The University of Alabama, 2023
Tenure in lab: May 2023-Dec 2023
Placement after graduation: University of Alabama at Birmingham

Dong Woon Kim

Associate Professor, Chungnam University School of Medicine
Visiting Scholar, 2016-2018

Nikki L. Klaassen

B.S., Chemical Engineering, Kansas State University, 2016
NSF REU Researcher, Summer 2015
Tenure in lab: Summer 2015
Placement after graduation: RD2Rx, LLC

Justin W. Magrath

B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2017
Catherine J. Randall Award, 2017
Henry Pettus Randall Jr. Endowed Research Scholar, 2016
Randall Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award, 2015 & 2016
AIChE Donald F. Othmer Sophomore Academic Excellence Award, 2015
Computer-based Honors Scholar, 2013-2017
Tenure in lab: 2014-2017
Placement after graduation: Tulane Medical Center

Seungjo (Joe) Park

Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2021
B.S., Biotechnology, Sejong University, 2014
American Institute of Chemists, Outstanding Graduate Student Award, 2021
Alabama Commission on Higher Education Fellowship, 2017-2020
Tenure in lab: 2015-2021
Placement after graduation: Cytiva

Emma Pollard

B.S., Chemical Engineering, Florida State University, 2024
NSF REU Researcher, Summer 2021
Tenure in lab: Summer 2021

Andrew D. Raddatz

B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2017
Barry Goldwater Scholar, 2016
Randall Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award, 2015 & 2016
Computer-based Honors Scholar, 2013-2017
Tenure in lab: 2014-2017
Placement after graduation: Georgia Institute of Technology/Emory University

Michael A. Raddatz

MD/PhD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2021
B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2015
UA Alumni Scholar Award, 2015
UA ChBE Capstone Engineering Society Outstanding Senior, 2015
Catherine J. Randall Student Excellence Award, 2015
Randall Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award, 2014 & 2015
UA McKinley Scholar, 2014
UA Chemical and Biological Engineering Outstanding Junior, 2014
Dr. Charles L. Seebeck Endowed Scholarship, 2014
Computer-based Honors Scholar, 2011-2015
Tenure in lab: 2013-2015
Placement after graduation: Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Wilson R. Raney

B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2020
Randall Research Scholars Program Scholar, 2016-2020
Tenure in lab: 2018-2020
Placement after graduation: University of South Alabama

Erin L. Retzlaff-Roberts

B.S., Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, 2017
Barry Goldwater Scholarship Nominee, 2016
NSF REU Researcher, Summer 2014
Tenure in lab: Summer 2014
Placement after graduation: Hargrove Engineers + Constructors

Hyeon Min Ryu

Associate Professor, CHA University
Visiting Scholar, 2018-2019

Taylor N. Schnorbus

M.B.A., The University of Alabama, 2026 (expected)
B.S., Biochemistry, The University of Alabama, 2025
McCollough Institute Pre-Medical Scholar, 2021-2025
Tenure in lab: 2022-2025

Yifei Sun

B.S., Chemistry/Biochemistry, The University of Alabama, 2023
Tenure in lab: 2020-2023
Randall Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award, 2023
Placement after graduation: University of Alabama Birmingham School of Medicine

Brittney C. Sunday

B.S., Chemical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 2016
NSF REU Researcher, Summer 2014
Tenure in lab: Summer 2014
Placement after graduation: Baxter International Inc

Samantha G. Tilson

Ph.D., University of Cambridge, 2020
B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2016
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, 2016
Barry Goldwater Scholar, 2015
Henry Pettus Randall Jr. Endowed Research Scholar, 2015
Randall Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award, 2014-2016
HHMI Undergraduate Research Scholar, 2013-2014
Computer-based Honors Scholar, 2012-2016
Tenure in lab: 2013-2016
Placement after graduation: National Institutes of Health

Ursula L. Triantafillu

Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2018
M.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2014
B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2012
National Alumni Association Graduate Fellow, 2017
NSF EAPSI Fellow, 2016
Nicholas Sarris Scholar, 2013
Clarence and Martha Oden Scholar, 2009
Paul W. Bryant Scholar, 2009
Tenure in lab: 2013-2018
Placement after graduation: GE Healthcare

Amanda A. Volk

B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2016
Computer-based Honors Scholar
Tenure in lab: Fall 2013
Placement after graduation: North Carolina State University

Benjamin D. Wires

B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Alabama, 2013
Tenure in lab: Fall 2012
Placement after graduation: 3M

Principal Investigator

Yonghyun (John) Kim, Ph.D. Associate Professor

Graduate Student Researchers