Meet the Team

We are actively recruiting undergraduate students, and postdoctoral scholars for Spring 2025.

Interested in joining the team? Check our openings for details.

Bryan James, PhD

Dr. Bryan D. James is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Northeastern University. He leads the EcoBioMaterials Design Lab focused on creating functional, sustainable, and benign materials for a safer, cleaner future by innovating at each stage of the engineering design process. He actively collaborates globally with academic colleagues, NGOs, and industrial partners, regularly engages with K-12 students and educators, and advises policymakers. Bryan has been recognized with multiple honors and awards, including being a recipient of a Sustainable Futures Initiative Early Career Postdoctoral-Faculty Bridge Grant, and being named a Rising Star in Engineering in Health, a CAS Future Leader, and an ACS PMSE Future Faculty Scholar.

Bryan was a Postdoctoral Scholar/Investigator at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), working with Mark Hahn, Collin Ward, and Chris Reddy. His postdoctoral research focused on understanding the fate, persistence, and toxicity of plastic in the ocean to inform the rational design of next-generation materials that are safe for people and the planet. Bryan received his B.A.Sc. in materials engineering from the University of Toronto in 2017 and his Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from the University of Florida (UF) in 2021. At UF, as an NIH F31 Predoctoral Fellow under the mentorship of Josephine Allen, Bryan pioneered the use of nucleic acid-collagen complexes for hard and soft tissue engineering and championed investigating sex as a biological variable in biomaterials research, identifying mechanobiological sex differences in vascular cells.

Principal Investigator (CV)

Liat Kugelmass, PhD

Dr. Liat Kugelmass received her B.A. in Chemistry from Vassar College and Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry from Cornell University. During her doctoral program, Liat worked under the mentorship of Prof. Erin Stache, developing novel chemical recycling strategies. Liat’s research focused on leveraging the light-to-heat conversion process known as photothermal conversion as a means of reverting commercial plastics to their starting components through depolymerization. While at Cornell, Liat was the recipient of the Cornell University Graduate Fellowship, Bauer Scholarship Award, and Catalyst Safety Prize. Interested in the real-world implementation of science, Liat worked as a Senior Fellow at the Institute on Science for Global Policy, which promotes and creates opportunities for evidence-based decision-making on the world stage.

As a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the EcoBioMaterials Design Lab, Liat leverages her experience in Polymer and Organic Chemistry to reimagine polymer additives under humanity-centered design principles.

Postdoctoral Research Associate (CV)

Joelis Velez Diaz

I was born and raised in Cidra, Puerto Rico. Due to Hurricane Maria, I moved to Massachusetts in 2018, and I started my college career in 2020 at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). At WPI, I completed my Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering with a concentration in environmental engineering and a materials science minor. Additionally, knowing the importance of education and promoting STEM, at WPI, I completed the teacher preparation program as an NSF Noyce Scholar, for which I taught high school chemistry for a semester in a high-needs district. I achieved this in four years and graduated in May 2024 with high distinction. At WPI, I gained valuable research expertise through the NSF Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program. In this program, I conducted cutting-edge research on waste-to-feedstock technologies alongside K-12 teachers in STEM, participated in professional development training to enhance STEM education, and translated my research experience into two high school chemistry lesson plans that I taught in my student teaching. My research aimed to solve global waste issues while promoting a circular economy by converting waste to energy, contributing to a sustainable future. I worked independently in Professor Michael Timko’s lab, focusing on circularizing waste streams into fuels and valuable chemical products, aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for green energy and responsible consumption. I utilized hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), a sustainable and more energy-efficient process than competing technologies for biocrude production. 

As a climate migrant, I aim to improve the quality of life for society and protect our environment by working towards sustainability and restoration of our ecosystems while helping students see themselves as agents of change through education. For this reason, I decided to pursue a PhD in Chemical Engineering at Northeastern University. I chose their program because of the department’s values, which are reflected by its dedication to fostering an inclusive and welcoming ChemEunity (chemical engineering community). Northeastern’s global campus model will enable me to collaborate across borders, addressing the pressing need for environmental conservation and climate change mitigation. I am thrilled to be a Northeastern Chair’s Fellow, and working in the EcoBioMaterials Design Lab, conducting novel research to advance knowledge in STEM, ensure inclusion, and amplify the voices of those most affected. 

Graduate Student (CV)

Cara Megill

Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Cara received bachelor’s degrees in Chemistry and Marine Biology from the University of Rhode Island and an MS degree in Marine Science from Hawai’i Pacific University. She completed her master’s thesis under Dr. Jennifer Lynch at the Center for Marine Debris Research (CMDR). Cara’s research focused on developing methods to quantify six classes of plastic-associated chemicals as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in a single injection. The methods she developed were applied to quantify targeted chemicals in marine debris and recycled plastics, along with water runoff samples from a roadway paved with recycled plastics. Following graduation from HPU, Cara became the Microplastics Program Director at the CMDR, where she led, managed, and advised microplastic and plastic additive laboratory research.  

As a first-year PhD student at Northeastern University in the Interdisciplinary Engineering program, Cara intends to investigate pyroplastics (melted or burned plastics) as a type of plastic pollution in the environment, specifically, in marine systems. More specifically, her research will focus upon identifying potential chemical markers of pyroplastics and assessing their toxicity.

Graduate Student (CV)

Caroline Leduc

I’m Caroline, a second-year master's student from the Boston area! I completed my B.S. in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Physics from Syracuse University in 2022. My undergraduate studies helped me find my passion for environmental applications and system optimization. I spent some time after graduation in the nuclear industry maintaining the performance of diesel engines and compressors, but I knew I wanted to return to school to improve my analytical and research skills. 

At the EcoBioMaterials Design Lab, my research focuses on developing natural product-based, biodegradable fluorine-free foams (F3) that will comply with military specifications. My aim is to contribute to the lab’s mission of creating safer, more sustainable materials.  

Graduate Student (CV)

Alice Goldberg

I am a third-year chemical engineering student from Honolulu, Hawai’i, with a strong passion for sustainability. My academic and research interests focus on developing eco-friendly materials and energy solutions that contribute to a cleaner, healthier planet. With a background in pharmacology, I have a comprehensive understanding of biochemical processes, which helps me analyze material interactions within biological systems.

I have contributed to research at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa’s School of Ocean, Earth Science, and Technology, where I worked on 3D modeling of lesser-known icy satellites. This experience refined my computational modeling skills and broadened my knowledge of planetary science. Through the Earth Planets ‘Ike Kuleana program, I explored fundamental geoscience concepts, such as superposition and spectroscopy. Additionally, as an intern at Oceanit Engineering Laboratories, I helped code autonomous robots designed to collect beach and water data for a coastal restoration initiative, a project that has reinforced my interest in environmental sustainability.

Currently, I am working with Liat developing novel, benign additives for plastics. Outside of academics, I am on the Northeastern University’s club gymnastics team and am a founding member of Recess Room, a student organization focused on providing structured relaxation time for college students to unwind and de-stress.

Undergraduate Student (CV)

Alumni

Kennedy Gallagher

Undergraduate (Spring 2025)

Mia Khavari

Undergraduate (Summer 2025)