Teaching & Research Assistants - University of Houston
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Teaching & Research Assistants

Research Assistants and Teaching Assistants are listed here along with their major, advisor, and e-mail address. If you note any incorrect information, please visit the EAS Office Support Ticket System.

Teaching Assistants

Afzal, Amna 
Ph.D. Geology
Advisor: Dr. Qi Fu
Thesis: "Quantification of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Southern Texas"  
Office: SR1 Rm.307A 

Akinyemi, Daniel Oluwaseun

PhD Geophysics and Seismology
Advisor : Dr. John Castagna
Email: odakinye@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1, Rm 319

 Akther, Tanzina

Curriculum Vitae

Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences
Advisor: Dr. Bernhard Rappenglueck
Thesis:Reactive Organic Carbon (ROC) Emissions from Unconventional Sources and Their Impact on Air Quality.
Email:  takther@uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm. 405

 Alam, Mohammad
Curriculum Vitae
Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences
Advisor: Dr. Bernhard Rappenglueck
Thesis: Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in air, water, and soil and their impact on air quality
Email: malam22@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.129

  Anshika, FNU

Curriculum Vitae

Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences
Advisor: Dr. Bernhard Rappenglueck
Thesis: 
Analysis of Phthalates using the two-dimensional gas-chromatography mass
spectrometer to study their occurrence in Houston, Texas
Email: fanshika@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 413

Arshad, Zoonash
Ph.D. Geophysics
Advisor: Dr. Hua-Wei Zhou
Thesis: Machine Learning in Earthquake Seismology
Email:     
Office: SR1, Rm.
Aucamp, Tarryn
Ph.D. Geology
Advisor: Dr. Thomas Lapen
Thesis:Constraining Martian Mantle Heterogeneity Through Isotopic and Textural Variations Observed in the Depleted Shergottites.
Email: taucamp@cougarnet.uh.edu    
Office: SR1, Rm.318
 Bailey, Debra  
Curriculum Vitae
Ph.D. Geology 
Advisor:Dr Ny Riavo Voarintsoa 
Thesis: Stable Isotope Geochemistry of Biogenic and Abiotic Carbonates  
Email: dlbaile2@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.328
 Bibi, Salma  

Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences 
Advisor: Dr. Bernhard Rappengluck
Thesis:TBD  
Email: sbibi@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.318
 Bhattarai, Ashish  
Curriculum Vitae
Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences 
Advisor: Dr. Yuxuan Wang 
Thesis:  
Email: abhatt21@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm. 318

christopher c  Cantoni, Abigail

Curriculum Vitae

PhD Geology
Advisor: Dr. Tom Lapen
Thesis Topic: Magmatism on Mars
Email: amcanton@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1, Rm. 318

Ronin Costello Costello, Ronin
Ph.D Atmospheric Sciences  
Advisor: Dr. Yuxuan Wang  
Thesis:  
Email: rscostel@uh.edu  
Office: SR1 413
Daniel, Michael  
Curriculum Vitae
PhD Geology
Advisor: Dr. Mike Murphy
Thesis: Analog Sandbox Modelling, thermochronology, and GPS strain analysis to understand the role of lateral/oblique ramps in deformation of a fold and thrust belt, western Nepal
Email: mdaniel3@uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.336A
 Ejaz, Muhammad Nauman
Curriculum Vitae
 Ph.D Geophysics
Advisor: Dr. Hua-Wei Zhou
Thesis: 
Email: mejaz2@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.335

 Fields, Shawn

Curriculum Vitae

Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences
Advisor: Dr. Thomas Lapen
Thesis: Provenance and evolution of the Columbia River Basin system after the initiation of Miocene flood basalt volcanism
Email: sfields@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.233

 Gad, Mohamed Ahmed

Ph.D. Geophysics
Advisor: Dr. John Castagna
Thesis: Reservoir Characterization Using Physics-Informed Machine Learning
Email: mgad@uh.edu
Office: SR1 136

 Ghimire,Riwaj
Curriculum Vitae
Ph.D. Geophysics 
Advisor: Dr. Aibing Li 
Thesis:  
Email: rghimire@cougarnet.uh.edu       
Office: SR1 Rm. 318

Harris, Makenna

M.S. Geology
Advisor:Dr. Brandee Carlson
Thesis:Investigating the magnitude and timing of post-fire sediment transport in the Texas Panhandle shrublands
Email: mharri28@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 336E

Javid, Abdolrazzagh

Ph.D. in Geophysics & Seismology
Advisor:Professor John Castagna
Thesis:
Email: 
Office: SR1

Jeba, Farah
Curriculum Vita
Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences
Advisor:Dr. Bernhard Rappenglueck
Thesis:Analysis and method development for Phenolic compounds
Email: fjeba@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 405

Jia, Sui
Ph.D. Geology
Advisor: Dr. Alex Robinson   
Thesis: Subduction timing and orogenesis from two perspectives  
Email: sjia3@cougarnet.uh.edu          
Office: SR1, Rm. 238

Karaca, Onur
Curriculum Vitae
Ph.D. Geology
Advisor: Dr. Shuhab Khan   
Thesis:   
Email: sokaraca@cougarnet.uh.edu 
Office: SR1, Rm.234

Karandana,Thishan
Curriculum Vitae
Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences
Advisor: Prof. Xun Jiang   
Thesis:   
Email: thishankg@CougarNet.UH.EDU          
Office: SR1, Rm.416

 Kashfi Yeganeh, Arash
Curriculum Vitae

Advisor: Yunsoo Choi
Thesis: Improved Understanding on Source Contributions Using Adjoint Technique and Inverse Modeling
Email: akashfiy@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.414

Kumar, Bhupender
Curriculum Vitae
Ph.D. Geophysics and Seismology
Advisor: Dr. Aibing Li   
Thesis:   
Email: bkumar@cougarnet.uh.edu          
Office: SR1, Rm.

Lama, Pragya
Curriculum Vitae
Ph.D Geophysics
Advisor: Dr. Aibing Li   
Thesis: Building a 3D Anisotropy Model to Study the Geophysical Structure of Northeastern America: Insights into the Existence of the Cape Verde Hotspot Track and the Origin of the Great Lakes   
Email: plama@cougarnet.uh.edu          
Office: SR1, Rm.126

  Masaryk, Abe Okayli
Advisor: Dr. Yingcai Zheng   
Thesis: Non-linear dynamics of metamorphic geological systems
Email: ajokaylimasaryk@uh.edu            
Office: SR1, Rm. 327 A

McLaughlin, Jack
MS Geology
Advisor: Dr. Regina Capuano   
Thesis:   
Email: jrmclaug@cougarnet.uh.edu          
Office: SR1, Rm.

claireong.jpg  Nelson, Delaney

Curriculum Vitae
Ph.D. Atmospheric Science
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Yunsoo Choi
Thesis Title: A Diverse and Comprehensive Air Quality Modeling Analysis of Houston, Texas: How Will Changing Emissions, Energies, and Industries Impact the Air and Human Health?
Email:  dlnelson3@uh.edu
Office: SR1, Rm 426G

  Nwafor, Basil Onyekayahweh

Curriculum Vitae

Ph.D. Geophysics and Seismology
Advisor: Dr. John Castagna  
Thesis: Relating time-lapse seismic monitoring results of CO2 plumes in the Sleipner project, North Sea, to depositional systems and interpretation of the storage complex seismic data.  
Email: bonwafor@uh.edu
Office: SR1, Rm. 327 A

  Oware, Raymond Kwaku Twumasi

Curriculum Vitae
Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences
Advisor: Dr. Youtong Zheng
Thesis: Assessing DOE's global storm-resolving model simulations of deep convection
Email: roware@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1, Rm.318
Parsons, Jake
Ph.D. Geophysics
Advisor: Dr. Yingcai Zheng
Thesis: 3D fracture characterization using an elastic double-beam method & characterization of lower mantle heterogeneities beneath Japan using differential SKS traveltimes
Email: jparsons@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1, Rm. 131B

  Pudasaini, Anuska
Ph.D. Geology
Advisor: Dr. Julia S. Wellner  
Thesis: Meltwater facies of Thwaites Glacier, Antarctica 
Email: apudasai@cougarnet.uh.edu            
Office: SR1, Rm. 303 A

 Quddus,Kazi Fahad

Curriculum Vitae

Ph.D. Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Advisor: Dr. Yuxuan Wang
Thesis: Air Quality Modeling
Email: kquddus@cougarnet.uh.edu    
Office: SR1, Rm.413

 Raab, Jillian
M.S. GeoPhysics
Advisor: Dr. William Sager
Thesis: is looking at paleomagnetism located at the Walvis Ridge location off the coast of South East Africa
Email: jraab@cougarnet.uh.edu    
Office: SR1, Rm. 
 Rawal, Sagar

Curriculum Vitae

PhD in GeoPhysics
Advisor:Dr. Guoquan (Bob) Wang
Thesis:
Email: srawal@cougarnet.uh.edu    
Office: SR1, Rm. 
Raza, Ali

Curriculum Vitae

Ph.D. Geology
Advisor: Dr. Ny Riavo G. Voarintsoa

Thesis: Multiproxy Approach to Study Composition of Stalagmites - Implications for Paleoenvironment
Email: araza22@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1, Rm. 328
 Reyna, Robby
M. S. Geology
Advisor:Dr. Regina Capuano
Thesis: Groundwater evolution associated with carbon dioxide seep.
Email: rrreyna3@cougarnet.uh.edu    
Office: SR1, Rm. 
 Silwal, Rajesh
Ph.D in Geophysics
Advisor: Dr. Guoquan (Bob) Wang
Email: rsilwal2@CougarNet.UH.EDU
Office: SR1, Rm.231
 Singh, Deveshwar
Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences
Advisor: Dr. Yunsoo Choi
Thesis:Utilization of deep-learning algorithms for bias-correction and forecasting of weather, air quality and climate parameters over Contiguous United States and South Korea.
Email: dsingh24@cougarn et.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.414

 olanrewaju olukemi Soneye-Arogundade, Olanrewaju Olukemi

Curriculum Vitae

Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences 
Advisor:  Dr. Bernhard Rappenglueck
Thesis: Analysis of Urban Environmental Dynamics: Integrating Solar Radiation, Air Pollution, and Ultraviolet Exposure    
Email:  oosoneye@cougarnet.uh.edu           
Office: SR1, Rm. 136

olanrewaju olukemi Sterna, Christina

PhD Geology
Advisor: Michael Murphy
Email: cesterna@cougarnet.uh.edu

 Tavakhsh, Saeed
Curriculum Vitae
PhD student
Advisor: Dr. Yunsoo Choi
Thesis: 
Email: stavakhs@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.414
aryatilak.png Tilak, Arya
Title: Teaching Assistant
Email:  atilak@cougarnet.uh.edu
Advisor: Dr. Ny Riavo Voarintsoa
Office: Desk B, SR1 328
Younas, Muhammad
Ph.D. Geophysics
Advisor: Dr. Shuhab Khan
Thesis:
Email: myounas@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1, Rm. 234

Zamani, Nina

Curriculum Vitae

Ph.D. Geology
Advisor: Dr. Michael Murphy
Thesis:Reactive Organic Carbon (ROC) Emissions from Unconventional Sources and Their Impact on Air Quality.
Email:  nzamania@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm. 336

 Zanganeh Kia, Hadi 
Curriculum Vitae
Phd. Atmospheric Science
Advisor: Dr. Yunsoo Choi
Thesis: Application of Computational Fluid Dynamics in Atmospheric Science: Building-Resolving microclimate model and Digital Twin for Cloud Chamber
Email: hzangane@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.426

Research Assistants

 Akinpelu, Jumoke

Ph.D. Geology
Advisor: Dr. Paul Mann
Thesis: Petroleum systems evaluation and basin modeling along the west African rifted margin
Email: okakinpelu@uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.427
 Appini, Sharmila  
Curriculum Vitae
Ph.D. Geophysics 
Advisor: Dr. Yingcai Zheng 
Thesis: Seismic anisotropy in areas of deep earthquakes   
Email: sappini@uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.129A
 Azam,A F M Fakhrul 
Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences 
Advisor:Dr. Youtong Zheng
Thesis:  Dynamics of surficial ozone from observations and modeling
Email: aazam@cougarnet.uh.edu 
Office: SR1  Rm.136
 Beltran, Ruth

Ph.D. Geology
Advisor: Dr. Paul Mann
Thesis: Tectonic evolution of a hyper-extended, continental rift system and its transition into oceanic crust in the ultra-deepwater Campos basin, Brazil
Email: rxbeltra@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.427
 Dimri, Rijul
Curriculum Vitae

Advisor: Dr. Yunsoo Choi
Thesis: Applications of Graph Neural Networks and Advanced Deep Learning in Improving predictions and Understanding of Air Quality and Weather
Email: rdimri@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.426G
 Hussain, Ammar
PhD Geology 
Advisor: Dr. Shuhab Khan 
Thesis: Studies of tectonic geomorphology in western Pakistan
Email: ahussain28@uh.edu       
Office: SR1, Rm.234A
 Islam, Rashik
Curriculum Vitae
Advisor: Dr. Yunsoo Choi
Thesis: Deep learning and hybrid models for forecasting pollutants in Texas
Email: rislam5@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.405
irfan karim Karim, Irfan  Curriculum vitae
Ph.D. Atmospheric Science
Advisor: Dr. Bernhard Rappengluck
Thesis: Characterizing Emission Sources of CO2 and CH4 in Houston using isotopic δ13C signatures.
Email: ikarim2@uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm. 405
 Kayastha, Sagun Gopal
Curriculum Vitae
Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences
Advisor: Dr. Yunsoo Choi
Thesis: Integrative Deep Learning Strategies for Enhancing PM2.5 Estimation and Prediction and Assessing Aerosol Interrelationships. 
Email: sgkayast@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.426G
 Khorshidian, Nima
Curriculum Vitae
PhD in Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology
Advisor: Dr. Yunsoo Choi
Thesis: Examining Aerosol-Cloud Interactions in WRF-Chem-SBM through Assimilated Observations and Anthropogenic Emission Sensitivity Analysis
Email: nkhorshi@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.414
 Maya, Daniel
Curriculum Vitae
PhD. Geology
Advisor: Dr. Paul Mann
Thesis: Crustal structure and basin modeling of the rifted-passive margin of Uruguay and northern Argentina.
Email: dmayaortiz@uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.427
 Momeni, Mahmoudreza
Curriculum Vitae
PhD Candidate
Advisor: Dr. Yunsoo Choi
Thesis: Development of a python-based data assimilation framework focusing on Four-Dimensional Variational (4D-Var) approach to refine air pollutant emissions through observation data
Email: mhrzmomeni@uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.426D
 Park, Jincheol
Curriculum Vitae
Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences
Advisor: Dr. Yunsoo Choi
Thesis: Employment of multi-source satellite-based observations in air quality modeling over Asia 
Email: jpark56@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.426C
 Payami, Mahsa
Curriculum Vitae
PhD Candidate
Advisor: Dr. Yunsoo Choi
Thesis: Deep learning to predict NO2 concentrations in the atmosphere
Email: mpayamis@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.426E
 Salman, Ahmed
Curriculum Vitae (PDF)
Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences
Advisor: Dr. Yunsoo Choi
Thesis: Pollution modeling based on deep learning
Email: aksalman@uh.edu   
Office: SR1, Rm. 426A
 Savrides, Peter
Curriculum Vitae
Geology MS Thesis
Advisor: Dr. Paul Mann
Thesis: Basin modeling and hydrocarbon prospectivity of the rifted-passive margin of eastern Canada  
Email: pcsavrid@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.427
 Shahriar, Shihab Ahmad
Curriculum Vitae
Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences
Advisor: Dr. Yunsoo Choi
Thesis: Analysis of wildfires and air quality using deep learning and climate modeling
Email: sshahriar2@uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.405
 Shams, Seyedeh Reyhaneh
Curriculum Vitae
Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. Yunsoo Choi
Thesis: Machine learning estimates of the components of surface pollutants
Email: sshams2@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.426B
Shipper, Kenneth       
Ph.D. Geophysics
Advisor: Dr. Paul Mann  
Thesis: Crustal structure, stratigraphy, and basin modeling of Guyana, Bahamas Platform, and northwestern Africa
Email: kwshipper@uh.edu              
Office: SR1, Rm. 427
 Toro, Estefani Ruiz
Curriculum Vitae
M.S. Geology
Advisor: Dr. Paul Mann
Thesis: Crustal and basinal framework of the Bering Sea and Aleutian arc
Email: edruizto@cougarnet.uh.edu
Office: SR1 Rm.427
Shahriar, Upal     
Ph.D. Geology
Advisor: Dr. Robert Stewart   
Thesis: Crustal structure, stratigraphy, and hydrocarbon potential of the the Andaman Sea, India
Email: mshahri2@cougarnet.uh.edu             
Office: SR1, Rm. 427

Velasco, Maria Eugenia

M.S. Atmospheric Sciences
Advisor: Dr. James Flynn
Thesis: Urban and industrial pollutant montioring in Houston, Texas
Email: mevelasc@central.uh.edu
Office: SR1, Rm 432G

 Wang, Xinyue


Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences
Advisor: Dr. Xun Jiang
Thesis: The radiant energy budget of Saturn
Email: xwang216@CougarNet.UH.EDU
Office: SR1, Rm 432E