Fall 2025 AJC Merit Research Scholars

Several engineering and science students mentored by COE faculty are recipients of Northeastern’s AJC Merit Research Scholarship, which will fund a co-op in the laboratory of a Northeastern University STEM faculty member.

AJC Merit Research Scholar: Melissa Bernardin, COE’27, Chemical and Environmental Engineering Mentor: Rain Miao, COE/COS, Civil and Environmental Engineering/ Marine and Environmental Sciences A combined Chemical and Environmental Engineering student minoring in music, Melissa Bernardin looks forward to contributing her interdisciplinary skillset to the Miao Lab. Under the mentorship of Professor Rain (Y) Miao, Melissa will continue her research on the degradation mechanisms of 1,4-dioxane by environmental microbial consortia, specifically in the presence of chlorinated solvents. She has developed a strong foundation in experimental methods and data analysis through her internship as an Analytical Chemist at Charles River Laboratories, as well as through her R&D co-op at Nano-C.  She has worked in the Miao Lab for two years, where she has assisted on a wide range of projects involving environmental biotechnology for groundwater remediation and wastewater treatment. Recently, she also completed an internship in Professor Kartik Chandran’s Lab at Columbia University. There she assisted PhD students and post-docs with a multitude of projects focusing on wastewater treatment utilizing White Rot Fungi and Fenton chemistry. When she’s not in the lab, Melissa involves herself in Boston’s local music scene, where she plays bass guitar in two bands. Post-graduation, Melissa hopes to pursue an MS/PhD in the field of environmental bioremediation with applications in water treatment.

AJC Merit Research Scholar: Matthew Garcia, COE’27, Electrical and Computer Engineering Mentor: Mallesham Dasari, COE, Electrical and Computer Engineering Matthew Garcia will be working in the lab of Dr. Mallesham Dasari this summer and fall, whose research focuses on both the theory and application of spatial intelligence. Here Matthew will work on XR glasses, which uses LLMs and computer vision algorithms in conjunction with electronic components such as sensors, microphones, and speakers to interpret spatial data. An electrical and computer engineering major, Matthew’s interest in this work emerged from his interest in translating AI into the physical world. As an AJC Merit Research Scholar, he continues to deepen his skills in machine learning while gaining hands-on experience in backend software development and embedded systems design. His previous experience includes a co-op at Mayflower Communications, where he contributed to GPS anti-jam software, and an internship at the National Energy Technology Laboratory, where he developed real-time kick detection algorithms for drilling systems. He is also currently working with ZOR!, a student-led startup, to extract insights from health data for a seizure monitoring application. On campus, Matthew serves as the president of IEEE, treasurer for SHPE, and director of education for the AI Club.

AJC Merit Research Scholar: Zachary Hill, COE’27, Electrical and Computer Engineering Mentor: Alberto De la Torre Duran, COS, Physics Zachary Hill will be joining Professor Alberto De la Torre Duran and his DeLTA laboratory this summer and fall. Under his guidance, Zachary will be working on developing an ultra-fast spectroscopy camera to better understand the motions of electrons within electronic devices. While an Electrical Engineering and Physics major, Zachary’s fascination with this field extends beyond his formal curriculum, leading him to independently explore these topics. He pursued this research position as the ideal first step to apply his passion and knowledge in a practical setting. He plans to build on the experience gained from this co-op in graduate school, where he will continue to pursue research in applied physics. Outside of class, Zachary enjoys playing the oboe, video games, and hanging out with friends.

AJC Merit Research Scholar: Sarah LaCroix, COE’27, Chemical Engineering and Computer Science Mentor: Peter Schindler, COE, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering This fall, Sarah LaCroix will join Dr. Peter Schindler’s Data Driven Renewables Research Group, where she will focus on developing machine learning models to predict materials properties using large-scale materials databases. This marks her first formal venture into machine learning, building on her strong foundation in computational materials science. In Sarah’s first co-op and ongoing research with Dr. Qing Zhao, she applies density functional theory to investigate the application of single-atom alloys for hydrogen fuel production via ammonia decomposition. Through this new role, Sarah aims to advance efficient, scalable methods for identifying materials that support renewable energy solutions and promote sustainability. She is pursuing a combined major in Chemical Engineering and Computer Science, with plans to pursue a PhD in computational chemistry after graduation. Beyond these academic pursuits, Sarah enjoys crocheting, cooking, and spending time with her four dogs.

AJC Merit Research Scholar: Kenneth Liang, COS’26, Physics Mentor: Sara Hashmi, COE, Chemical Engineering Kenny Liang will be working in the lab of Professor Hashmi this summer and fall, conducting research involving soft matter simulations and experimental design. As a physics major, Kenny’s interest in the work of this co-op emerged from previous physics research experiences and a soft matter physics summer class. Prior to this, Kenny completed research with Professor Israeloff focusing on GFET circuits, as well as a co-op at Wayfair using SQL for data analysis. Kenny hopes to learn more about the research process, the field of soft matter physics, and data analysis in this co-op, and to bring his experience to graduate school. Outside of class, Kenny is a member of the Chinese Learning Table club at NU and loves sci-fi and fantasy books.

AJC Merit Research Scholar: Austin Sanchez, COE’28, Environmental and Chemical Engineering Mentor: Shang Liu, COE, Civil and Environmental Engineering Austin Sanchez will be joining Professor Shang Liu’s Air Resources Research Group this fall, analyzing the fate and transport of airborne aerosols and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The Liu Research Lab focuses on understanding pollutants from various sources of emissions through multi-tiered field measurements and examining the complex chemical and physical atmospheric reactions that aerosols and VOCs undergo, which render them difficult to measure and identify their origins. As an environmental engineering and chemical engineering major, Austin’s interest in air quality stemmed from his love for airplanes and taking Professor Liu’s Environmental Measurements class, devoting half of the semester to developing his own class research project of measuring particulate matter concentrations in busy transportation hubs around Boston. During his co-op, Austin looks forward to deepening his understanding of analytical chemistry through hands-on experience with lab techniques like mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy. Austin will utilize this co-op in preparation for a graduate degree in atmospheric science or environmental chemistry. Outside of academics, Austin is a Husky Ambassador (campus tour guide) and a practice player for the Northeastern Division 1 women’s volleyball team.

Related Departments:Chemical Engineering, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mechanical & Industrial Engineering