People

Peter A. Raymond is a professor of ecosystem ecology at Yale University, where he studies the biogeochemistry of natural systems, focusing on the global cycles of carbon and other elements within inland and coastal waters. His research spans a broad range of topics, including greenhouse gas exchange between aquatic ecosystems and the atmosphere, the transport of terrestrial elements to rivers and oceans, and the effects of climate variability, storms, and land use on carbon fluxes. He also applies radiocarbon techniques to understand the age and turnover of organic carbon in aquatic environments. 

Maya is a Research Scientist and Lecturer at Yale University and is part of the Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture and the Yale School of the Environment. Maya is a terrestrial biogeochemist whose research focuses on carbon and nitrogen cycling as they relate to food production, nutrient pollution, and climate change. Specifically, she is interested in controls on nitrogen gas emissions, developing natural climate solutions in agroecosystems, and looking at connections between diet and the environment.

maya.almaraz@yale.edu

Fengchao is an Associate Research Scientist in the Saiers and Raymond labs at Yale School of the Environment and part of the Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture. She studies enhanced rock weathering at the watershed scale, assessing its effects on carbon sequestration and water quality. Her work combines stable isotope analysis and reactive transport modeling to explore weathering and organic contaminant transport. She holds a Ph.D. from the Technical University of Munich. Outside research, she enjoys hiking and skiing.

fengchao.sun@yale.edu

Craig is a hydrologist, river scientist, water resources engineer, and Gaylord Donnelley postdoctoral fellow. He uses remote sensing, GIS, and river/watershed science to improve understanding of transport phenomena in global river basins. Craig has a PhD in Civil & Environmental Engineering from the University of Massachusetts and a Bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary environmental studies from McGill University. And when he’s not working, he’s usually out biking or playing and collecting music.

craig.brinkerhoff@yale.edu

Dr. Xun (Nicole) Cai is an NSF OCE postdoctoral fellow. As a coastal ecosystem modeler with a background in physical oceanography, her research interests revolve around examining the interactions between the multiple components of the coastal ecosystem, especially at the land-sea interface. She completed her Ph.D. at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary. Before moving to the US, she graduated with a bachelor’s in oceanography from Nanjing University, China. Outside of her professional life, Nicole is an avid collector of tea and teaware gadgets.

xun.cai@yale.edu

Minhui is a postdoctoral researcher at Yale, studying greenhouse gas emissions from inland waters. She earned her Ph.D. in Hydraulic engineering from Tsinghua University in 2024. During her doctoral studies and postdoctoral work, she spent three years at ETH Zurich, focusing on the controls of river network and drainage basin shapes at regional to global scales. Her research extends to understanding how landscape characteristics influence rainfall-runoff responses across diverse climates. At Yale, she aims to improve global greenhouse gas emission estimates by incorporating river network dynamics into modeling frameworks.

minhui.li@yale.edu

Shuai is a postgraduate research associate in the Raymond Lab, where he develops instrumentation for aquatic biogeochemistry research. He has a background in marine biogeochemistry, with a particular focus on marine carbon and nitrogen cycles. As a field-going oceanographer, he has conducted shipboard fieldwork across multiple ocean regions worldwide. Shuai holds an M.S. in Earth and Climate Sciences from Duke University and an M.S. and B.S. in Chemical Oceanography from Xiamen University. Outside the lab, he spends most of his time playing and watching soccer.

shuai.gu@yale.edu

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Jon is a 6th-year PhD student studying how ecosystems influence and respond to global biogeochemical cycles amid rapid environmental change. Working with the Raymond and Bradford Labs, he researches greenhouse gas fluxes in upland and lowland ecosystems, focusing on methane emissions from trees and the role of the tree microbiome. He is also interested in science communication and climate policy. Jon holds a bachelor’s in environmental science from Brown University and has worked as a research technician in Woods Hole, Boston, and the Alaskan Arctic. He enjoys hiking, camping, kayaking, and skiing.

jonathan.gewirtzman@yale.edu

Samuel is a 4th-year PhD student researching the drivers of alkalinity changes in rivers, focusing on predictive models using large geospatial datasets. His work explores how rivers respond to and are limited by Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW), a potential carbon removal strategy. He aims to improve the monitoring, verification, and reporting (MRV) system for ERW. Samuel holds a master’s in Chemical Oceanography and a bachelor’s in Atmospheric Science from National Taiwan University. Outside of research, he enjoys running, basketball, and philosophy.

samuel.tsao@yale.edu

Ben is a 3rd-year PhD student studying methane oxidation using carbon isotopes as proxies. His research traces methane transformation (CH₄ to DIC) in aquatic systems, exploring oxidation rates under different water conditions and its impact on carbonate chemistry. He previously worked on mine geology and water quality analysis. He holds a master’s in Geological Resources and Geological Engineering from Taiyuan University of Technology and a bachelor’s in Environmental and Safety Engineering. Ben enjoys visiting places with striking geological features like unique rock formations and landscapes.

benjamin.saalidong@yale.edu

Mingyu is a 2nd year PhD student, with research focused on inorganic carbon (DIC, alkalinity, CO2) lateral exchange in coastal blue carbon ecosystems. Mingyu investigates the spatiotemporal dynamics, porewater and groundwater sources, and transport of inorganic carbon across the land-ocean continuum, integrating field observations, laboratory analyses, and modeling techniques. She received her master’s degree in Environmental Science at Yale School of Environment and Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Oceanography at Xiamen University, China. Mingyu loves playing basketball and dancing when she’s outside the lab.

mingyu.zhang@yale.edu

Bibek is a 1st year PhD student interested in methane dynamics in aquatic ecosystems. He is currently working on greenhouse gas fluxes in hydropower reservoirs in Nepal. He is also interested in alkalinity dynamics of rivers and estuaries, enhanced weathering, and remote sensing of water quality. Bibek graduated with a MESc from YSE. Previously, he was engaged in aquatic ecological research in Nepal’s rivers and environmental impact assessment of hydropower development. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Kathmandu University, Nepal. Bibek loves photography and birdwatching.

Mutan is a 1st year PhD student concerning the association between river-terrestrial hydrological
connection and riverine carbon dioxide (CO₂). She seeks an opportunity to integrate in-situ
monitoring of river biogeochemistry and hydrological modeling to predict riverine CO₂ emission
more accurately. From her undergraduate and master’s programs in Nanjing Normal University,
she also became curious about greenhouse gas emissions from riparian soils, and coupled CO₂ -
N₂O production in aquatic ecosystems. Mutan enjoys cooking, playing video game and various
musical instruments in her free time.

Isabella (Bella) Garrioch is a MESc student in the Raymond Lab, where she focuses on methane fluxes in mangroves within the Everglades. Her work at Yale includes exploring eddy covariance data to better understand these fluxes. Previously, she was a Fulbright research fellow at Umeå University in Sweden, studying carbon storage in old-growth boreal forests. Her research interests center on greenhouse gases and their dynamics across various ecosystems, including peatlands, forests, and coastal areas. A lover of cold weather, Bella spends her time off traveling in search of beautiful winters or to Scotland to visit family.

Adam is a junior at Yale College pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Studies, with a concentration in Energy and Climate. He is an undergraduate research assistant at the Raymond lab, where he has been contributing to research on inorganic carbon and enhanced rock weathering. Outside of academics, Adam also enjoys spending time outdoors, including backpacking along the Appalachian Trail and going on long runs.