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

Sam is a postdoctoral associate in the Saiers and Raymond labs. He is a interested in the geologic and anthropogenic forces influencing the composition of natural waters. Sam’s postdoctoral research uses watershed-scale integrated hydrologic models and reactive transport modeling to explore watershed controls on mineral weathering and the transport of weathering products to streams. Before coming to Yale, Sam received a PhD in Geosciences at Penn State and BA in Earth & Oceanographic Science at Bowdoin College. He is an avid cross country skier and trail runner.

samuel.shaheen@yale.edu

Jon is a 5th-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 3rd-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 2nd-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 1st 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

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.

Alicia is a post-graduate associate in the Raymond Biogeochemistry Lab. Currently, Alicia is working with an interdisciplinary team to study the effects of applied enhanced rock weathering treatments on agricultural fields and downstream watersheds. She is also working to assess the use of ground based time-lapse photos for gauging small streams. Alicia has a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Resources Engineering from SUNY-ESF. Outside of the lab she enjoys gardening, caving, and crafting.

Fia is a postgraduate associate in the Raymond Biogeochemistry lab. Her focus is on radiocarbon and isotopic analysis. Currently, she is working in the preparation, processing, and analysis of soil and vegetation samples from a network of global sites. Fia graduated from Southern Connecticut State University with a Bachelors of Science in Biology.

Bibek is interested in methane dynamics in aquatic ecosystems. Bibek is working on measurement of greenhouse gas fluxes from hydropower reservoirs in Nepal to understand the GHG footprint of Nepal’s reservoirs. He is also interested in alkalinity dynamics of rivers and estuaries, enhanced weathering, and remote sensing of water quality. Bibek graduated with a Master of Environmental Science from the Yale School of the Environment. Previously, he worked in the impact assessment of hydropower development and aquatic ecological research in Nepal. Bibek earned a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Kathmandu University, Nepal.