Associated research faculty
Researchers from a wide array of disciplines contribute to the success of CERC. With a well-rounded roster of CSUB scientists and engineers, we continue to develop new external partnerships with industry, academic institutions, and organizations that are interested in issues related to energy and/or water. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss ideas, grant/contract proposals, educational outreach, and potential partnerships.
Here, you can learn more about the scientists, engineers and other energy researchers that are part of our team.
Liaosha Song
Title: Assistant Professor in the Department of Geological Sciences
Academic background:
Ph.D., Geology, West Virginia University,
M.S., Marine Geology, China University of Petroleum
B.S. Geology, China University of Petroleum
Research interests:
CO2 sequestration, unconventional reservoirs
Additional information:
Current projects include:
- Three-dimensional Characterization of Sandstone Reservoirs using High-resolution X-ray Microtomography (funded by ACS Petroleum Research Fund)
- Evaluation of flow characteristics of CO2 in a sandstone core sample using Computational Fluid Dynamics (funded by CERC)
- Assessing CO2 storage potential of organic-rich Hue Shale on the North Slope of Alaska
Recent publications include:
Williams, T.S., Bhattacharya, S., Song, L., Vikas, A. and Shikha, S., 2022. Petrophysical analysis and mudstone lithofacies classification of the HRZ shale, North Slope, Alaska. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, v. 208, p.109454
Song, L., S. Bhattacharya, *Z. Webb, *A. Fowler, & *V. Lee, 2021, Preservation of organic carbon in the Cretaceous Hue Shale on the North Slope of Alaska: Insights from pyrite morphology. International Journal of Coal Geology, 103678. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2021.103678
Saeed Jafarzadeh
Title: Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Academic background:
Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, University of Nevada Reno
M.S., Engineering, Iran University of Science & Technology
B.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Tehran
Research interests:
Power systems, smart grid, renewable energy systems (including solar), energy markets,
and energy conversion.
Additional information:
His current research focus is on interdisciplinary aspects of the energy industry such as stability analysis of energy markets, forecasting renewable energy resources, quantification of smart grid policies, optimization of energy conversion systems, and power systems dynamic state estimation.
Tathagata Acharya
Title: Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Engineering
Academic Background:
Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Louisiana State University
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Louisiana State University
B.E., Manufacturing Engineering, University of Pune, India
Industry Experience:
Senior Process Simulations Consultant Engineer, Wood Group (2 years)
Research Engineer Intern, ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company (3 months)
Senior Research Engineer, Kirloskar Oil Engines, Pune, Ind
Research Interests:
Currently include but are not limited to upstream petroleum production engineering, process equipment, carbon sequestration, urban climate and heat island effect, aerosol dispersion, and gas dynamics
Additional Information:
- My research group focuses on computational and experimental fluid dynamics, heat transfer and thermodynamics
- Since fall 2016, my group published 6 articles in high impact journals such as SPE Production and Operations, Journal of Ocean Engineering and Science, AIAA Journal of Thermophysics and Heat Transfer etc.
Jesse Bergkamp
Title: Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Academic background:
Ph.D., Arizona State University
B.S., The Evergreen State College
Research interests:
Solar energy transduction, synthesis of light absorbing compounds (such as tetrapyrroles) and Dye-sensitized solar cells.
John P. Yu
Title: Lecturer in the Department of Geological Science
Academic background:
Ph.D., University of Oklahoma
Research Interests:
Oil & gas regulatory application, CO2 sequestration and Blockchain database in the Underground injection Control
Additional information:
Geological Science student Victoria Lee is involved with the research project. Also, three Computer Science Department students are working in the Blockchain database programming.
Publications include:
- “Blockchain Applications in Underground Fluid Injectionâ€, was presented in the International Petroleum Technology Conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 2021.
- "California Oilfield Underground Aquifer Injection Monitoring by Blockchain Technology" as student authors at 2021 4th IEEE International Conference on Industrial Cyber-Physical Systems. Victoria, BC, Canada.
Chengwei Lei
Title: Associate Professor in the Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Academic background:
Ph.D., The University of Texas at San Antonio
Research interests:
Large scale data mining, network topology analysis and clustering problems
Additional information:
My students presented their work as a full paper at IEEE International Conference on Industrial Cyber-Physical Systems
My students Jonathan Crawford, Andrew Folsom, Angela Tante and Vananh Vo published a full conference paper, "California Oilfield Underground Aquifer Injection Monitoring by Blockchain Technology," as student authors at 2021 4th IEEE International Conference on Industrial Cyber-Physical Systems. Victoria, BC, Canada.
Yize Li
Title: Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Engineering
Academic background:
Ph.D., physics, University of Virginia
B.S., physics, Peking University
Research interests:
Low-dimensional electronic and photonic materials and devices, topological materials, and materials and devices for biosensing and energy applications
Sumita Sarma
Title: Assistant Professor in the Department of Management and Marketing (College of Business and Public Administration)
Academic background:
Ph.D. in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, University of Missouri Kansas City
Master's in Project and Program Management and Business Development, SKEMA Business School
Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Telecommunications, Gauhati University
Research interests:
Entrepreneurship and innovation and strategic management
Additional information:
Dr. Sarma has published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Business Horizons, Entrepreneurship Research Journal, and Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics on areas of firm-level strategies, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and entrepreneurship. She has presented several of her research papers at international-level conferences such as the Academy of
Jeremy A. Woods
Title: Associate Professor in the Department of Management & Marketing
Academic background:
Ph.D., Business Administration, University of Cincinnati Lindner College of Business
MBA, UCLA Anderson School of Management
Fulbright Scholar, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität
BA, German History, Stanford University
Research interests:
Entrepreneurship, technology transfer, small business management, family-owned businesses, innovation, economic development
Additional information:
Dr. Woods is working with two engineering professors (CERC's Dr. Cabrales and Dr. Zhongzhe Liu) to study sustainable waste treatments and entrepreneurship. Dr. Woods' part of the project focuses on outreach to the region's agriculture communities and entrepreneurship training.
Zhongzhe Liu
Title: Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Engineering
Academic background:
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, University of California, Riverside
M.S., Environmental Engineering, Shanghai University
B.S., Environmental Engineering, Shanghai University
Research interests:
Energy and resource recovery from fossil fuel (e.g. coal, natural gas) and renewable resources (e.g. biomass, wastewater biosolids, municipal and industrial waste streams) using both physicochemical and thermochemical methods
Additional information:
The core topics in Dr. Liu's research program are 1) Thermochemical conversion and fuel synthesis; 2) Synergistic waste treatment; 3) CO2 capture and utilization; 4) Waste-based material synthesis and application.
Isolde Francis
Title: Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology
Academic background:
Ph.D., Ghent University
M.S., University of Leuven
B.S., Hasselt University
Research interests:
Biotechnology, microbiology, molecular biology, phytobacteriology
Nyakundi M. Michieka
Title: Associate Professor in Department of Economics, and Director of Center for Economic Education and Research (CEER)
Academic background:
Ph.D., Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, West Virginia University
M.S., Management and Leadership: Public Administration, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
B.S., Mechatronic Engineering, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
Research interests:
Energy economics, energy policy, regional economics, economic development and poverty
Anna L. Jacobsen
Title: Professor in the Department of Biology
Academic background:
Ph.D., Plant Biology & EEBB, Michigan State University
B.S., Biology, Pepperdine University
Research interests:
Plant water use and stress response/recovery, plant anatomy and wood structure, dendrochronology and climate change, biological carbon sequestration
R. Brandon Pratt
Titles: Professor in the Department of Biology
Director of 3D Imaging Center
Chair of the Center for Environmental Studies
Academic background:
Ph.D., Biology, Washington State University
B.S., Biology, Pepperdine University
Research interests:
Ecosystem energy and carbon balance, plant responses to drought, photosynthetic carbon uptake, computer assisted tomography applications (microCT)
Adam Guo
Title: Associate Professor in the Department of Geological Sciences
Academic background:
Ph.D., University of Missouri, 2012
M.S. Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2004
B.E., Ocean University of China, 2001
Research interests:
My research interests center on sedimentation, environment and energy, particularly the link between them. I am motivated by problems that cross disciplinary boundaries. Thus, I apply various approaches including XRD mineralogical analysis, XRF elemental analysis, field surveys, geotechnical measurements, and mathematical modeling.
Examples of recent research topics include: 1) organic carbon in soils and its stabilization by clay minerals; 2) Paleoenvironment study based on lake sediments, i.e., Tulare Lake, Soda Lake in California; 3) Paleoenvironment study based on ocean carbonate deposits/rocks, i.e., Maldives Carbonate Platform; 4) Environment study targeting wildfire and its impact on potential debris flows; 5) Paleo-depositional environment study based on geochemistry analyses of sedimentary rocks, such as Santos Shale.
Prosper Torsu
Title: Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics
Academic background:
Ph.D. Mathematics, University of Wyoming
B.S. Mathematics & Statistics, University of Ghana
Research interests:
Computational Mathematics, with specialty in Computational Fluid Dynamics
Matt Herman
Title: Assistant Professor in the Department of Geological Sciences
Academic Background:
Ph.D. Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University
M.S. Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University
B.A. Geology & Physics, Amherst College
Research Interests:
Geodynamics, Tectonophysics, Earthquake Seismology, Remote Sensing, Fault Mechanics, Heat Flow
Gyeong Sung Kim
Title: Assistant Professor, Physics and Engineering Department
Academic background:
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland at College Park
M.S. Civil Engineering, Korea University
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University
Research interests:
My research focuses on a topic quite relevant to Kern County and California: the development of alternative water resources including desalination, water efficiency and water-based energy systems.