The mission of our research group is to advance current understanding of fundamental mass and energy transport phenomena in the critical zone, to provide educational and research trainings for undergraduate and graduate students, and to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration among scholars (postdoctoral and visiting researchers and educators) in soil and environmental sciences, hydrology, and engineering.

Our current research interests include: (1) colloid (natural colloids, nanoparticles and microorganisms) retention and transport in saturated and unsaturated soils; (2) colloid mobilization and its relation to biogeochemical cycling of organic carbon in redox-active environments (e.g., wetlands); (3) fate and bioavailability of colloidal phosphorus released from agricultural sources in watersheds; (4) effects of physicochemical properties and hydrological processes on microbial contamination of fresh produce; and (5) biophysics of the rhizosphere.