CUSSP Early Career Network

CUSSP is committed to recruiting and developing the next generation of multidisciplinary scientific leaders. The CUSSP Early Career Network (ECN) provides resources and opportunities for researchers growing their careers.

The founding director of the CUSSP ECN is MJ Abdolhosseini Qomi with the University of California, Irvine. The early career researchers are represented by Tom Underwood, a postdoctoral research associate at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

 

Jumanah Al Kubaisy is an early career researcher with the CUSSP EERC.

Jumanah Al Kubaisy

jumanah.alkubaisy@pnnl.gov

Institute while in CUSSP: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Job Level: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Years with CUSSP: 2024-present

CUSSP Mentor: Glenn Hammond

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Area: Development of PFLOTRAN process models (e.g., fluid flow, heat transfer, geomechanics) to more accurately capture the interplay of coupled processes in EGS.

OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7197-0691

Henry Arhin is an early career researcher with the CUSSP EERC.

Henry Arhin

harhin@g.clemson.edu

Institute while in CUSSP: Clemson University

Job Level: PhD Student

Years with CUSSP: 2024-present

CUSSP Mentor:

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Area:

Ruoyu Chen is an early career researcher in the CUSSP EERC.

Ruoyu Chen

ruoyu.chen@uci.edu

Institute while in CUSSP: University of California, Irvine

Job Level: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Years with CUSSP: 2024-present

CUSSP Mentor: Russell Detwiler

CUSSP Publications: pending 

Research Area: Mineral precipitation, Advection-diffusion-reaction hydraulic model

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruoyu-chen-811a652bb/

OrcID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-5784-9626

Wenhao Chen conducts CUSSP research at the Univ. of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Wenhao Chen

Institute while in CUSSP: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Job Level: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Years with CUSSP: 2025-present

CUSSP Publications: pending 

Research Area: Physics-informed ML methods for estimating constitutive models in advection-diffusion-reaction systems

Eirini Christoforidou is research associate focused on geotechnical engineering.

Eirini Christoforidou

chris243@purdue.edu

Institute while in CUSSP: Purdue University

Job Level: PhD Student

Years with CUSSP: 2025-present

CUSSP Mentor: Laura J. Pyrak-Nolte

CUSSP Publications: pending 

Research Areas: Combining electric and seismic measurements to estimate stress-induced changes in flow through rock fractures

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eirini-christoforidou/

OrcID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2375-2343

Sahchit Mohan Chundur is a UC Irvine student conducting geothermal research with CUSSP.

Sahchit Mohan Chundur

smchundu@uci.edu

Institute while in CUSSP: University of California Irvine

Years with CUSSP: 2025-present

CUSSP Publications: pending 

Research Areas: Subsurface heat transfer and fracture mechanics

Jesus Almodovar Felix conducts CUSSP research at UC Irvine

Jesus Almodovar Felix

almodo1@uci.edu

Institute while in CUSSP: University of California, Irvine

Job Level: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Years with CUSSP: 2026-present

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Areas: Integration of molecular dynamics simulations and multiscale modeling to elucidate the atomistic mechanisms governing stress-induced dissolution in proppant-rock interactions.

OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9626-2974

Kyungsoo Han is an early career researcher with the CUSSP EERC.

Kyungsoo Han

han599@purdue.edu

Institute while in CUSSP: Purdue University

Job Level: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Years with CUSSP: 2024-present

CUSSP Mentor: Laura J. Pyrak-Nolte

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Areas: Interaction of crack propagation with mineral veins in rocks; effects of mineral veins (e.g., precipitation and/or dissolution) on shear/slip behavior along rock fractures; geophysical measurements of fractures in rocks.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyungsoo-han-65194118b/

OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1752-9950

Travis Hager, picutred here with a neon funky background, is an early career research with the CUSSP EERC.

Travis Flint Hager

tfhager@umd.edu

Institute while in CUSSP: University of Maryland

Job Level: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Years with CUSSP: 2024-present

CUSSP Mentor: Wenlu Zhu

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Areas: Performing deformation and micro-CT experiments on selected SURF core samples. Experiments are designed to measure permeability, porosity, electrical conductivity, and velocity of selected core samples for comparison to core-scale measurements. 3-D microtomography data will but used to construct digital rock analogues and perform digital rock physics simulations to obtain permeability and electrical conductivity from in-situ deformation experiments. These results will be used to connect reactive fracture flow and deformation to geophysical signals with the overarching goal is to improve subsurface permeability control at enhanced geothermal fields.

OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4728-8075

Bupmo Kim is a CUSSP researcher based at Argonne National Lab

Bupmo Kim

Email Address: bupmo.kim@anl.gov

Institute while in CUSSP: Argonne National Laboratory

Job Level: Postdoctoral Appointee

Years with CUSSP: 2026-present

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Area: Investigating mineral–water interfaces under applied electric fields using in situ microscopy

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bupmo-kim-263235282/

OrcID:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5574-2090

Alexander Kirschen is an early career researcher with the CUSSP EERC.

Alexander Kirschen

Email Address: alexander_kirshen@mines.edu

Institute while in CUSSP: Colorado School of Mines

Job Level:

Years with CUSSP: 2024-present

CUSSP Mentor:

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Area:

Tommaso Mandolini is an early career researcher with the CUSSP EERC.

Tommaso Mandolini

tomnd@umd.edu

Institute while in CUSSP: University of Maryland, Laboratory of Rock Physics

Job Level: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Years with CUSSP: 2024-present

CUSSP Mentor: Wenlu Zhu

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Areas: Evolution of pore structures and rock strength with increasing deformation under dry and wet conditions (fluid-rock system); brittle and plastic deformation; X-ray computed tomography; electron microscopy.

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/tommaso-mandolini-a6179019b

OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3544-6702

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tommaso-Mandolini-2

Meryn Martinchick is a postdoctoral research associate in subsurface rock fractures at the University of Maryland.

Meryn Martinchick

merynmm2@terpmail.umd.edu

Institute while in CUSSP: University of Maryland, Laboratory of Rock Physics

Job Level: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Years with CUSSP: 2025-present

CUSSP Mentor: Wenlu Zhu

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Areas: Fracture network morphology in EGS; investigating the influence of mineralogy on fracture parameters and relation to rock permeability and thermal conductivity.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/merynmartinchick/

Jerry Peprah Owusu is an early career researcher in the CUSSP EERC.

Jerry Peprah Owusu

jerrypeo@uci.edu

Institute while in CUSSP: University of California Irvine

Job Level:Postdoctoral Research Associate

Years with CUSSP: 2024-present

CUSSP Mentor: MJ Qomi

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Areas: Investigating pore fluid behavior and dynamics by leveraging molecular dynamics and and mesoscale simulationsof the dissolution/precipitation reactions and transport in the absence and presence of electric field.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-peprah-owusu-96001083/

OrcID:https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3808-0264

Oscar Parra-Camara is an early career researcher with the CUSSP EERC.

Oscar Parra-Camara

oparraca@uci.edu

Institute while in CUSSP: University of California, Irvine

Job Level: PhD Student

Years with CUSSP: 2024-present

CUSSP Mentor: Russell Detwiler

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Area: Natural material micromodel studies of reactive flow, gradients at the core scale.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parracamaraoscar/

OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4549-6308

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Oscar-Parra-Camara

Josh Parris is an early career researcher with the CUSSP EERC.

Josh Parris

jparri3@g.clemson.edu

Institute while in CUSSP: Clemson University

Job Level:

Years with CUSSP: 2024-present

CUSSP Mentor:

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Area:

Megan Ryan is an early career researcher with the CUSSP EERC.

Megan Ryan

Email Address: megan.ryan@tamu.edu

Institute while in CUSSP: University of Maryland

Job Level:

Years with CUSSP: 2024-present

CUSSP Mentor:

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Area:

Subrat Senapati is a CUSSP early career researcher 2025-2027.

Subrat Senapati

Email Address: subrat.senapati52@gmail.com

Institute while in CUSSP: Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Job Level: PhD research scholar

Years with CUSSP: 2025-present

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Areas: Discrete Element Model, Finite Element Model, Composites, Stochastic Fracture Mechanics, Disordered Solids, Avalanche Statistics, Acoustic Emission

OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9974-3247

Shuhong Song is an early career researcher with the CUSSP EERC.

Shuhong Song

201912621@mail.sdu.edu.cn

Institute while in CUSSP: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Job Level: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Years with CUSSP: 2024-present

CUSSP Mentor: Benjamin Legg

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Areas: The nucleation and growth of rare earth elements phases at mineral-water interfaces.

OrcID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7935-3274

Collin Sutton is a postdoctoral research associate in subsurface reactive transport at the Colorado School of Mines.

Collin Sutton

collin.sutton@mines.edu

Institute while in CUSSP: Colorado School of Mines

Job Level: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Years with CUSSP: 2025-present

CUSSP Mentor: Alexis Sitchler

CUSSP Publications: pending 

Research Areas: Investigating reactive transport with high-fidelity fracture network modeling coupled with field-scale fluid experiments and high-precision geochemical characterization. Developing reduced-physics modeling approaches for reactive transport and mineralization/dissolution in fracture networks.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collin-sutton/

OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7219-8413

Katherine Swager is an early career researcher with the CUSSP EERC.

Katherine Swager

katherine_swager@mines.edu

Institute while in CUSSP: Colorado School of Mines

Job Level: PhD Student

Years with CUSSP: 2024-present

CUSSP Mentor: Alexis Sitchler

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Area: Geochemical characterization of mineralized fractures in the Yates Amphibolite to ultimately inform and constrain reactive transport models. Fabricating microfluidic devices using natural fractures for flow experiments to determine dissolution parameters under different chemical conditions.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-swager-b88750b2

Tom Underwood, pictured here on a mountain top, is an early career researcher in the CUSSP EERC.

Tom Underwood

thomas.underwood@pnnl.gov

Institute while in CUSSP: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Job Level: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Years with CUSSP: 2024-present

CUSSP Mentor: Kevin Rosso

CUSSP Publications: pending 

Research Areas: Leveraging atomistic molecular simulations to deepen insights into geochemical processes occurring at inorganic-organic interfaces, with a specific emphasis on enhancing theories related to flow and transport in nanopores. Investigating the impact of applied electric fields on flow dynamics through nanoporous media. Exploring the phenomenological low-frequency response of spectral induced polarization frequently observed in charged nanopores.

OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6323-0055

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Thomas-Underwood-3

 

Yuanzhe Wang is an early career researcher with the CUSSP EERC.

Yuanzhe Wang

yuanzhe9@illinois.edu

Institute while in CUSSP: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Job Level: Grad Student

Years with CUSSP: 2024-present

CUSSP Mentor: Alexandre Tartakovsky

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Areas: Using reduced order surrogate models for modeling the relationship between physical properties and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT).

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuanzhe-wang-2090b024a/

OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9206-6573

Yihang Yuan is a postdoc at Argonne National Laboratory doing research with CUSSP.

Yihang Yuan

Email Address: yihang.yuan@anl.gov

Institute while in CUSSP: Argonne National Laboratory

Job Level: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Years with CUSSP: 2026-present

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Area: Mineral–water interfacial reactions

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yihang-yuan-42a9491b5/

OrcID: 0000-0002-4114-898X

Chuanyao Zhong is an early career researcher with the CUSSP EERC.

Chuanyao Zhong

chuanyao.zhong@pnnl.gov

Institute while in CUSSP: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Job Level: Postdoctoral Research Associate

Years with CUSSP: 2024-present

CUSSP Mentor: Tim C. Johnson

CUSSP Publications: pending

Research Area: PFLOTRAN upgrades, providing modeling support, developing advanced models, and integrating data in the machine learning framework.

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/chuanyao-zhong-1306111ab

OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4760-4445

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chuanyao-Zhong/research

CUSSP ECN Alumni

These researchers have "graduated" from the CUSSP Early Career Network and now are considered alumni as they continue their research careers.

  • Alexis (Lexy) Hensley, with CUSSP in 2024 while a research intern at Purdue University.
  • Alice Paskin, with CUSSP from 2024-2025 as a postdoctoral research associate at Argonne National Laboratory.
  • Huanyu Wu, with CUSSP in 2024 while a visiting scholar at Purdue University.
  • Yifei Zong, with CUSSP from 2024-2026 while a PhD candidate at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Career Opportunities

Many of our partners hire early career researchers—including research associates—to support our mission. On our partners' jobs websites, search for "CUSSP" or "subsurface" to find current postings.