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People of PRI

Get to know the archaeologists, biologists, chemists, ecologists, geologists, and other scientists and staff of the Prairie Research Institute!

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  • Fatima Tuz Zafrin Tuli, geoscience data R&D scientist

    Meet Fatima Tuz Zafrin Tuli, who goes by Tuli, is a geoscience data R&D scientist with the Illinois State Geological Survey. Her work at ISGS focuses on managing and advancing the use of scientific data—particularly GIS data—in research. 

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  • Amanda Quealy, undergraduate researcher

    Amanda Quealy is a sophomore majoring in history and anthropology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. As an undergraduate researcher at the Illinois State Archaeological Survey, Amanda plays an essential role in organizing and cataloging artifacts, ranging from bones to botanical materials and lithics.

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  • Hannah Grushon, research assistant

    Hannah Grushon is a first-year Master's student at the University of Illinois in the Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences program and a graduate research assistant with the  Illinois Natural History Survey. Her passion for conservation drives her research, which aims to identify effective management strategies to support these critical ecosystems.

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  • Alexander Rushing, historic mining specialist

    Meet Alexander Rushing, who usually goes by Sasha, a Visiting Scientific Specialist in Historic Mining & Geology at the Illinois State Geological Survey. At PRI, he is apart of the Abandoned Mine Lands and Mined Out Areas projects team.

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  • Sarah Manderbach, water safety researcher

    Sarah Manderbach is a water safety researcher at the Illinois State Water Survey, where she conducts vital research on private wells. At PRI, Sarah is researching testing for Legionella in private wells in Illinois. 

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  • Molly Carlson, wetlands scientist

    Molly Carlson is a visiting scientific specialist in the wetlands geology section at the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS). With a B.S. in Wildlife and Conservation Biology from Ohio University and an M.S. in Freshwater Conservation from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Molly brings expertise in wetland ecosystems.

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  • Hongxu Zhou, postdoctoral researcher

    Hongxu Zhou is a postdoctoral researcher at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center. Hongxu's current research targets biochar systems for the destruction of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS.

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  • Afeefa Rahman, research assistant

    Afeefa Rahman is a research assistant and a PhD candidate in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

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  • Ellie Snyder, postdoctoral researcher

    Ellie Snyder recently joined the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) as a postdoctoral researcher. At INHS, Ellie is exploring the potential of eRNA in fish monitoring, collaborating with Mark Davis and Sarah Molinaro.

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  • Aidan Neill, undergraduate researcher

    Aidan Neill, a Midshipman second class in the United States Naval Reserve and an undergraduate geology student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, combines a passion for the outdoors with a drive to explore rare earth elements.

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