TEAM
MEMBERS
Meet Our Research Team
2022 TEAM
Vered Cohen-Yaniv, Ph.D
Lab Manager & Research Associate
A multi-discipline researcher with wide scale, diverse knowledge and skills in the chemistry and microbiology regimes, focusing mainly on research related to surfaces, water and air disinfection technologies.
Yifaat Betzalel, Ph.D
Research Associate
Biologist researcher focusing mainly on the development of UV-LED-based disinfection systems and assays for rapid and effective disinfection of contaminated water, air and surfaces. This includes studying the effect of wavelength, intensity and catalysts on the inactivation of model microorganisms.
Post doc. Fellows
Dr. Anu Kundu
Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Kundu did her first postdoc at Kyoto University, Japan. She joined in August 2021. Her current work is in water treatment field to synthesize photocatalyst which can remove micropollutant and industrial effluent from wastewater.
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Dr. Manohara Halanur M.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Manohara is working on design and synthesis of biodegradable polymer based membrane for wastewater treatment. His current research interests includes development of state-of-art functional nanocomposites for efficient adsorption, photocatalytic degradation and advanced oxidation processes for water purification application.
Ph.D. Students
Amit Imbar
Ph.D. Student
Amit is studying the utilization and coating of photocatalysts over membranes in the water treatment field, developing a continuous flow photocatalytic water treatment system for the elimination of micropollutants and industrial effluents.
Asaf Pras
Ph.D. Candidate
Asaf is working on AI models to nowcast water pollution. By applying models on existing datasets of lab tests to develop a prob based on AI, which will be able to monitor and give results in real-time for time-consuming tests.
Barak Halpern
Ph.D. Student, In collaboration with Prof. Gerchman
Barak is studying ozonation- based process for cardboard and trimming waste, for the production of useful product as bio-ethanol and absorbing material, as part of upcycling agenda. As part of his research, Barak integrate the experience and accumulate knowledge of WE LAB for scaling up the process and proof of feasibility with waste owners. In addition, Barak is head of the bio-ethanol pilot, located in the Zoological zoo of TAU.
Dana Pousty
Ph.D. Student
Dana studies have focused on UV-LEDs as a disinfection source for water and surfaces. This includes calculation of the fluence in UV-LED disinfection systems and their optimization, researching the effect of wavelength and Intensity on microorganisms, integration of photocatalysts in UV-LED disinfection systems. In addition, Dana is a member and leader of several task forces in the International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA).
Eitan Yosef Benson
Ph.D. Student
Eitan is researching and developing regenerative filtration systems to treat natural water sources contaminated with persistent pollutants. In particular, much of Eitan’s research focuses on the historic and ongoing contamination of the Kodaikanal region of southern India by industrial mercury waste.
MSc Students
Alona Maslennikov
MSc Student
Alona is working on nanocellulose production from textile waste and its utilization as a dye adsorbent from wastewater, as well as a dye carrier. Alongside to water treatment, and based on the concept of circular economy, she is developing a sustainable method of textile dyeing.
Assaf Cohen
Direct Track MSc Student
Assaf is a mechanical engineer, developing a UV-LED off-grid water disinfection reactor using new patented technology. The research focuses on optimizing the inactivation of microbial/viral pollutants and energy consumption performances. The reactor is designated to aid communities in low-income countries providing them with better drinking water.
Efrat Kohen
MSc Student, In collaboration with Prof. Shavit
Efrat is working on AI models which predict WWTP’s effluent quality. The models are trained and applied on a dataset of the Shafdan WWTP. The dataset includes online meters and laboratory microscopic tests of the activated sludge.
Yosef Perlmutter
Direct Track MSc Student
Yosef is a mechanical engineer, studying the effectiveness of low energy demand wastewater remediation processes through additive manufacturing solutions that combine microalgae and bacteria consortium. The research is in collaboration with India’s leading universities, targeting the rural areas of Punjab, India.
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Selda Edris
M.Sc. Student in Environmental Engineering
Selda possesses a B.Sc. water industries engineer degree. Her master research focuses on the improvement of treated wastewater quality for irrigation in rural areas of Punjab in India, where wastewater is collected and treated in anaerobic ponds. The concept of the research is using degradable carriers to increase efficiency of the treatment without external energy by using microalgae and bacteria consortium.
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Liza
M.Sc. Student
Untreated textile wastewater from cottage industries is discharged into the environment, calling for affordable and sustainable solutions to preferentially adsorb the dye, and possibly recycle the water back into the process. In my research I developed biochar based solution to deal with textile waste.
2021 TEAM
Post doc. Fellows
Ramasamy Ganesamoorthy
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ramasamy Ganesamoorthy is working on the removal of highly toxic Inorganic Arsenic and various dyes using the Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs). His main focus is to prepare a low cost and high efficiency Arsenic filter or membrane.
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Dr. Vinod Kumar V
PBC-Postdoctoral Fellow
Vinod engages in research focused on designing emerging materials based on (photo) assisted advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) proposed for implementation in the areas at the nexus for environment and public health.
Ph.D. Students
Patricia Akao
Ph.D. Student
Patricia is studying environmental friendly ways to improve wastewater quality, minimizing energy costs. The research is focused on the use of microalgae to remove organic compounds from wastewater.
Roi Peretz
Ph.D. Student
Roi is studying ozonation-based processes for the conversion of Recycled Paper Sludge (RPS) to two valuable products of bio-ethanol and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC). The research is focused on the use of ozonation as a pretreatment step for lignin removal in a clean, safe and economic fashion.
Yan Rosen
Ph.D. Student
Yan is using nonpolluting ozonation pretreatment of lignocellulosic waste in bioethanol production. Yan found ozonation to be an effective and feasible pretreatment method, which can be generated on-site and on demand, enabling decentralized pretreatment operated near the feed source. Moreover, Yan found ozonation as an effective method for removing common inhibitors in the bioethanol production process.
MSc Students
Michale Goldberger
MSc Student
Michale is working on an affordable, real-time nitrate sensor for wastewater in remote, impoverished communities.
Omer Bar
MSc Graduate
Omer researched a solution for treating by-products from waste water treatment plants which utilizes two environmental nuisances to create one valuable resource. Such a process is a clear example of resource recovery, which is a prominent component in circular and zero-waste economies.