Luciano Alves de Oliveira
Assistant Professor
Agricultural and Biological Engineering
My research focuses on optimizing water management in agriculture to enhance crop productivity while improving water quality. I integrate digital agriculture, AI, and big data to reduce nutrient runoff, mitigate greenhouse gases, and develop efficient systems like bioreactors, controlled drainage, and subirrigation. Through innovative practices and smart solutions, I aim to balance sustainability with high agricultural performance in Illinois’ corn-soybean systems.
Departmental directory: https://abe.illinois.edu/directory/luciano8
Illinois Experts link: https://experts.illinois.edu/en/persons/luciano-alves-de-oliveira
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=nY5t7vQAAAAJ
Savanna Brittlebank
Assistant Professor
Speech and Hearing Sciences
My research focuses on designing interventions and investigating technologies (augmentative and alternative communication) to support the development of language, communication, and literacy in persons with severe disabilities and limited functional speech.
Departmental directory: https://ahs.illinois.edu/Brittlebank
Illinois Experts link: https://experts.illinois.edu/en/persons/savanna-brittlebank
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Savanna-Brittlebank-Douglas
Alaysia Brown
Assistant Professor
Human Development and Family Studies
My research advances social justice, antiracism, and public health agendas by explicating the consequences of living in a racialized society. My first line of research investigates the correlates and health-related consequences of exposure to racial, ethnic, and phenotypic discrimination (e.g., colorism). My second line of research explores the role that family, contextual, and sociocultural factors play in influencing the formation, quality, and stability of adult romantic relationships. My third line of research involves employing innovative quantitative methods and conducting rigorous applied equity-focused research.
Departmental directory: https://hdfs.illinois.edu/directory/ambrown
Illinois Experts link: https://experts.illinois.edu/en/persons/alaysia-marie-brown
Academia.EDU: https://independent.academia.edu/AlaysiaBrown4
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=FRYdxhcAAAAJ
Boris Camiletti
Assistant Professor
Crop Sciences
I am an extension Plant Patholgoist. Employing a cutting-edge arsenal of tools spanning nanotechnology, remote sensing, drone spraying, and molecular analysis, my lab delves deep into the mechanisms behind plant diseases. This multidisciplinary approach not only pushes the boundaries of knowledge but also empowers them to develop practical strategies for disease management that are both effective and environmentally friendly.
Departmental directory: https://cropsciences.illinois.edu/directory/bxc
Illinois Experts link: https://experts.illinois.edu/en/persons/boris-xavier-camiletti
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Boris-Camiletti
Academia.EDU https://independent.academia.edu/BorisXavierCamiletti
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=O4ySt3kAAAAJ
Diego Cardoso
Assistant Professor
Agricultural and Consumer Economics
I am an applied economist with research interests in energy, environmental, and resource economics. My work focuses on designing and evaluating policies related to the energy transition, climate, and the use of natural resources. I am also interested in the intersection of applied welfare analysis and risk modeling to develop and improve methods for benefit-cost analysis.
Departmental directory: https://ace.illinois.edu/directory/dcardoso
Illinois Experts link: https://experts.illinois.edu/en/persons/diego-s-cardoso
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Diego-Cardoso-4
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=zJ1QmFgAAAAJ
Terence Crofts
Assistant Professor
Animal Sciences
In the Crofts microbiology lab, we use a range of -omics, microbiology, and biochemistry techniques to study microbiome-xenobiotic interactions. These interactions have the power to shape microbiomes and influence animal and human lives in both positive and negative ways. One important area of research in the Crofts lab is discovery and characterization of novel antibiotic resistance genes and mechanisms from animal and environmental sources. A second focus of ours is to find bacterial enzymes in host-associated microbial communities that are responsible for modification of non-antimicrobial pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Finally, we work to develop new functional metagenomic tools that allow us to link metagenomic DNA fragments to bacterial phenotypes at a rate of 100s of gigabase pairs at a time, powering our other research interests.
Departmental directory: https://ansc.illinois.edu/directory/tcrofts
Illinois Experts link: https://experts.illinois.edu/en/persons/terence-spencer-crofts
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Terence-Crofts
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=3iE1s_wAAAAJ
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2302-502X
Saima Hasnin
Assistant Professor
Food Science and Human Nutrition
My research and community engagement work improve young children’s diet quality and behavioral health. I am passionate about searching for unique yet meaningful ways to improve the early childhood food and nutrition environment.
Departmental directory: https://fshn.illinois.edu/directory/shasnin
Illinois Experts link: https://experts.illinois.edu/en/persons/saima-hasnin
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Saima-Hasnin
Academia.EDU: https://independent.academia.edu/saimahasnin
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=xhRQuo8AAAAJ
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2121-8642
Mariana Mendes Bahia
Assistant Professor
Speech and Hearing Science
My research focuses on aging changes in swallowing physiology and swallowing impairments (dysphagia) in adults with neurological disorders, such as in post-stroke individuals. Current projects investigate respiratory-swallow coordination, therapeutic strategies for swallowing rehabilitation using biofeedback modalities, and cortical activity during swallowing using fNIRS.
Departmental directory: https://ahs.illinois.edu/bahia
Illinois Experts link: https://experts.illinois.edu/en/persons/mariana-mendes-bahia
Academia.EDU: https://unicamp.academia.edu/MarianaBahia
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=JHYkuhUAAAAJ
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3866-9263
Bin Peng
Assistant Professor
Crop Sciences
I am deeply motivated to drive transdisciplinary, convergence, and use-inspired research for breaking new ground in sustaining agricultural production and environmental quality. He is passionate about developing innovative technologies and systems solutions in digital agriculture and precision conservation to foster sustainable agri-food systems and preserve healthy watersheds amidst the pressures of land use intensification and climate change. The driving force behind his research pursuits lies in addressing critical societal issues, including ensuring water, food, and energy security, enhancing water quality and environmental sustainability, and nurturing rural economies and human well-being in both the United States and across the globe.
Departmental directory: https://cropsciences.illinois.edu/directory/binpeng
Illinois Experts link: https://experts.illinois.edu/en/persons/bin-peng
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Bin-Peng-21
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=tkya-dMAAAAJ
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7284-3010
Amit Rai
Assistant Professor
Department of Crop Sciences
My research focuses on phytochemicals, particularly how plants have evolved to produce these bioactive compounds, which play crucial roles in plant defense, stress responses, and human health as nutrition and medicine. To investigate this, I employ multi-omics approaches, supported by a high-resolution ESI-based Mass Spectrometry system that I have established in my lab. I am also expanding my work into spatial metabolomics to further enhance my research capabilities. Ultimately, my goal is to discover sustainable strategies to improve food and nutrition security and promote human health. I am keen to explore as how plants evolved the ability to produce these amazing biochemicals with immense applications.
Departmental directory: https://cropsciences.illinois.edu/directory/amitrai9
Illinois Experts link: https://experts.illinois.edu/en/persons/amit-rai
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.cz/citations?user=_PyqG7MAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=sra
Matthew Taves
Assistant Professor
Animal Sciences
I am interested in how individuals adaptively regulate immune development and immune responses, especially in response to environmental stressors. My research aims to understand how glucocorticoid stress hormones – at the level of single cells, tissues, and organisms, and species – operate as master controllers of immune development, and how they control immune responses, especially in autoimmunity and cancer. I also pursue strategies targeting these signals with the goal of preventing and treating disease.
Departmental directory: https://ansc.illinois.edu/directory/mtaves
Illinois Experts link: https://experts.illinois.edu/en/persons/matthew-donald-taves
Academia.EDU: https://nih.academia.edu/MatthewTaves
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=le29YvQAAAAJ
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4841-059X
Damir Torrico
Assistant Professor
Food Science and Human Nutrition
My research interests are focused on sensory science in food and beverages. I am interested in taste perception, food product optimization, consumer acceptability, and consumers’ physiological/psychological responses toward food/beverage products. I explore how the variation in human senses and thinking processes affect the sensory evaluation of foods and beverages. I look at measuring the liking and disliking of different food products, establishing more accurate sensory protocols. I am also involved in new food product development. My work measures consumer responses towards healthier food/beverage alternatives (such as sugar- and salt-reduced products) to understand the connections between taste liking and the product healthiness. I apply new statistical methods and analyses for interpreting complex sensory and consumer data. Current projects include applying novel objective technologies such as eye-tracking and virtual reality to understand the overall experiences of consumers when tasting food or beverage products.
Departmental directory: https://fshn.illinois.edu/directory/damir
Illinois Experts link: https://experts.illinois.edu/en/persons/damir-d-torrico-arispe
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Damir-Torrico
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=Hj5bLTUAAAAJ
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1482-2438
Benjamin Van Doren
Assistant Professor
Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences
I study animal movement with a focus on migratory birds. My research spans ecology, evolution, behavior and conservation and tackles important questions about migration systems in an era of environmental change. I apply a diverse scientific toolkit from a broad range of perspectives: individuals to flyways, tracking to remote sensing, acoustics to genomics. I strive to do actionable science with positive impacts on organisms and ecosystems.
Departmental directory: https://nres.illinois.edu/directory/vandoren
Illinois Experts link: https://experts.illinois.edu/en/persons/benjamin-mark-van-doren
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Benjamin-Van-Doren
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=r9Vj5hIAAAAJ
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7355-6005