Her area of expertise is in environmental biotechnology. She obtained bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley in Environmental Science and Molecular and Cell Biology, and subsequently obtained an M.S.E. and a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. Her current research focuses on the development and application of nucleic acid-based molecular biology tools to elucidate the microbial ecology of engineered systems. Insights gained can be applied to guide development and optimization of processes including biological waste-to-energy processes (e.g., bioelectrochemical systems and anaerobic digestion), bioremediation processes for groundwater treatment, and biological drinking water treatment processes.