The Todd Mlsna Lab
Analytical and Environmental Chemistry
Group Members
Principal Investigator
Associate Professor Todd E. Mlsna
Albion College Chemistry B.A., 1985 
University of Texas Ph.D., 1991 

Current Graduate Students
Beatrice Arwenyo
Has registered for her courses and started lab work. Her work is focused on application of Phosphorus enriched biochar for soil amendments. She joined TMlsna lab in August, 2018. She is expected to graduate by August, 2022.
Amali Harath
Amali successfully completed her cumulative exams and easily defended her Oral Proposal. Her research interest includes pollution abatement with emphasis on the development of structurally modified biochar composites for the removal of heavy metals, metalloids, and organic dyes. She joined TMlsna group in August 2016 and her first manuscript is being reviewed. She expects her PhD graduation in August 2020.
Achala Liyanage
Achala has recently completed her Oral Proposal and preparing for the defense. Her work is focused on the removal of contaminants from water using waste materials and biochar. She is a co-author of three publications. Her first author paper is currently being reviewed by co-authors and few are in preparation. She joined TMlsna group in August 2015 and her expected PhD graduation date is January of 2020.
Hasara Samaraweera
Hasara has completed cumulative exams and preparing for the Oral Proposal. Her work is focused on modification and characterization of biochar materials and their applications in wastewater contaminant removal. Also, her first author paper is in preparation. She has joined TMlsna group in August 2016 and her expected PhD graduation date is August 2021.
Naba Krishna
Naba Krishna joined TMlsna group in fall 2018. His research interests are; activated sludge biochar and Bioenergy. Currently, he is completing his coursework and he is expecting to graduate in August 2022
Sharifur Rahman
Sharifur joined in TMlsna lab in May, 2019. He is working on Engineering layered double hydroxide and layered double hydroxide/biochar composites for the phosphate reclamation from eutrophic water. Presently, he is completing his course work and expecting to graduate in August, 2022.
Chathuri Mohottige
Chathuri has passed her classes and cumes. Her work is focused on fungal volatile organic compounds. Her first co-authored paper is in the press. She joined my group in 2016 and her expected Ph.D. graduation date is December of 2020.
Chanaka Navarathna
Chanaka has recently completed his cumulative exams and preparing for the Oral Proposal. His work is focused on engineering biochar/nano composites for oxyanion, heavy metal, organic contaminant and oil adsorption from polluted waters and, mechanistic studies on adsorption. His first author paper is currently being reviewed and few are in preparation. He has joined TMlsna group in August 2017 and his expected PhD graduation date is August 2021.
Group Alumni
Dr. Glenn Crisler
Glenn Crisler II successfully defended his thesis in June 2019.
He has accepted a position as a tenure track Assistant Professor at Mount St. Joseph University. 
Mehdi Erfani Jazi
Mehdi Erfani Jazi successfully defended hi MS thesis in June 2019. He has been accepted into the Ph.D. program at Wayne State Univesity.
Dr. Narada Wickramasinghe
Narada successfully defended his thesis in August of 2018. He is now working at the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center in Vicksburg MS.
Dr. Griffin Burk
Griffin defended his thesis in 2017 and is now a Senior Scientist with Ergon.