Planet Earth

Hey! My name is Avery Melrose, and I am a first-year graduate student in hydrogeology. I earned my bachelor's degree in Geology and a minor in Earth, Society, and Environment from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. My passion for geology stems directly from an early interest in the earth sciences, my love of being outdoors and a desire to help the environment and local communities. My internship experience at the Illinois State Geological Survey introduced me to hydrogeology through giving me the opportunity to learn basic skills for being a hydrologist, participate in field excursions to gain job experience, and conduct my own research. I am still in the process of picking out a thesis for my degree. If you have any questions about geology please feel free to contact me!

Hello everyone! My name is Christabel Abugu; you can call me Christabel. I am a second-year hydrogeology graduate student. I hold a bachelor's degree in Applied geology from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. My research interest lies strongly in surface water-groundwater interactions, groundwater quality and sustainability.

Jackline Amma Timah is a second-year MS graduate student and teaching assistant at ISU, offering hydrogeology. She is passionate about groundwater modeling and GIS. She holds a bachelor's degree in Earth Science from the University of Ghana, where she focused on hydrogeology and developed a groundwater model for a mining company. Jackline is also a skilled GIS tutor and backend engineer. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies and playing tennis.

My name is Jenna Ambrose, and I am a first-year graduate student studying Hydrogeology. I earned my B.S. in Biological Sciences and a minor in Chemistry from Purdue University Northwest in 2024. I am passionate about understanding earth sciences and their intersection with other natural sciences all across the world. I am an Indiana native, and I love to spend time outdoors, play with my 4 dogs, and play games with my family and friends. 

Munyaradzi Nyambayo is a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Department of Geography, Geology, and the Environment at Illinois State University. He earned his undergraduate degree in Geology from the University of Zimbabwe and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Hydrogeology. His research interests lie at the intersection of hydrogeology, climate change, and geophysics, with a particular emphasis on understanding groundwater recharge, surface water–groundwater interactions, and the impacts of environmental change on water resources. In his teaching role, Munyaradzi is dedicated to fostering student engagement and supporting the next generation of geoscientists through effective learning and mentorship.

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​Hello! My name is Tealyn Wendler, and I am a teaching assistant and first-year graduate student in the hydrogeology program at ISU. I received my undergraduate degree in geology from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. I enjoy fieldwork and am interested in environmental geology, groundwater-surface water interactions, and water quality treatment.

Hello Everyone, my name is Eric Brunner. I am from Wheaton, Illinois. I graduated from Western Michigan University in 2023 with a bachelor's degree in geology and I am now getting my master's degree in hydrogeology here at Illinois state

• Hi! I'm Lula, and I am a second year Hydrogeology student. I am from Springfield, Illinois, and I received my bachelor's degree in Geology here at ISU! Roll Birds!!

• Hello there! I am Hannah, I prefer to be called Ann. I am from Ghana where I had my bachelor’s degree in Earth science. I worked at Newmont Gold limited as an Ore control Geology. I had my summer internship with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, where I participated in projects including a stie involving modeling of methane contamination in groundwater. I am a second year MS Hydrogeology student at ISU. I love minerals and can’t wait to introduce you to my favorites! Feel free to reach out to me via email or during my office hours on Tuesdays 9:30am – 10:30am, 2pm – 3pm in Felmley room 112.

• Hello, my name is Kriti Panta, and I am a second-year Hydrogeology student at Illinois State University. I completed my bachelor's degree in Geology, from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal. My research focuses on the impacts of climate change, particularly how glacier depletion affects water balance. I am passionate about finding sustainable solutions to environmental challenges and bridging science with real-world applications