Ellis Group Photo

Brian Ellis, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Ellis photo

Brian returned to UM after finishing his Ph.D. at Princeton University where he studied brine acidification and its impact on caprock integrity during CO2 sequestration in deep saline aquifers. Since joining the UM CEE faculty he has expanded his research interests to other emerging energy activities, most notably to examining the environmental ramifications of natural gas extraction from unconventional reservoirs. When not thinking about shale gas extraction or storing CO2 in the subsurface, Brian enjoys spending time with his family, working on home improvement and gardening projects, fly fishing with his Father and Father-in-law, or brewing another batch of homebrew.
UM Energy Institute Facutly profile


Duo Zhang, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Scholar

Saikat photo

Dr. Zhang received his B.S. and M.S.E. in Civil Engineering from Southwest Jiaotong University, China and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from McGill University, Canada. His work is focused on developing novel cementitious composites through CO2 mineral carbonation and waste utilization.


Jubilee Adeoye

Ph.D. Candidate

Jubilee photo

Jubilee received his B.S. from the University of Ibadan and his M.S.E. from the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. Most recently he completed a research assistanceship at the Petroleum Institute in Abu Dabi. He is studying the use of novel cementitious materials for enhanced wellbore sealing in the context of geologic sequestation of CO2.



Anne Menefee

Ph.D. Candidate

Anne photo

Anne received her B.S.E. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Viginia. Her reserach is focused on improving our knowledge of fluid transport and geochemical controls for enhancing CO2 mineral carbonation in fractured basalt reservoirs.





Ellen Thompson

Ph.D. Student

Wenjia Fan photo

Ellen received her BA and BE in Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering from Dartmouth College in 2013. She worked in industry before joining the group in 2017. She is studying geochemical systems for sustainable energy applications.


Past Group Members:

Wenjia Fan, Ph.D. (2018)

Wenjia Fan photo

Wenjia has a B.S.E in Chemical Engineering from Dailin Technical University in China and a M.S.E. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan. Her thesis work is focused on understanding the impact of hydraulic fracturing fluid-shale interactions in controlling water quality of flowback and produced brine from shale gas wells in Northern Michigan.


Ivan Jayawan, Ph.D. (2018)

Ellis photo

Ivan joined the group to pursue his Ph.D. studies after finishing his B.S.E. from Nanyang Technological University and his M.S.E. in Environmental Engineering at UM. His research examines groundwater-stream interactions to assess the impact of short-term high-volume groundwater withdrawals on stream flow in shallow headwater streams.


Saikat Das

Postdoctoral Scholar, Dow Postdoctoral Fellow (2015-2018)

Saikat photo

Dr. Das received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kentucky in 2015. While at UM he studied the role of surfactants used hydraulic fracturing fluids in altering natural gas production and water imbibition in shale gas reservoirs. Dr. Das is now a postdoctoral associate at the University of Cincinnati.


Master's Students (year graduated, current position)

Zixian Wang, 2017, reseaerch assistant at University of Michigan

Lu Chen, 2016 (co-advised w/ S.A. Miller), engineer at AECOM

Peiyuan Li, 2016, Ph.D. student at Arizona State University

Minmeng Tang, 2016, Ph.D. student at University of California - Davis

Letian Zhou, 2016, engineer at Zhejian Onero Valve Co.

Hui Zhang, 2015 (co-advised w/ K.F. Hayes), Ph.D. student at University of Michigan

Vidya Ramalingam, 2013, Ph.D student at Michigan State University

Tianshu Zhang, 2013 (co-advised w/ K.F. Hayes) engineer at CP&Y, Inc.

Qi Zhang, 2013, engineer at DC Water


Undergraduate Students (year graduated)

Cameron Beversluis (2018)

Alessandra Murphy (2017)

Maria DeMuri (2017)

Yuecheng Liu (2017)

Leyi (Yukie) Yin (2017)

Megan Bushlow (2017)

Marie St. Peter (2015)


Interesting in joining the group?

We are always looking for motivated students and postdoctoral associates, so if you are interested in learning more about opportunities to work in our group please feel free to contact Professor Ellis through email (brellis@umich.edu) to inquire about open research positions!