Penn State Program Director and Instructor

Dr. Jacqueline McLaughlin

The Pennsylvania State University - Lehigh Valley
Associate Professor of Biology
CHANCE Director
jshea@psu.edu

Dr. Jacqueline McLaughlin is an Associate Professor of Biology at Pennsylvania State University-Lehigh Valley and Founding Director of CHANCE (Connecting Humans And Nature through Conservation Experiences). Her prodigious experiences as a biology professor in the life sciences, faculty mentor in teaching, short-term study-abroad program director and development officer, international conservationist, researcher in the field of biology education, and foreign affairs officer for the U.S. Department of State in the area of science diplomacy and science and technology (S&T) cooperation have empowered her to constantly navigate the changing dynamic of higher education worldwide in order to (re) create transformative learning environments that support, encourage, and inspire students to better our world through STEM.

Penn State Instructor

Dr. Kathleen Fadigan

The Pennsylvania State University - Lehigh Valley
Biology Educator and CHANCE Co-Instructor
kxf@psu.edu

Dr. Fadigan earned her Ed.D. in Curriculum, Instruction and Technology in Education from Temple University in 2003. She has taught courses in science education, sustainability leadership, and plant biology. Since 2007, she has served as a co-instructor for the CHANCE field study in Costa Rica and Panama. Her research interests include informal science education, science fairs, using social media to educate adults about food waste, and gender equity in science. 

Penn State Assessment Specialist

Dr. Laura Cruz

Penn State Schreyer Institute of Teaching Excellence
Associate Research Professor
lxc601@psu.edu

Dr. Laura Cruz is an Associate Research Professor for Teaching and Learning Scholarship with the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence at Penn State. She received her PhD from the University of California at Berkeley in 2001. In addition to her faculty positions, she previously served as the director of two centers for teaching and learning and as the editor of four journals in the field. Her extensive list of publications and presentations focus on systems thinking, pedagogical innovation, organizational development, student engagement and emerging forms of scholarship in higher education. Her most recent book, Taking Flight, is now available from Stylus Press.

Penn State Program Coordinator

HEather Amatore

The Pennsylvania State University - Lehigh Valley
hsa23@psu.edu

Heather Amatore, CHANCE Administrative Coordinator, is also the Penn State Lehigh Valley Campus Bursar and Assistant Registrar. She has an associate degree in both Biological Science and Medical Laboratory Technology. She enjoys connecting with beauty in nature and for nearly five years has been proud to support the building of strong, reputable, engaging, and sustainable study-abroad international programs that impact students and education along with impacting conservation and the environment.

ANGELA SPAGNOLI

The Pennsylvania State University
Teaching and Research Assistant

Angie Spagnoli received her Master of Science in ecology from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2021. She attended CHANCE Costa Rica/Panama as a Penn State undergraduate student in 2015 and returned the following year as Dr. McLaughlin’s field and teaching assistant. Accompanying her research abroad, she has conducted multi-disciplinary studies focusing on headwater stream ecology, LiDAR assisted seasonal wetland identification, pollution adsorption using activated carbons prepared from agricultural waste, and most recently, the community effects of non-native plants on energy transfer through trophic levels. Additionally, she leads student and public events to restore natural ecosystems by native tree reforestation, invasive plant eradication, riparian mitigation, and garbage removal. She currently applies her passion for conservation to scientific research, aimed to preserve isolated wetlands and the specialized species that rely on them for survival.

CURE Research Mentor

Dr. Carmen Postolache

University of Bucharest
Dean of the Faculty of Biology
carmen_postolache83@yahoo.com

Dr. Carmen Postolache is the Dean of Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest and PhD supervisor in the Department of Systems Ecology and Sustainability. Her expertise are in the areas of biogeochemical cycles of nutrients and heavy metals, ecotoxicology, water quality, mathematical modeling of nutrient flows, physical chemistry, structure-biological activity relationship of biomolecules, and enzyme kinetics. She has been a member of more than 50 national and international projects including Twinning Programs funded by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Her excellent scientific experience gives her the capacity to offer the students an interdisciplinary vision and a transdisciplinary research model.

CURE Research Mentor

Dr. Mihaela Verga

University of Bucharest
Lecturer of Geography

Dr. Mihaela Verga is a Lecturer of Geography, University of Bucharest, specializing in environmental sciences, applied geography, land deterioration, natural hazards and risks. She is involved in research projects on the Carpathian region, training programs for secondary school teachers, teaching assignments in Erasmus+ Program, and educational programs in protected areas. She is the author of several books/book chapters and scientific articles published in peer-reviewed journals or proceedings of international conferences. She is also the leader of the national team of Romania at the International Geography Olympiad, rewarded by the Ministry of Education and Research for meritorious results.

Romanian CURE Research Mentor

Dr. Florina Botez

University of Bucharest
Teaching Assistant

Dr. Florina Botez is a teaching assistant within the Department of Systems Ecology and Sustainability, University of Bucharest, but she also works in the department’s research laboratories where she takes part in many activities ranging from field sampling to obtaining and interpreting results that are concerned with the determination of physical, chemical, and microbiological parameters. She obtained her PhD in Environmental sciences (2013), after obtaining her Bachelor and Master of Ecology. The primary focus of her research is biogeochemical cycles.

CURE Research Mentor

Dr. Corina Bradu

University of Bucharest

Corina Bradu has a PhD in Chemistry and is a senior researcher, Manager of the Research Centre for Environmental Protection and Waste Management (PROTMED) and holds an Associate professor position at the Department of Systems Ecology and Sustainability, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest. Her research activities focus on the water and wastewater treatment trough advanced oxidation processes, catalytic reduction and adsorptive processes. Also, Dr. Bradu has competencies for developing qualitative and quantitative analysis methods for water and soil pollutants. She is author or co-author of over 50 scientific publications of which 40 ISI quotes, recorded a Hirsch Index 16 according to Web of Science.

CURE Research Mentor

Dr. Luminita Marutescu

University of Bucharest
Associate Professor in Microbiology & Immunology

Luminita Marutescu, Biologist, holds a PhD in Microbiology (2010, University of Bucharest). She has an H-index 13 according to Web of Science and is co-author of 80 peer-reviewed scientific publications. For the past four years her research focused on antibiotic resistant bacteria in the environment, particularly in the aquatic environment, and the public health risks associated with the presence of these bacteria in surface water. She participated in three EU research projects investigating the role of sewage and manure in the emergence, selection, and transmission of antibiotic resistance and the potential contribution of antibacterial biocides to the development and spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria in different aquatic ecosystems.

CURE Research Mentor

Dr. Irina Gheorghe

University of Bucharest
Associate Professor in Botany & Microbiology

Dr. Irina Gheorghe is a researcher and associate professor, Department of Botany and Microbiology, University of Bucharest since 2015. She has a Web of Science H-index 12 and is the co-author of 51 peer-reviewed scientific publications. Dr. Gheorghe began her PhD research on the phenotypic and molecular markers of β-lactam resistance in Gram negative non fermentative opportunistic rods (GNNF) in 2011 in the field of AR. As a result, she has optimized a series of protocols and working techniques (PFGE; MLST; conjugation; Southern Blot hybridization; Mapping PCR; Whole genome sequencing - assembling, annotation; phylogenetic relationships) in studying the AR phenomenon in strains belonging to GNNF mediated by mobile genetic elements (plasmids, integrons and transposons). Dr. Gheorghe has expertise also in the development of new antimicrobial strategies against filamentous fungi involved in biodeterioration.

ANDREEA MARIN

University of Bucharest
Assistant Professor

Dr. Andreea Marin is Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest. She has a Bachelor of Geography, Master of Geographic Information System (GIS) and in 2018, she obtained her PhD in Geography. Her main research topics include fluvial geomorphology, historical cartography, GIS and Remote Sensing applied in environmental studies.

Georgiana Grigore

University of Bucharest
PhD student

Platform for Research in Biology and Systemic Ecology
Researcher

Georgiana has a master's degree in Applied Microbiology, with an undergraduate degree in Biology, both at Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest. Currently she is a PhD student at the Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest and works as a researcher at the Platform for Research in Biology and Systemic Ecology, University of Bucharest. Her research activities focus on the analysis of stable isotopes from different natural archives for paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental reconstructions using the Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry technology. She is a volunteer at the Institute of Speleology ”Emil Racovita” Bucharest. Her expertise is in the examination of microbial communities from karst environments, such as caves, using culture and molecular based approaches. She enjoys working with undergraduate students and being able to guide them through their academic journey.