Kaisen Lin, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Michigan State University
Email: kaisen@msu.edu
Office phone number: (517)-884-8460
Current Students
Zhouyuan Wang
Ph.D. student (Jan 2023 to present)
M.S. Delft University of Technology, Netherland (2022)
B.S. China Agricultural University, China (2019)
Following graduation from the Delft University of Technology with an M.S. in Environmental Engineering, I continued pursuing primary goal of creating solutions that will protect and improve public health and our living environment. The ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic motivated me to see improvements in pathogen control. My current research focuses on understanding the mechanism of airborne disease transmission and providing better airborne disease detection and surveillance via air conditioning (HVAC) system monitoring.
Haocheng Sun
Ph.D. student (Aug 2023 to present)
M.S. Johns Hopkins University (2023)
B.S. China University of Geosciences, China (2021)
My name is Lenny Sun and I was born and raised in Hefei, China. Before joining Lin Aerosol Lab, I earned my B.S. in Marine Science from China University of Geosciences, Beijing, and M.S. in Environmental Health Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, where I found my interests in impacts of bioaerosol emissions from aeration devices on public health. I am currently working on the survival of airborne pathogens and my research interests include the influence of chemical substances such as VOCs on the transmission of airborne pathogens as well as developing methods for bioaerosol sampling and analysis.
Irana Mahjabeen
Ph.D. student (May 2026 to present)
M.S. University of Dhaka
B.S. University of Dhaka
I am from Dhaka, Bangladesh, and completed an M.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Dhaka. During my master’s studies, I developed a strong interest in pathogen transmission in the environment and methods to mitigate it. This interest led me toward engineering-based approaches for microbial risk reduction. I am currently working in the Lin Aerosol Lab, where I study the use of UVC light to improve biosecurity on poultry farms by inactivating airborne avian influenza virus. My goal is to contribute to practical, science-based solutions that reduce disease transmission and support healthier agricultural systems.
Zhenning (Lucia) Zhang
Ph.D. student (Aug 2026 to present)
M.S. Southwest Forestry University, China (2022)
B.S. Southwest Forestry University, China (2019)
I’m Zhenning Zhang, and I also go by Lucia. I’m originally from Shandong, China. I earned my master’s degree from Southwest Forestry University, where my research focused on indoor environmental exposures and their effects on human cells. During my doctoral studies, I hope to further explore how influenza viruses affect human health and gain a deeper understanding of their environmental and biological implications.
Porter Rankin
Undergraduate research assistant, Environmental Engineering
Jan 2025 to present
My name is Porter Rankin, and I'm a 3rd-year undergraduate student attending Michigan State University. I'm majoring in Environmental Engineering, and my primary interest is advancing environmental regulations and sustainable practices, ultimately improving environmental regulations within the corporate sector. My work within Lin Aerosol Lab focuses on enhancing HVAC system monitoring and airborne detection capabilities by using ANSYS to model particle behavior.
Maria Sufyan Abbasi
Undergraduate research assistant, Biosystem Engineering
Oct 2026 to present
My name is Maria Sufyan Abbasi, and I am an undergraduate student at Michigan State University majoring in Biosystems Engineering with a concentration in Biomedical Engineering. My interests include biomedical research, environmental health, and applying engineering principles to address public health challenges. Through my research experiences, I have developed an interest in laboratory experimentation and computational data analysis. I look forward to expanding my research skills and contributing to ongoing projects in the Lin Lab.
Yogith Jayanth
Undergraduate research assistant, Biosystems Engineering
Oct 2025 to present
Hi! I'm Yogith Jayanth, an undergraduate student at Michigan State University majoring in Biosystems Engineering. I'm passionate about research, biotechnology, and advancing global health equity through innovative, accessible solutions.
Mackenzie Csapo
Undergraduate research assistant, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Oct 2025 to present
My name is Mackenzie Csapo and I am a second year student at Michigan State University. My major is Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and have a primary interest in pharmaceuticals and human health. I hope to make an impact with research and improve lives. In the Lin Aerosol Lab I focus on airborne contaminants, particularly antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in agricultural environments.
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Gaeun (Lily) Kwon
Undergraduate research assistant, Microbiology and Human Biology
Oct 2026 to present
My name is Lily Kwon, and I am a junior at Michigan State University majoring in Microbiology and Human Biology. My interests include microbiology, environmental health, and understanding how environmental factors affect human health. I am excited to gain research experience and develop my laboratory skills through my work in the Lin Aerosol Lab.
Alumni
Jake Crist
B.S. student in Mechanical Engineering
Oct 2025 to May 2026
David Tiscareno Delgado
B.S. student in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
May 2025 to May 2026
Janie Cooper
M.S. student in Environmental Engineering
Jan 2024 to May 2026
Current placement: Civil Engineer at Fishbeck
Seth Besson
B.S. student in Environmental Engineering
Jan 2025 to Jan 2026
Current placement: Staff Engineer at Applied Science, Inc.
Zoe Linko
M.S. student in Environmental Engineering
Sep 2023 to May 2025
Current placement: Environmental Remediation Professional at Jacobs
Alyssa Murphy
Undergraduate research assistant, Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics
Mar 2023 to Dec 2024
Current placement: Graduate student in the College of Osteopathic Medicine at MSU
Therese Diakovasiliou
B.S. student in Civil and Environmental Engineering
Jan 2023 to May 2024
Current placement: Tetra Tech Solid Waste
Holly Demers
M.S. student in Environmental Engineering
Aug 2022 to Dec 2022
Current placement: Civil engineer at AKS Engineering & Forestry
Joshua Gleason
B.S. student in Civil and Environmental Engineering
Nov 2022 to May 2023
Current placement: Water engineer at EGLE
Zhiying Ou
B.S. student in Civil and Environmental Engineering
Nov 2022 to May 2023
Placement after graduation: MS student at UC Berkeley