Get to Know Research Services

Jeff Moeller serves as the Director of Research Services at WRF and directs one of three research units at the Foundation. Jeff has over 25 years of experience leading research in the areas of wastewater treatment, stormwater, decentralized systems, and integrated water management. He has also served as the WRF Director of Water Technologies managing the LIFT program. Jeff has a BS in civil engineering from North Carolina State University and an MS in civil and environmental engineering from M.I.T.

Areas of Expertise: Stormwater, Wastewater Treatment, Integrated Planning & Water Management, Nutrients, Innovation

Miriam Hacker serves as a Research Manager at WRF. Her area of expertise includes the Utility Management and Workforce Research Areas and is involved with additional research topics, including water reuse, decentralization and resilience. Miriam earned her BS and MS in civil engineering from the University of Washington, with an emphasis on environmental engineering, and her PhD in civil engineering the University of Washington with an emphasis in construction, energy, and sustainable infrastructure. 

Areas of Expertise: Utility Management, Workforce, Decentralized Systems, Desalination, Innovation, Resilience, Security and Emergency Management, Stormwater, Water Reuse

Grace Jang has been a Research Principal at WRF since 2009. Dr. Jang is currently the lead on WRF’s Waterborne Pathogens in Distribution and Plumbing Systems Research Area. She received her BS degree in environmental engineering, her MS degrees in environmental engineering and biomedical engineering, and her PhD in environmental engineering from Arizona State University.

Areas of Expertise: Biofilms, Biofiltration, Microbes & Pathogens, Water Quality, Premise Plumbing

Jessica Metcalf serves as a Research Manager at WRF. Jessica received her bachelor's degree in chemistry from Rowan University. She received her master's degree in water resources and environmental engineering from Villanova University. 

Areas of Expertise: Water Quality, Collections Systems: CSOs and SSOs, Asset Management, Water Reuse, Water Resources

Lola Olabode serves as a Research Principal at WRF where she has worked since 2000. Lola directs the portfolio on constituents of emerging concern, microplastics in water, and receiving water linkages in water quality. Lola has a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Tougaloo College, a master's degree in public health from George Washington University, and is a board-certified environmental scientist by eminence.

Areas of Expertise: Public Health, Pathogens, Microplastics, Constituents of Emerging Concern, Nutrients

Sydney Samples serves as a Research Manager at WRF. Sydney received her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and Spanish with a minor in Political Science from Simpson College. She received her master’s degree in International Environmental Policy with a specialization in Natural Resources Policy and Management from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.

Areas of Expertise: Climate Change: Climate Impacts, Public Health, Water Quality (Drinking Water)

Mary Messec Smith has been a Research Principal at WRF since 2010, and currently directs the PFAS Research Area. Mary previously directed the Hexavalent Chromium and the Intelligent Water Networks Research Areas. Mary earned her MSc in Environmental Science & Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.

Areas of Expertise: Distribution Systems, Water Quality, Security and Emergency Management, Intelligent Water Systems, Constituents of Emerging Concern

Sanjana Yagnambhatt serves as a Research Manager at WRF. She currently leads the Energy Optimization subtopic. She graduated with a PhD in mechanical engineering from Oakland University in May 2024, where her research was focused on sustainable water solutions, particularly in improving energy efficiency of osmotic processes for desalination and power generation using low-grade heat. Prior to her doctorate degree, Sanjana completed bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 2014 from Vardaman College of Engineering in India. Later, she moved to the U.S. to pursue a master's in mechanical engineering at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Charlotte.

Areas of Expertise: Energy Management, Desalination, Resource Recovery, Reuse, Intelligent Water Systems

Harry Zhang serves as Research Principal on Integrated Water and Stormwater at WRF. Harry directs the Sustainable Integrated Water Management (SIWM) and Stormwater research portfolios. Harry has a PhD in civil and environmental engineering (water resources) and a minor in systems engineering from the University of Virginia.

Areas of Expertise: Stormwater & Flood Management, Integrated Water Management & Planning (including Groundwater), Watershed Management & Stream Restoration, Decentralized Systems, Climate Impacts on Water Quantity and Quality

Jian Zhang has served as a Research Principal at WRF since 2002. He currently leads WRF’s ongoing Research Area focused on water infrastructure resilience. Jian has a bachelor's degree and a master’s degree in environmental engineering from Tongji University, China, and a PhD in environmental engineering from the University of Cincinnati.

Areas of Expertise: Asset Management, Condition Assessment, Pipes, Resilience, Risk Assessment