People

Lab Member Bios

Andrea Jilling

Dr. Jilling earned a BSc degree in Agricultural and Environmental Science from McGill University in 2011. After working on a series of vegetable farms in Quebec, Connecticut and New Hampshire, she pursued a PhD in Earth and Environmental Science at the University of New Hampshire. Andrea draws from soil biochemistry, ecology, and mineralogy to inform our fundamental and practical understanding of soil fertility and soil health. Research and teaching efforts focus on soil organic matter dynamics and soil-plant-microbe interactions. Andrea was born in Hungary and raised in Alabama and Illinois.

Aniko Konya

Postdoctoral Fellow

Aniko is from Hungary. She graduated from the University of West Hungary in June 2014 with a Master of Science degree in Environmental Engineering and from Oklahoma State University in July 2021 with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Environmental Science. She is working on soil N cycling as a Post-Doctoral Fellow under the supervision of Dr. Andrea Jilling.

Andrew Whitaker

Postdoctoral Fellow

Andrew grew up in Southern Oklahoma where he graduated from Davis High School. He attended Oklahoma State University (OSU) and obtained his BS in Plant and Soil Science in 2012 and his MS in Soil Chemistry in 2014. He then went to North Carolina State University and completed his PhD in Environmental Soil Chemistry with an emphasis on “The Structure and Reactivity of Biogenic Iron Oxides in Circumneutral pH Environments.” After his PhD, he worked for 2.5 years at the California Department of Food and Agriculture within the Healthy Soils Program. Currently, he is a postdoctoral researcher at OSU studying the variations in soil mineralogy and its effects on dissolved organic nitrogen sorption. He also works in the Soil, Water, and Forage Analytical Lab where he helps develop new soil testing methods.

Makenna Paniel

Plant and Soil Science MSc Student

Makenna is from Guthrie, Oklahoma, graduating Valedictorian from the high school in 2015. She attended Oklahoma Christian University until transferring to Oklahoma State University in 2017. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Science and Natural Resources degree in Environmental Science with a minor in Soil Sciences in 2020. She is currently pursuing her Master of Science degree in Plant and Soil Sciences at Oklahoma State. Her research is in deep soil carbon (or “legacy carbon”) and biogeochemical cycling.

Tanner Judd

Plant and Soil Science MSc Student

Tanner grew up near Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated from West Virginia University in May 2020 with a degree in Agricultural Sciences. Current research interests are focused on mineralization of nitrogen from soil organic matter in agricultural soils.

Connor Cox

Masters of International Agriculture Program Student

Connor Cox is from Granbury, Texas. He graduated from Texas Tech in 2019 with a degree in plant and soil sciences concentrating in viticulture and enology with a minor in agribusiness. While achieving his undergraduate degree, he worked in vineyards and wineries and has a combined six years of experience. He is currently pursuing a degree in the Master of International Agriculture Program and current research interest is in the carbon cycling and nitrogen mineralization in vineyard soils.

Erik Knatvold

Environmental Science BSc Student

Erik is an undergraduate in Environmental Science from Edmond, Oklahoma. He assists with most lab operations and maintains a clean and rocking environment.

Taylor Frentz

Environmental Science BSc Student

Taylor is from Ft. Worth, Texas. She is an undergraduate student studying Environmental Science and Soil Science. She enjoys being in nature, reading, and spending time with family and friends. Go pokes!

Lab Alumni

Josh Anadu, PhD Student at California Institute of Technology
Trevor Crandall, Ecological Site Specialist, Natural Resources Conservation Service