Principal Investigator

Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering

Graduate Student

Environmental Engineering, Ph.D. - College of Engineering, University of Arizona

Yá'át'ééh, I'm Melissa Jacquez, a proud citizen of the Navajo Nation, born for the folded arm clan (Bit'ahnii), and my paternal grandparent hailed from the bitter water people (Tódich'ii'nii). Currently, I am a PhD student in Environmental Engineering and seeking a certificate in American Indian higher education. I am a proud Navajo queer researcher rooted in Indigenous methodologies as I pursue researching PFAS on the Navajo Nation. I received my Bachelor's degree in Environmental Engineering from Northern Arizona University and my Master's degree in Environmental Science from the University of Arizona. I hope one day to work in a tribal-serving institution that works to increase the number of Native students pursuing STEM degrees and use my degree to give back to Native communities.

In my free time, I love beading, cooking, and playing with my little rez dog, Delta

Graduate Student

Environmental Engineering, MS - College of Engineering, University of Arizona

Greetings!! My name is Macy — I got my undergraduate degree, here, at the University of Arizona in Environmental Engineering in May of 2025! When I'm not in the laboratory or in class, you might catch me at the UA tennis facility where I work as the lead student manager for the women's tennis team! Some of my hobbies include: cooking plant-based meals, strength training & rewatching Harry Potter! 

Undergraduate AMP

Chemical Engineering - College of Engineering, University of Arizona

Graduate Student

Environmental Science, MS - College of Agriculture, Life, and Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona

Hello, I’m Ignacio, a graduate student within the Department of Environmental Science at the University of Arizona. I have a deep interest in environmental justice and community-based research stemming from my own experiences living in the Central Valley. This interest has led to experiences in Youth Participatory Action Research relating to air quality in partnership with Environmental Justice Communities residing in the City of Santa Rosa and Richmond. Through work with faculty at Sonoma State, UC Berkeley, and now at the UofA with Dr. De Vore. I continue to be immersed with different research frameworks that help shape my experience and future work. My goal is to become a professor and drive research that provides opportunities for frontline communities to explore their own questions.

Some other interests of mine include playing basketball, running, and collecting CDs.

Graduate Student

Environmental Engineering, MS - College of Engineering, University of Arizona

I am an Accelerated Masters Student in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of Arizona, where I also completed my B.S. in Environmental Engineering. For my undergraduate capstone project, I collaborated with Dr. De Vore and my team to design a passive water treatment system for mining-impacted waters using the biosorption capabilities of inactivated fungi. This project allowed me to develop strong laboratory and research skills and sparked my interest in bioremediation of mine waste. My current research focuses on phytoremediation of copper- and arsenic-contaminated systems, specifically investigating native Arizona plant–fungi partnerships and the influence of endophytic fungi on metal uptake, transport, and detoxification.

Undergraduate Student

Chemical Engineering, EHS-RISE Summer ‘25 Intern - College of Engineering, University of Arizona

Hello, my name is Gwen Flores (soon to be Gwen Hough). I am a Pascua Yaqui tribal member pursuing a degree in Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Arizona ‘27. I am passionate about the pursuit of knowledge and using my education to make a difference. Outside of academics, I love traveling, trying new restaurants, anime and being a mother! My son is now in the 4th grade and continues to compete in club soccer. We are amateur golfers and love swimming! At Nihi Lab, I’ve gained hands-on experience with SEM, FTIR, ICP-MS, and other microbiology tools to study As and U speciation and adsorption onto fungal biomass. I’m grateful to be part of such an amazing team and especially to have the opportunity to learn under Dr. De Vore!

Undergraduate Student

Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Arizona

Hello! My name is Ryan. I am a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering at the University of Arizona. Working with Dr. Cherie De Vore in the Níhí Lab, alongside collaborations with Dr. Caitlyn Hall, Dr. Emmanuel Salifu, and Dr. Betsy Arnold, I am studying the native desert mushroom Podaxis pistillaris and its ability to remediate copper mine wastes in arid and semi-arid environments. I'm primarily interested in developing a framework for applying mycoremediation in arid and semi-arid environments and exploring mycoremediation as a tool for environmental justice. Outside of my research, I further engage my passion for all things fungi by working as an Assistant Curator at the Gilbertson Mycological Herbarium and serving as the President of the MycoCats club at the University of Arizona. In my free time, I love hiking, foraging, cooking, playing video games, collecting vinyl records, listening to music, and spending time with my friends and family.

Undergraduate Student

Environmental Engineering- College of Engineering, University of Arizona

Hello, my name is Māhieuʻilani, but you can call me Māhie! I’m from Kapaʻahu, Puna, Hawaiʻi and am an undergraduate junior majoring in environmental engineering. 

I’m interested in learning about fungi and their role in removing heavy metals from waste streams and utilizing this data to create indigenous centered solutions. I hope to one day work with water and eventually return home to integrate what I’ve learned into ʻāina (land) based solutions inspired by the work we do in Níhí Lab- Nānā I ke kumu (Look to the source). 

In my free time, I love exploring new places, trying something new, watching movies, and reminiscing about home. 

Undergraduate Student

Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Arizona

Hi! My name is Taylor Conley, and I am a sophomore majoring in Environmental Engineering with a minor in Spanish. I am excited to be a part of the Nìhì lab and learn more about biosorption and fungi to help areas affected by mining. In my free time, I like to crochet, spend time outside, and cook for friends/family.

Affiliated Graduate student (co-advised by Dr. De Vore)

Health Behaviors Health Promotion, PhD - Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona

Breanna Lameman is Diné (Navajo) from Shiprock, Navajo Nation. Her clans are Táchii’nii(Red Running into Water Clan), Nidáá Diné (Corn People), Bit'ahnii (Within her Cover Clan), and Tódích’íí’nii (Bitter Water Clan). She is a third-year PhD student in the Health Behavior Health Promotion program at the University of Arizona’s Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health (MEZCOPH), with a focus on Indigenous food, energy, and water systems (FEWS).

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion, both from the University of Arizona. Her life’s work and passion are rooted in the land, Diné culture, language, and lived experience. From a young age, Breanna cares for the land by reclaiming and revitalizing traditional agricultural practices, which nurtured a deep relationship with food and ancestral foodways. Through her roles as a farmer, community member, relative, and aunty, she has come to understand the interconnectedness of ancestral foods, the land, water, animals, and her community.

Breanna’s current focus and heart work are in Indigenous food sovereignty, health, and data sovereignty/governance. She is committed to community-led research that uplifts Indigenous knowledge and food systems. Her aim is to advance health and wellbeing through culturally grounded, collaborative approaches. She is also deeply dedicated to building ethical, reciprocal research relationships with Indigenous communities. Her research centers on Indigenous food sovereignty, food security, hydroponics, environmental justice, and the interconnections within Indigenous FEWS.

Tohono O’odham Community College, A Student’s Journey Summer ‘25 Intern