ANAGNOSTOPOULOS RESEARCH GROUP
Principal Investigator - Group Lead
DR. VASILEIOS ANAGNOSTOPOULOS
Dr. Anagnostopoulos received his M.Sc. in Analytical Chemistry (Environmental Track) and his Ph.D. in Radiochemistry from University of Patras, Greece. His expertise lies at the intersection of radiochemistry, analytical chemistry, and environmental chemistry.
His group studies radionuclide environmental mobility as influenced by complex sorption and interface redox phenomena for reasons related to nuclear fuel disposal. His group is also developing sensitive analytical methods for detecting trace contaminants and nuclear forensics signatures, in pre- and post-detonation materials. Fundamental actinide chemistry projects include speciation, complexation and thermodynamic studies of actinides with organic ligands.
He has led projects funded by the DOE - Office of Environmental Management, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Department of Homeland Security and National Nuclear Security Administration. He serves as a subject matter expert in several panels yearly and in 2024 he was awarded the prestigious UCF Reach for the Stars Award, for early career scientists with highly successful research and impact.
Graduate Students
Zach Murphy
Austin Burns
Zach Murphy
National Nuclear Security
Administration PATH Fellow
B.Sc. Chemistry
Truman State University
Zach is studying the stability of uranium dioxide and uranyl peroxide phases affected by ligands in the near- and far field and how the incorporation of actinides and fission products in studtite affects its structure and properties. Zach received the 2024 Roy G. Post Scholarship Awards for his work.
Lucy Hunley
Austin Burns
Zach Murphy
Department of Homeland Security Fellow
B.Sc. Chemistry
University of Central Florida
Lucy is investigating elemental and spectroscopic signatures of uranium dioxides that can act as provenance fingerprints for pre-detonation material as well as their fate in radiological debris after mimicking explosion conditions in the lab. Lucy received full sponsorship for the 2024 Women in Nuclear Summit.
Austin Burns
Austin Burns
Austin Burns
National Nuclear Security Administration Fellow
B.Sc. Chemistry
St. Mary's College of Maryland
Austin's studies focus on the synthesis and characterization of surrogate nuclear explosion debris using sol-gel synthesis and high energy-temperature laser system which mimics explosion chemistry and physics . Of particular interest is the elemental fractionation of radionuclides in the debris in the presence of urban materials.
Joey Lee
David Rai II
Austin Burns
Department of Defense SMART Scholar
B.Sc. Chemistry, Western Carolina University
M.Sc. Chemistry, University of Mississippi
Joey (Captain Joseph Lee) works on the determination of thermodynamic and formation constants between actinides and organic ligands, with emphasis on siderophores and hydroxamates. He is also working on liquid-liquid extractions of actinide complexes.
David Rai II
David Rai II
David Rai II
Department of Homeland Security Fellow
National GEM Fellow
B.Sc. Chemistry
University of Central Florida
David's project deals with uranium dioxide synthesis under high temperatures in the presence of transition metals, comparison with commercial samples and tracing of those signatures in post-detonation debris of radiological dispersive devices.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Wilfredo Rivera Rodriguez
Wilfredo Rivera Rodriguez
Wilfredo Rivera Rodriguez
Wilfredo is a chemistry major and he is currently working on setting up a plasma reactor for fireball chemistry experiments related to post-detonation nuclear forensics.
Marlena Mutter
Wilfredo Rivera Rodriguez
Wilfredo Rivera Rodriguez
Marlena is a chemistry minor and and her studies focus on the the structural and spectroscopic properties of uranyl peroxide phases.
Peter Lopez
Wilfredo Rivera Rodriguez
Peter Lopez
Peter is in his senior year and his project deals with incorporation of actinides and transition metals in uranyl peroxide phases and structural characterization of co-precipitates.
Alumni
Dr. Ilana Szlamkowicz
Dr. Mismel Ruiz Garcia
Dr. Ilana Szlamkowicz
BSc Chemistry, 2020
PhD Chemistry, 2025
Current position: Pacific Northwest National Lab
Postdoctoral Associate
Dr. Jordan Stanberry
Dr. Mismel Ruiz Garcia
Dr. Ilana Szlamkowicz
BSc Chemistry, 2019
PhD Chemistry, 2023
Current position: Oak Ridge National Lab
Chemical & Isotopic Mass Spectrometry
Postdoctoral Associate
Dr. Mismel Ruiz Garcia
Dr. Mismel Ruiz Garcia
Dr. Mismel Ruiz Garcia
Postdoctoral Associate, 2021-2023
Current Position:
Advanced Environmental Laboratories
Manager, Inorganic Department
Morgan Snyder
Morgan Snyder
Dr. Mismel Ruiz Garcia
MSc Chemistry, 2020
Current Position: University of South Carolina, School of Medicine
Ian Russell
Morgan Snyder
Ian Russell
BSc Chemistry, 2022
Current Position:
Notre Dame University
Chemistry Graduate Program
Kyle Morgan
Morgan Snyder
Ian Russell
BSc Chemistry, 2022
Current Position:
University of Florida
Chemistry Graduate Program
Travis Hager
Travis Hager
Travis Hager
BSc Chemistry, 2021
Current Position :
University of Missouri
Chemistry Graduate Program