Our Team

Lead Research Team

Seeing the Science of Water

Assistant Professor
My research interests started with the Great Lakes and colored dissolved organic matter, and now include remote sensing of water quality in inland and coastal systems, observing the underlying functioning of aquatic ecosystems using satellite datasets, and improving our understanding of the connectivity between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. I love being out on the water, whether we’re collecting data on a 24- or 240-foot research vessel, and translating this to fundamental advances in our understanding of Earth from satellite observations. When I’m not thinking about photons, pigments, or PACE, I enjoy running, backpacking, swimming, gardening, and inviting local wildlife into our family’s yard with native plants. I love sampling different coffees, and the ideal morning is sipping a new brew with Erika and the boys, with a bit of morning sunshine creeping through the trees.
Research Associate
To characterize optical variability in the ecosystems we focus on, Brice’s team collects a lot of data both in the field and the lab. As a Research Associate, it’s my job to enable the research projects in the lab by making sure data is organized and accessible by both our team and our collaborators. I am responsible for creating and maintaining our lab’s database that holds all our data, and support troubleshooting all aspects of our research based on extensive experience in the lab and field. My own research has focused on how to separate the total absorption signal into its parts – phytoplankton, colored dissolved organic matter and sediment/non-living particles, and advance our ability to observe phytoplankton communities from in situ and satellite observations. In my personal time, I spend a lot of time with my young child: worm hunting in the rain, finding hermit crabs on the beach and looking for frogs and turtles on our hikes around the pond. Teaching him to appreciate nature and the importance of all our ecosystems is a joy. I love playing and designing board games, reading, playing the piano and hunting for seashells on the beach.
Research Technician
Originally from Cincinnati, I joined the Carbon & Optics Lab in April 2024 after graduating with an MS in Oceanography from Oregon State University. With a background in physics and an interest in interdisciplinary science, my research focused on the coupling of atmospheric processes and ocean biophysical response along the U.S. west coast using satellite and model datasets. As a research technician in the CH2O lab, I support students with coding challenges and lead lab/field activities. In my free time, you can find me searching for the best local chai latte, thrifting a fun shirt, fixating on my craft-of-the-week, or going for a hike. I also enjoy spending time with my family and pets by relaxing at home and playing games.

Anshula Dhiman

Graduate student (PhD)

I came to Cleveland State to begin my PhD journey in January 2023 from my hometown of New Delhi, India. I hold an MS and MPhil degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, India, where I researched nutrient distribution and cycling in the surface sediments in the Coringa Mangrove forest and assessed emerging contaminants of concern in the Ganga River Basin in India. My current research focuses on improving our understanding of phosphorus cycling and internal loading in Lake Erie, and leveraging satellite tools to advance our ability to estimate this cycling from remote sensing datasets.

I've had the opportunity to broaden my knowledge through Lake Erie fieldwork and optics workshops and classes, including being part of the Ocean Optics Class of 2023 at Bowdoin College. Outside of my academic pursuits, I love to do trekking and have explored several peaks in the Himalayan range. I also like experimenting with new cuisines when time permits and indulge in painting during my spare time.

Trevor Holm

Graduate student (PhD)

I am a research assistant pursuing my PhD with a focus on improving our understanding of internal phosphorus cycling and its implications for harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie and other similarly impacted eutrophic inland and coastal environments, through the lens of satellite remote sensing.

I am deeply passionate about investigating interconnectedness between Earth’s systems, and remote sensing offers a direct avenue to this exploration while bridging vast stretches of space and time. In 2018, I graduated from Miami University with a bachelor’s degree in biology and followed with five years of professional chemical formulation.

Through the years of chemistry, I remained connected to my passion for nature by hiking, camping, kayaking, volunteering at estuarine research reserves, and cataloguing critters on iNaturalist.

This led to my re-immersion in academia at Cleveland State University in the spring of 2023. In my free time, you can catch me wading around the rivers in a Metropark, cycling through the city, or tending to my beloved shrimp aquariums at home.

Wahid Khan

Graduate student (PhD)

I am originally from Bangladesh, a small yet highly populated country in southeast Asia.  I wonder how we take nature’s contribution to our life for granted and overlook our responsibility for the environment.  This question inspired me to shape my academic journey. So far, I have studied Environmental Science from Khulna University, Bangladesh and Ecosystem Services at Technical University of Dresden, Germany.  

Before starting my PhD, I got the opportunity to work on various research projects, particularly in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. Those experiences helped me to understand how dynamic the interaction between land and ocean can be and how challenging it is to quantify those natural processes! Now, I am exploring the potential use of high-resolution satellite images and big data analysis techniques to assess and predict the complex nature of the environment.

I strongly believe that my previous experience at iDiv (German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research) and The Senckenberg Museum for Natural History Görlitz, will particularly be helpful in my endeavor. I am a big fan of soccer, and my favorite team is Real Madrid. I love coffee! I enjoy wildlife and landscape photography, and dream of owning an 800mm lens someday and exploring the wilds with my family!!

Forough Naali

Graduate student (PhD)

I began my PhD at Cleveland State University in 2025, after completing my MS in Remote Sensing at the University of Tehran. My previous research focused on classifying satellite imagery using deep learning techniques, and I’m now expanding that experience into the study of aquatic environments. In the CH₂O Lab, my work centers on hyperspectral remote sensing of inherent optical properties (IOPs).

I’m particularly interested in applying deep learning/machine learning to ocean color data to better understand environmental variability and ecosystem dynamics in marine and coastal systems. Outside of research, I enjoy listening to music, learning about different cultures, and spending time in nature.

Stephanie Ratliff

Graduate student (MS)

I received my BS in environmental science from CSU after working as a interventional radiologic technologist for several years prior to moving to Cleveland. During that time, I worked as an undergraduate research assistant with Brice, and am now focused on completing an MS at CSU. I support fieldwork on Lake Erie in the lab and am the lab's de facto YSI EXO2 sonde expert.

My research focuses on characterizing urban watershed biogeochemistry and microbial variability in relation to tree canopy cover and quality, under the perspective of urban tree and water equity in the greater Cleveland area.

In my spare time, I like to read, hike, and spend time with my friends, family, and dogs. Since moving to Cleveland, I've made it a goal to explore every mile of trail in the Cleveland Metroparks and am well on my way to achieving that goal!

Emily Hyland

Graduate student (MS)

In 2024 I received my BS in Environmental Science from CSU. During my BS, I worked with Brice on my honors research thesis that focused on understanding the sensitivity of remote sensing reflectance – the signal observed from satellite sensors – to changes in dissolved organic matter composition in aquatic systems. I was a recipient of the 2024-2025 Ohio Space Grant Consortium fellowship that jumpstarted my MS in Environmental Science at CSU.

My research focus has shifted to using imaging spectroscopy to assess shifts in phytoplankton community composition. I am using airborne and satellite imagery from PACE paired with an open-source bio-optics Python package to compare hyperspectral optical properties to classic water quality indices for an improved perspective of inland and coastal water quality.

When I am not in the field or lab I enjoy hanging out with my family, solving puzzles, and getting lost in a good book.

Alyssa Wiemels

Undergraduate student

My academic career at Cleveland State started in Fall 2022 where I began working toward a BS in Environmental Science, and since Fall 2023 have been pursuing a second major in Civil Engineering. Being part of the Carbon & Optics lab has inspired me to learn more about remote sensing and its implications for reshaping the way we collect, analyze, and present environmental data.

My current research is focused on using high spatial resolution commercial satellite imagery to assess the extent to which man-made turbidity events from dredging and commercial ship traffic contribute to internal phosphorous loading and sediment dynamics in Lake Erie’s coastal zone. This project supports my goals of applying cutting-edge technology towards coastal engineering interests and fuses science and engineering in a unique way that helps understand our environment.

In my free time, I enjoy going to the gym, hiking, doing crafts, puzzles, and spending time with my family. I also like to read, listen to podcasts, or otherwise engage with the world around me to ensure I learn something new each day.