Row 1: (Left to right) Anwesha, Liz, Kobie
Row 2: Francisco, Drew, Reuben, Phil
Row 3: Katie, Sharear, Lauren, Ling
Current Lab Members
Principal Investigator
Phil Bevilacqua
Principal Investigator
Hometown: State College, PA
B.S.: Chemistry/Physics John Carroll University
Ph.D: University of Rochester
Postdoc: University of Colorado, Boulder
Phil enjoys running, biking, and fly fishing.
Graduate Students
Megan Sylvia
Plant Biology Graduate Student, Started 2016
Hometown: Westerly, RI
B.S. in Biology, Minors in Chemistry and Religious & Theological Studies — Salve Regina University
Megan enjoys reading, walking her dog, swimming, playing sports, and baking.
Katie Douds
BMB Graduate Student, Started 2017
Hometown: Latrobe, PA (home of Arnold Palmer and Rolling Rock Beer!)
B.S. in Biochemistry in Biochemistry–Juniata College
Katie likes to swim, paint, and play with my dog, Betty
Jacob Sieg
Chemistry Graduate Student, Started 2017
Hometown: Chillicothe, OH
B.S. in Chemistry–Ohio University
Jacob enjoys reading, home brewing, and camping
McCauley (Mac) Meyers
BMB Graduate Student, Started 2017
Hometown: Cornwall, PA
B.S. in Biochemistry, B.A. German Language–Lebanon Valley College
Mac enjoys fly-fishing, hiking, and reading
Lauren McKinley
Chemistry Graduate Student, Started 2019
Hometown: Trumbauersville, PA
B.S. in Chemistry–Lehigh University
Lauren enjoys baking, reading, and petting dogs
Reuben Kern
BMB Graduate Student, Started 2021
Hometown: St. Lous, MO
B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology — Truman State University
Reuben enjoys reading, trivia, playing video games, and hiking.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Dr. Md. Sharear Saon
Postdoctoral Scholar
Hometown: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Ph.D. — Saint Louis University
M.S. in Organic Chemistry — University of Dhaka
B.S. in chemistry — University of Dhaka
Sharear enjoys playing FIFA, playing guitar, and cooking.
Research Scientists
Dr. Elizabeth Jolley
Assistant Research Professor in RNA Folding
Hometown: Pueblo, CO
Ph.D. St. Louis University with Prof. Brent Znosko
Liz enjoys spending time with her kids, time outdoors, and drinking Red Bull.
Administrative Staff
![](https://sites.psu.edu/bevilacqua/files/2020/04/Dana.png)
Undergraduates
Ben enjoys reading, working out, going on long walks, and eating ice cream
Atlas Winemiller
Schreyer Honors Scholar studying Chemistry
Mentors: Jacob Sieg and Elizabeth Jolley