Our Team

People of the Norman Molecular Microbial Ecology Laboratory

The MMEL brings together students and researchers interested in microbial ecology, molecular biology, environmental health, DNA/RNA sequencing, bioinformatics, and public health.

Principal Investigator

R. Sean Norman Funny photo of R. Sean Norman

R. Sean Norman

Associate Professor

ENHS PhD/MS Program Director

Department of Environmental Health Sciences
Arnold School of Public Health
University of South Carolina

Dr. Norman leads research at the intersection of molecular microbial ecology, environmental health, wastewater surveillance, pathogen detection, antibiotic resistance, and microbial community dynamics.

Current Students

Sarah Sellers

Sarah Sellers

PhD Student

Research focus: wastewater surveillance and AMR

Deja Best

Deja Best

PhD Student

Research focus: Vibrio vulnificus comparative genomics

Jack Roddey

Jack Roddey

MS Student

Research focus: wastewater surveillance and AMR

Alyssa Favro

Alyssa Favro

MS Student

Research focus: AMR and Vibrio vulnificus.

Joshua

Joshua Payne

USC Undergraduate Student

Research focus: Wastewater surveillance

Alumni

Postdoctoral Associates

Candice Swift

Former role: Postdoctoral Associate — current position: Patent Examiner, United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Gabriel Kenne

Former role: Postdoctoral Associate — current position: Research Assistant Professor, USC, Dept. of ENHS.

Daniel Ross

Former role: Postdoctoral Associate — current position: Research Scientist, National Energy Technology Laboratory, PA

Rion Taylor

Former role: Postdoctoral Associate — current position: Endowed Professor of Biology, MidAmerica Nazarene University, KS.

PhD Students

Karlen Velez

Former role: USC PhD Student — current position: Postdoctoral Associate, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN.

Mirza Isanovic

Former role: USC PhD Student — current position: Biological Safety Officer, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.

Andres Gaviria-Figueroa

Former role: USC PhD Student — current position: Epidemiologist at Booz Allen Hamilton.

Ben Torkian

Former role: USC PhD Student — current position: Senior Scientist USC Research Computing.

Abdulmalik Alsaif

Former role: USC PhD Student — current position: Assistant Professor at the Department of Environmental Health Sciences on the College of Public Health at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University on Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

Gabriel Kenne

Former role: USC PhD Student — current position: Research Assistant Professor, Dept. Environmental Health Sciences, University of South Carolina.

Gargi Dayama

Former role: USC PhD Student — current position: Senior Research Scientist, Boston University School of Medicine.

Eva Preisner

Former role: USC PhD Student — current position: Research Scientist, Baylor School of Medicine, Baylor University.

Miguel Uyaguari

Former role: USC PhD Student — current position: Assistant Professor, University of Manitoba, Canada.

Benjamin Bey

Former role: USC PhD Student — current position: Environmental Analyst – Environmental Affairs Design and Technical Services - Department of Infrastructure, Government of Northwest Territories, Canada.

Michelle Johnston

Former role: USC PhD Student — current position: Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, Texas.

MS Students

Mirza Isanovic

Former role: USC MS Student — current position: Biological Safety Officer, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.

Andrew Stroud

Former role: USC MS Student — current position: Environmental Scientist, Terracon.

Eva Preisner

Former role: USC MS Student — current position: Research Scientist, Baylor School of Medicine, Baylor University.

John McKenzie

Former role: USC MS Student — current position: EHS Engineer, Bose Corp., Blythwood, SC.

MPH Students

Kelly Fleming

Former role: USC MPH Student — current position: Clinical Assistant Professor, USC, Columbia, SC.

Jimmy Duc

Former role: USC MPH Student — current position: Unknown

Undergraduate Students

Former undergraduate researchers in the Norman Lab include:

  • Annika Meetze, USC Public Health (2023-2025)
  • Sarah Sellers, USC Biology (2018-2021) *USC Covid-19 response team member
  • Dillion Bryant, USC Public Health (2020-2021) *USC Covid-19 response team member
  • Emily Gosnell, USC Public Health (2020-2021) *USC Covid-19 response team member
  • Stefano Belmonte, USC Public Health (2020-2021) *USC Covid-19 response team member
  • Gabrielle Kartzmark, USC Biology (2018-2019)
  • Sarah Coleman, USC Public Health (2018-2019)
  • Andrew Howden, USC Computer Science and Engineering (2016-2017)
  • Akilah Alwan, USC Marine Science (2016-2017)
  • Charlotte Eckman, USC Marine Science (2016)
  • Justin Skinner (CofC), NSF-REU Program in Marine Biogeochemistry (2014)
  • Megan Arias (LSU), NSF-REU Program in Marine Biogeochemistry (2013)
  • Sandra Szyjka, University Duisburg-Essen, Visiting student thesis work (2012)
  • Allyson Shea, B.S. – USC Honor’s College, Marine Science. (2011)
  • Elizabeth Hambleton (Williams College), NSF-REU Program in Marine Biology (2002)
  • Hugo Tapia (Univ. of Texas at El Paso), MUSC Undergraduate Minority Program (2003)