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Meet the Team

Ellene Tratras Contis, Ph.D.

Ellene (Nina) Tratras Contis is the Director of the CSIE program and Professor of Chemistry at EMU. She is a full Professor with research interests in the study of short-lived fission products of 235U; the use of electronic technology in chemical education; issues for women in science; and the study of trace elements in water. On the international scene, Ellene chairs the International Activities Committee of the American Chemical Society. She is an ACS Fellow and a Fulbright Specialist – Pakistan. Her passions focus on globalizing chemistry education and building networks for both students and chemists.

Email: [email protected]


Steven Francoeur, Ph.D.

Steven Francoeur is a Biology department faculty member and was one of CSIE’s first Faculty Fellows in 2006. Steve's research involves submerged surfaces in lakes, river, and wetlands covered with microbes has been integrated into one of our specialty CSIE courses, CSIE 150L2 -Cyanobacteria in the Huron River taught together, with Dr. Steven Pernecky, another CSIE Faculty Fellow and Interim Associate Dean, from the Chemistry department. His research is mainly focused on the ecology of periphyton, with emphasis on the algal component. The two main themes of the research are: 1) understanding how biological, physical, and chemical factors affect the abundance, distribution, and activity of periphytic microbes, and 2) understanding microbial interactions within periphyton communities.


Jose Vites, Ph.D.

Jose is a chemistry professor and teaches several of the CSIE courses, including Cyanobacteria, Scientific Presentation, Water Analysis. He also developed the Scientific Learning course and Monday Night Chemistry. Most of his research projects involve the manipulation of air-sensitive compounds using Schlenk-ware and vacuum lines, cannula and syringe techniques, a variety of chromatographic techniques (gas, plate, column, flash), and the use of infrared and 1H, 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies. His projects also involve the synthesis of organic and inorganic ligands.

Email: [email protected]


Batoul Abdallah, Ph.D.

Project Manager

Email: [email protected]


Mariah Brito

Email: [email protected]


Swetha Sadineni

Graduate Assistant

Email: [email protected]