Environmental Sciences

The Department of Environmental Sciences conducts fundamental and applied research in diverse areas related to soil and water quality, arthropod vector-borne diseases, aquatic invasive species, and microbial ecology.  

The Department’s Environmental Chemistry group studies the behavior of chemical contaminants in the environment, including their binding to soil particles, their biological availability in soil, mechanisms of their natural breakdown in soil and water, and novel physical and chemical methods for their removal or destruction in soil and water.  It also examines issues in the chemistry natural processes in the environment. Department scientists associated with the Center for Vector Biology and Zoonotic Diseases are studying the molecular evolution, epidemiology, vector-host interactions and ecology of pathogenic viruses, with the goal of reducing the risk of infections in humans and domesticated animals.   Department scientists in the Invasive Aquatic Plant program are examining the ecology of invasive aquatic plants as a function of water chemistry and habitat, as well as evaluating methods for the control of invasive plants.  The Department also has a research program in environmental microbiology involving carbon cycling in soils and the microbiome of insect vectors of diseases. Lastly, staff scientists are studying the molecular mechanisms of host specificity enabling the parasitic behavior of microsporidia.

The Department also runs the Connecticut Mosquito and Arbovirus Surveillance Program, which monitors transmission of viral diseases such as West Nile and eastern equine encephalitis; the Invasive Aquatic Plant program, which surveys aquatic vegetation and water chemistry in Connecticut’s freshwater ponds and lakes and develops and conducts management strategies for controlling invasive species; the Tick Testing Laboratory, which has an active testing program for pathogens linked to human diseases, such as Lyme Disease and others; and the Soil Testing Laboratory which analyzes samples from farms, homes, and commercial grounds for nutrient levels, and then recommends steps to improve soil fertility.

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Department of Environmental Sciences
Slate Laboratory
123 Huntington Street
P.O. Box 1106
New Haven, CT 06504-1106
Fax: (203) 974-8502

Pignatello, Joseph J.: Chief Scientist, Department Head
E-mail: Joseph.Pignatello@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8518

Armstrong, Philip M.:  Agricultural Scientist
E-mail: Philip.Armstrong@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8510

Bi, Xiangyu: Agricultural Post Doctoral Research Scientist
E-mail: Xiangyu.Bi@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8514

Brackney, Douglas E.: Assistant Agricultural Scientist II
E-mail: Doug.Brackney@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8475

Bransfield, Angela B.: Agricultural Technician II
E-mail: Angela.Bransfield@ct.gov
Office: (203) 974-8575
Laboratory: (203) 974-8472

Bugbee, Gregory J.: Associate Agricultural Scientist
E-mail: Gregory.Bugbee@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8512

Cozens, Duncan W.: Agricultural Research Technician I
E-mail: Duncan.Cozens@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8617

Gloria-Soria, Andrea: Assistant Agricultural Scientist I
E-mail:Andrea.Gloria-Soria@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8471

Hyde, Josephine C. A.: Agricultural Post Doctoral Research Scientist
E-mail: Josephine.Hyde@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8535

Khalil, Noelle: Agricultural Research Technician I
E-mail: Noelle.Khalil@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8520

McMillan, Joseph R.: Agricultural Post Doctoral Research Scientist
E-mail: Joseph.McMillan@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8515

Misencik, Michael J.: Agricultural Research Technician II
E-mail: Michael.Misencik@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8614

Molaei, Goudarz: Agricultural Scientist
E-mail:  Goudarz.Molaei@ct.gov
Voice:  (203) 974-8487

Nason, Sara L.: Assistant Agricultural Scientist II
E-mail: Sara.Nason@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8463

Petruff, Tanya A.: Agricultural Research Technician I
E-mail: Tanya.Petruff@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8517

Sharma, Rohit: Agricultural Post Doctoral Research Scientist
E-mail: Rohit.Sharma@ct.gov  
Voice: (203) 974-8535

Shepard, John J.: Assistant Agricultural Scientist I
E-mail: John.Shepard@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8543

Stebbins, Summer: Agricultural Research Technician I
E-mail: Summer.Stebbins@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8545

Steven, Blaire T.: Assistant Agricultural Scientist II
E-mail: Blaire.Steven@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8461

Vossbrinck, Charles R.: Associate Agricultural Scientist
E-mail: Charles.Vossbrinck@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8522

Wang, Zhengyang: Agricultural Post Doctoral Research Scientist
E-mail: Zhengyang.Wang@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8491

Yang, Yi: Agricultural Post Doctoral Research Scientist
E-mail: Yi.Yang@ct.gov
Voice: (203) 974-8514

EMERITUS

Sawhney, Brij L., Emeritus