Dr. La Plante is an Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at UTA and the Director of MCL. Her research expertise is in the area of low-temperature geochemistry, surface reaction kinetics and structures, and materials chemistry. She earned a Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Sciences (Geochemistry) from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2016 and a B.S. in Geology from the University of the Philippines in 2010. Before joining UTA in 2020, she was an Assistant Project Scientist, Lecturer, and a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles for 3 years.

Dylan joined MCL in Spring 2020 as an undergraduate student. He earned a B.S. in Physics with a Minor in Material Science and Engineering and a B.S. in Applied Mathematics in Spring 2021. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering under the supervision of Dr. La Plante. He is studying the kinetics of the aqueous precipitation of magnesium silicate hydrates as part of a project funded by the National Science Foundation.

Ian joined MCL and began his studies toward a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering in August 2020. He graduated from the New Mexico Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering (cum laude) in 2019. His research primarily focuses on the in situ observation and characterization of the kinetics of magnesium carbonate precipitation. 

Trinh is an undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Chemistry with a Minor in Materials Science and Engineering. She joined MCL in March 2021 and is currently studying the growth kinetics of calcium carbonate in the presence of biomimetic molecules under the guidance of Dr. La Plante in a collaborative project with Dr. Frank Foss, Associate Professor of Chemistry at UTA. 

Aneela is a graduate student pursuing an M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering. She joined MCL in February 2022. She earned a B.S. in Metallurgy and Materials Technology in 2019.

Evann is a Mechanical Engineering undergraduate student and joined MCL in February 2022. His research interests are in crystalline structures and characterization of nanomechanical properties of cement phases.

Hamzah is an undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering with a Minor in Materials Science and Engineering. He joined MCL in February 2022 and is currently working on chemical characterization of cements.

Arif earned a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from Osmania University, Hyderabad in 2021. He is pursuing a M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering and joined MCL in February 2022 to study the nanomechanical properties of magnesium-based cements.