The Pincus Lab

Dr. Lauren Pincus

Assistant Professor of Chemistry

George Washington University Department of Chemistry 2024 - present

​

Postdoctoral Associate, Princeton University, 2023-2024​

NSF Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Fellow, Princeton University, 2021-2023

Harry H. Hess Postdoctoral Fellow, Princeton University, 2020-2021

Ph.D., Yale School of the Environment, Yale University, 2020

B.A., Chemistry and Geology, Middlebury College, 2014

James Luk, PhD

Postdoctoral Associate

Summer 2026 - present

​

James received his MChem from the University of St Andrews in 2022, working with Prof. Matt Clarke and Dr. Amit Kumar on the role of additives in catalyst performance for plastic depolymerization. He stayed at the University of St Andrews for his PhD with Dr. Kumar, developing homogeneous catalytic methods for PET upcycling, sustainable polymer synthesis, and CO₂ valorization. This work resulted in several first-author publications and presentations at international conferences. He also spent time in Prof. Evgeny Pidko's group at TU Delft studying catalyst degradation in hydrogenative polyester depolymerization, and continued briefly as a Postdoctoral Research Scholar in the Kumar Group before joining the Pincus Lab at George Washington University. His research interests center on enabling a circular economy; turning waste streams such as plastics, CO₂, and now spent solar panels, back into valuable resource

Brian Beukema

PhD Student

Fall 2024 - present

​

After receiving a B.S. in geology from Western Michigan University with a focus in carbonate petrology, Brian worked for the Michigan Geological Survey as a research assistant on a project mapping per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination throughout the state. While Brian was employed there, he attended Georgetown University pursuing an M.S. in Environmental Metrology and Policy. There he gained experience measuring environmental contaminants and honing his analytical skills. His time at Georgetown culminated in a project measuring competitive adsorption of various PFAS onto activated carbon and biochar filters via HPLC-MS. Before coming to George Washington University, he was a member of the Trace Element Analysis Core at Dartmouth College where he utilized ICP-MS (and other hyphenated ICP-MS techniques) for elemental analysis of environmental and biological samples. His research interests revolve around instrumental method development, spectroscopy and spectrometry, and environmental contaminants.

Emma Finigan

MS in Environmental & Green Chemistry Student

Spring 2026 - present

​

Emma earned a B.S. in Political Science with minors in Chemistry and Spanish from Boise State University. During her undergraduate studies, she collaborated with the City of Boise on a pilot project focused on recycling industrial wastewater to recharge the local aquifer. Through this work, she developed competencies in water quality analysis and gained experience with techniques for removing volatile organic compounds, PFAS, dissolved metals, and other industrial contaminants from water resources. Before coming to George Washington University, Emma spent a year teaching English in Spain and guided backcountry rafting and backpacking expeditions. Her academic and professional interests center on evaluating the effects of pollutants on natural systems to inform effective policy solutions to environmental contamination.

Ivy Ha

GWU Class of 2026

Ivy is an undergraduate student at the George Washington University receiving a BS in Environmental and Sustainability Sciences with a minor in GIS and a BS in Chemistry, entering the MS Environmental and Green Chemistry program.  She has a background in air sampling on asbestos abatement projects and managing financial and administrative affairs for student organizations GW Bands and WRGW District Radio.  Her interests lie in GIS, conservation efforts, and sustainable business development.