STRATEGIC RESEARCH FOCUS AREA

Engineering for planetary health

Planetary health is rooted in understanding the interdependencies of natural and built systems and the human experience. 

Working toward a sustainable future

Our research centers around interconnected environmental and energy systems, both natural and engineered, which contribute to planetary health. We explore solutions to global problems at this critical intersection and train the next generation of engineers to continue this pursuit. 

Engineered Systems for Climate Change Adaptation

  • Develop environmental infrastructure that supports resilient climate change adaptation strategies
  • Model climate change impacts on urban water systems
  • Develop climate change adaptation strategies for critical military assets

Environmental Informatics

  • Utilize low cost sensors within distributed environmental sensing networks
  • Manage large data sets for solving difficult energy/environment problems
  • Exploit machine learning technologies to develop and optimize efficient and low impact energy/environment systems

Human/Environment Interface

  • Understand contaminant exposure pathways in complex human/environment systems
  • Employ real-time monitoring systems to characterize and predict contamination events
  • Develop technologies for preventing mine wastes from polluting natural waters
  • Understand water, soil and built environment impacts on indoor air pollution

Optimizing Alternative Energy Systems

  • Develop and optimize waste to energy systems and waste valorization technologies
  • Minimize barriers to the application of bioenergy systems
  • Optimize extraction of wind energy
  • Improve energy efficiency and generation of water and wastewater treatment
  • Assist household energy transitions in the developing world

Rational Remediation

  • Develop cost effective and practical groundwater & sediment remediation strategies
  • Develop low-cost technologies for treating emerging contaminants
  • Design and optimize waste containment systems

Water System Efficiency and Resource Recovery

  • Manage urban water systems for ecosystem health and human needs
  • Design novel and efficient treatment technologies for water, wastewater, and stormwater
  • Develop alternate water sources through advanced treatment and reuse strategies
  • Determine effective nutrient recovery and removal strategies

Faculty

Ryan Bailey
Associate Professor
Chris Bareither
Associate Professor
Kenneth Carlson
Professor
Ellison Carter
Associate Professor
Susan De Long
Associate Professor
Neil Grigg
Professor
Mitchell Olson
Associate Professor
Pinar Omur-Ozbek
Associate Professor
Joe Scalia IV
Associate Professor
Charles Shackelford
Professor and Department Head
Sybil Sharvelle
Professor