Center News

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Research Highlights

2024

Dr. Jennifer Guelfo's Study Uncovers Lithium-Ion Batteries as Emerging Pollution Source

A Texas Tech study led by Dr. Jennifer Guelfo highlights the environmental risks associated with lithium-ion batteries, specifically from a class of PFAS compounds known as bis-perfluoroalkyl sulfonimides (bis-FASIs) which pollute both air and water. The study emphasizes the need for better recycling and manufacturing practices. For a more in-depth look, read the full article here, the study in Nature Communications here, and related metrics here.

Dr. Jennifer Guelfo received $1.6M EPA Grant for PFAS study.

Jennifer Guelfo (lead PI) with co-PIs Evan Gray, Andrew Jackson, and Shane Walker from CECE along with Todd Anderson and Jordan Crago in Environmental Toxicology. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have emerged as a significant challenge at agricultural facilities around the United States.   While some facilities are affected by the land application of PFAS-contaminated wastewater biosolids, the overall sources and impact of PFAS in farming are not well understood. Texas Tech University (TTU) has received a $1.6 million grant to study how PFAS accumulate in plants, animals, and aquatic systems. This research will help develop strategies to reduce PFAS exposure in food products and minimize economic impacts on agriculture. Image: Graphical abstract for the research

CECE Professor Dr. Danny Reible Leads Texas Tech $1.6M Grant to Pioneer Carbon-Free Hydrogen Production.

CECE professor Dr. Danny Reible and Dr. Qingwang Yuan (PETE) have received over $1.6 million from ARPA-E as part of a $20 million investment to accelerate the natural subsurface generation of hydrogen. Their project aims to enhance hydrogen production through chemo-bio-physical stimulations, exploring methods to stimulate geological hydrogen across iron-containing rocks. Partnering with industry leaders and national laboratories, they seek to optimize processes for carbon-free hydrogen production, potentially revolutionizing renewable energy development and environmental sustainability. Read More.

 Images: Dr. Danny Reible and team

   

 

2023

Dr. Shane Walker, Professor and Director for Water Resources, receives a DOE grant for a project titled 'NAWI Salt-Free Electrodialysis Metathesis for High-Recovery Concentrate Management.'

Project Summary: Fujifilm’s salt-free EDM process will be evaluated for RO concentrate treatment at the Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility (BGNDRF).

Project Description: For water-scarce regions, desalination is more valuable than ever, and abundant brackish groundwater resources are being identified throughout the U.S.  For inland brackish groundwater desalination, concentrate disposal often governs the project, so brine volume-minimization is essential.  Reverse osmosis (RO) is the most common desalination method in the U.S., but recovery is often limited to 70-85% due to sparingly soluble minerals in the concentrate.  This project sponsored by the DOE National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI) will evaluate Fujifilm’s salt-free electrodialysis (EDM) process, a high-recovery process that produces: (1) a diluate product that can be blended with RO permeate, and (2) two highly soluble concentrate streams by separating divalent cations and divalent anions.  The objectives are to: (a) evaluate Fujifilm’s salt-free EDM in a solar-powered desalination pilot at the Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility (BGNDRF), (b) understand the limits of hydraulic recovery of salt-free EDM, and (c) develop a salt-free EDM model within the WaterTAP modeling platform.  Salt-free EDM could improve the feasibility of small-scale desalination by decreasing the required size of a concentrate evaporation pond. (Co-PIs: Dr. Eva Deemer, University of Texas at El Paso, and Dr. Pei Xu, New Mexico State University)

Images: Dr. Shane Walker and his research diagram for the project.

TTU Secures $2.5 million grant from EPA for Research into Fireworks Effects

CECE Department Chair Dr. W. Andrew Jackson, President’s Excellence in Research Professor of Environmental Engineering, along with Engineering researchers Todd Anderson (College of Arts and Sciences), and Balaji Rao (Whitacre College of Engineering), have received a $2.5 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for their study, “Assessing Perchlorate Occurrence in Ambient Waters Following the Usage of Fireworks”. Their research includes Investigating Perchlorate Impacts from Fireworks, Quantifying Risks to Drinking Water Sources, and Enhancing Water Resource Management.

Image: Conceptual Model of ClO4 flux to environment from fireworks and subsequent fate

Assistant Professor Jennifer Guelfo: Advancing PFAS Research and Management 

Assistant Professor Dr. Jennifer Guelfo has focused on per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) since her PhD studies in 2009 and has continued this research at Texas Tech University (TTU) since 2018. Her work, supported by $3.5 million from the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Defense Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP), and others, examines the movement of PFAS through environmental and engineered systems.

Dr. Guelfo's current projects investigate PFAS in groundwater, landfills, foods, pesticides, and wastewater treatment plants across the United States. Notably, she is co-leading a $1.6 million project with Vanderbilt University and CSIRO in Australia, assessing PFAS leaching from concrete and asphalt impacted by aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) used at US Department of 

Defense (DOD) facilities. This research explores phenomena such as wetting and drying cycles, diffusion, percolation, and sorption. Dr. Guelfo's contributions extend to managing PFAS in land-applied biosolids, aiming to develop strategies to mitigate their environmental and public health impacts.

Images: Dr. Guelfo and her conceptual model

  

Dr. Kayleigh Millerick, part of a $26 Million NSF Award for Novel Fertilizer Production 

Dr. Kayleigh Millerick is an experimental environmental microbiologist whose laboratory research focuses on the confluence of environmental pollutants, reactive surfaces, and indigenous microorganisms She examines microbial behavior and community dynamics in the built and natural environments, with an emphasis on biotransformation of aquifer pollutants in regions where groundwater is limited. Her vision overall is to develop sustainable, microbially-mediated water treatment strategies by studying niche environments that promote pollutant-degrading activity in bacteria. Her group receives research funding from various sources, including the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and pollutants studied include chlorinated solvents, arsenic, and poly and perfluorinated compounds. Other research projects are not lab-based. Dr. Millerick leads efforts to increase indoor radon awareness in West Texas using data-driven approaches, and she is a co-PI on the NSF-funded TTUADVANCE-ADAPT, which seeks to foster gender, race, and ethnicity equity within TTU faculty. Dr. Millerick is part of the interdisciplinary team that recently won a $26 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the NSF Engineering Research Center for Advancing Sustainable and Distributed Fertilizer Production (CASFER). CASFER aims to produce and distribute nitrogen-based fertilizers from waste streams while minimizing nutrient runoff. Dr. Millerick’s efforts relate to the safety of produced fertilizers, which leverages her group’s previous experience with micropollutants, material characterization, and wastewater  treatment. She and her students are currently working with chemical engineers and plant  scientists to develop novel fertilizers with minimal impurities from municipal waste streams. Image: Dr. Kayleigh Millerick

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Faculty Awards

2024

Dr. Jennifer Guelfo Receives 2024 Chancellor's Council Distinguished Research Award

Dr. Jennifer Guelfo, Assistant Professor of Environmental Engineering at Texas Tech University, has been selected for the 2024 Chancellor's Council Distinguished Research Award. The award is the most prestigious honor given to young faculty members at Texas Tech University. Dr. Guelfo’s research is focused on occurrence, fate, transport, and remediation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals.” Read more

Image: Dr. Guelfo (center) with President Lawrence Schovanec (right) and Chancellor Tedd Mitchell (left) 

Dr. Kayleigh Millerick Awarded the Jerry S. Rawls Distinguished Undergraduate Educator Award!

Dr. Kayleigh Millerick, an Assistant Professor in Environmental Engineering, has been honored with the Jerry S. Rawls Distinguished Undergraduate Educator Award by the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering at Texas Tech University. This prestigious award recognizes her exceptional dedication to fostering critical thinking and scientific reasoning skills in her students, preparing them to tackle future challenges. Notably, this marks the third consecutive year that a professor from the CECE department has received this award, showcasing the department's commitment to educational excellence. Read More

Image: Dr. Millerick (second to the right) and Dr. Jackson (right) at the award ceremony.

Dr. Amrika Deonarine Awarded the Phenomenal Women of Texas Tech University Award.

Dr. Amrika Deonarine, an Assistant Professor in Environmental Engineering, has been awarded the Phenomenal Woman of Texas Tech Award. This honor recognizes her outstanding contributions in redefining leadership roles and shaping the landscape of women's influence at Texas Tech University. Dr. Deonarine's work in these areas involve STEM outreach, mentoring student groups such as the Society of Women Engineers, and  mentoring undergraduate researcher scholars in environmental engineering, including the Honors College and McNair Scholar programs.

2023

Dr. Millerick Received Abell-Hanger Faculty Award for Outstanding Engineering Education

Dr. Kayleigh (Kay) Millerick was awarded the Abell-Hanger Faculty Award for outstanding engineering education. This award recognizes Dr. Millerick’s excellence in classroom teaching, student advising, teaching innovations, and engineering education. Named after philanthropists George T. Abell and Gladys Hanger Abell, this annual award highlights the critical role of faculty members in shaping the future of our engineering students. Image: Dr. Kayleigh Millerick

 

Dr. Danny Reible’s Fellowship

Dr. Danny Reible, Donovan Maddox Distinguished Engineering Chair, was inducted as a Fellow into the National Academy of Inventors at their annual meeting June 25-27, 2023, in Washington DC. He was inducted for his efforts to make his work in passive sampling commercially available to help assess and manage contaminated sediments.

CECE Faculty Listed in World's Top 2% Cited Scientists in a Stanford University Study

Two of the four listed faculty members are from Environmental/Water team. Dr. Xinzhong Chen specializes in Wind Engineering. Dr. Danny Reible specializes in Environmental Engineering. Dr. Venky Shankar specializes in Transportation Engineering. Dr. Lianfa Song Specializes in Water Systems Engineering.

Images: (from left to right) Dr. Chen, Dr. Reible, Dr. Shankar, and Dr. Song

 

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Staff Awards

Brad Thornhill received 2022 Orval Leroy Lewis Staff Award

Brad (Jack) Thornhill, Unit Manager for the Water Resources Center, was recognized for his contributions to the department with the Orval Leroy Lewis Award. This award recognizes those staff who consistently perform their duties at the highest level and go beyond those duties in support of the department.

Image: Brad Thornhill

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Student Awards

2024

Emily Gelbart wins 1st prize in poster competition.

Emily Gelbart, an Environmental Engineering Ph.D. student won 1st prize at

the Student Poster Competition for the 53rd Annual International Conference on Environmental Systems. Her poster was titled: ‘Nitrogen Production from New Generation MaX+ Annamox Reactor for Urine Treatment’ Image: Emily Gelbart holding her award with Dr. Jackson (left) and Emily Gelbart receiving her award from Morgan Abney, Marshal Space Flight Center (right)​.

Yongli Wang, an Environmental student, is a recipient of 2023 Anchor QEA scholarship Award.

Yongli Wang is a recipient of 2023 Anchor QEA Scholarship Award. This award was given to four students including Yongli from different universities all across the United States. His research is situated at the intersection of environmental chemistry, microbiology, geology, and statistics, incorporating both engineering and environmental science methodologies. His Ph.D. work has two primary objectives: (i) identifying the factors that influence methylmercury production, with a focus on the distribution and gene transfer of mercury methylation-related microbes across various habitats such as marine and freshwater sediments, and (ii) exploring the correlations between climate change, elemental cycles, and mercury methylation processes during flooding or significant rainfall events. Their research methodology encompasses field sampling, laboratory-based column studies, meta-omics analyses, and geochemical analyses. The outcomes of their research endeavor to enhance the prediction of methylmercury production in sediments and assess the risk of exposure to communities, particularly amidst changing climatic conditions. Additionally, these findings could provide insights into ecological impacts and site remediation strategies, indicating the potential of innovative genetic technologies and meta-data analysis to improve sediment remediation and risk assessment practices. His research on methylmercury aims to contribute to environmental improvement by comprehending its impacts on aquatic ecosystems, thereby benefiting both nature and local communities.

Images: Yongli Wang and the graphical abstract for research

CECE graduate student, Abigail Torres wins Sallie Mae & Thurgood Marshall College Fund Scholarship.

Abigail Torres, a CECE graduate student is one of the only 10 recipients nationwide to receive a $10,000 college scholarship from Sallie Mae & Thurgood Marshall College Fund Scholarship also known as the Bridging the Dream Scholarship for Graduate Students. Read more about her interview here.

Image: Abigail Torres

 

Innovations in Environmental Engineering: Luis C.S. Silva Junior’s Path to Water Security

Luis C. S. Silva Junior, a Ph.D. Candidate in CECE, stands as a ground of innovation and excellence in the realm of environmental engineering. His commitment to developing nature-based wastewater treatment solutions for small communities grappling with water scarcity across the United States is underscored by his exemplary academic achievements and numerous awards and fellowships. Luis's academic journey is adorned with prestigious awards, reflecting his dedication to advancing sustainable water management practices. Notable among these is the WEAT Scholarship Fund, awarded by the Water Environment Association of Texas, and his receipt of the Student Poster Award at the WateReuse Texas Conference.

The recognition bestowed upon Luis extends beyond mere awards, encompassing significant fellowships and grants like the TEACH Program Fellowship at Texas Tech University and his receipt of Graduate Student Research Support. Moreover, Luis's scholarly pursuits have been supported by prestigious fellowships such as the J. Walter Porter Fellowship from the American Society of Civil Engineers. His involvement in the Regional NSF I-Corps also cemented his reputation as a pioneer in environmental engineering.

Luis's research focuses on the Pond-in-Pond (PIP) system, a unique wastewater treatment method designed for small communities. Using computational fluid dynamics simulations and analytical modeling, he evaluates the hydrodynamics of PIP to enhance its efficiency and effectiveness. Additionally, his work extends to post-treatment strategies like constructed wetlands and land application systems, aiming to promote sustainable water reuse in agricultural settings, particularly in regions facing water scarcity. Luis excels in both academia and practical application, with publications in top journals and presentations at international conferences. His work in environmental engineering highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing water challenges. As Luis continues to forge new paths in wastewater treatment innovation, his work holds promise for ushering in a more resilient and water-secure future for communities worldwide. His unwavering dedication to excellence serves as an inspiration to students and scholars alike, reaffirming the transformative potential of research in tackling pressing environmental concerns.

Images: Luis Silva and his research diagram

2023

McKinney was Awarded Best Student Poster at the 2022 AEESP Research and Education Conference

Kaitlyn McKinney, a doctoral student, studies the specific linkages and synergy between bioaerosols and atmospheric particles. Her main study area is the role of atmospheric particles and their physiochemical properties on the viability and transmission of bioaerosols through a combination of field research, laboratory experiments, and statistical modeling. The answers revolving around these fundamental questions are critical in designing and developing cities resilient to future pandemics and airborne diseases. For her work, she received the best student poster award at AEESP (Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors). She is advised by Dr. Raghu Betha.

Image: Kaitlyn McKinney 

Jessica LaFond was Awarded the NSF GRFP

Jessica LaFond, a doctoral student, studies the difficult task of breaking down per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These chemicals are used in applications like grease resistant food packaging and stain resistant carpets, but have also been observed to cause unintended, adverse health effects. PFAS contain strong carbon-fluorine bonds which makes them difficult to degrade. LaFond's research aims to discover enzymes that will degrade PFAS, which ultimately cab be used to remediate PFAS at contaminated sites. LaFond was awarded a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP) award to conduct this research, and is coadvised by Dr. Andrew Jackson and Dr. Jennifer Guelfo.

Image: Jessica LaFond

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Student Organizations

ENVE WEAT Design Team wins 1st prize at the State level again in Spring 2024. They will be competing in Nationals in the Fall.

Image The design team at the competition.

 

 

 

ENVE WEAT Design Team win’s 1st prize at the National level in Fall 2023. They won the State competition in Spring 2023.

Image The design team at the competition.

 

 

 

 

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Scholarships

2024

Freese and Nichols & Texas Tech University Establish Jason Crawley Memorial Scholarship to honor his legacy.

We are honored to announce the establishment of the Jason Crawley Memorial Scholarship Endowment, a collaboration between Freese and Nichols and Texas Tech University. This scholarship, housed within Texas Tech's Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering in the Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering Department, celebrates Jason’s legacy.Jason dedicated his career to mentoring and educating future leaders in water and environmental engineering. He shared his expertise through roles at Freese and Nichols, as an adjunct professor at Texas Tech, and as a leader in professional organizations. Jason chaired the Water Environment Association of Texas (WEAT) Student Design Competition, served on the WEAT Board, and was named WEAT's Emerging Leader in 2014. He also judged safety competitions for the Water Environment Federation (WEF) at national and state levels.

A Texas Tech Red Raider and treatment engineer, Jason spent his entire 15-year career at Freese and Nichols before his passing on September 28, 2023. He would have turned 41 on February 23, 2024.In his memory, the endowment will support students who embody Jason’s values and spirit, continuing his mission of making a positive impact on the lives of others. Image: Jason Crawley

2023

Debra Wittenbach Scholarship for Environmental Engineering Excellence

The Wittenbach couple created the Stuart (B.S. in Agronomy, 1979) and Debra Wittenbach Scholarship for Environmental Engineering Excellence. The newly established endowed scholarship will financially support students majoring in environmental engineering and can even be used in the fifth year of the master’s program, a year not usually funded by traditional four-year scholarships. Wittenbach spent 41 years in the oil and gas industry, from 1981 to 2022. During the 2010s, he learned about and became interested in the Environmental Engineering program at his alma mater. When asked about the couples motivation, Wittenbach said, “What I see is that being able to give back and help a young man or woman be able to get through school and go into the discipline that I’ve been able to have for these past years is, to me, our chance to give back,” Wittenbach said. “We’re paying it forward for somebody else to be able to make a difference in this world and help him or her out. That’s really the end goal.” The couple’s hope is that by helping students achieve their academic goals, it will have a ripple effect on the industry and help create solutions to the problems of today and tomorrow. “There’s some sharp young men and women out there, and we’ve just got to give them a shot at it,” Wittenbach said. “For Debra and I to put the scholarship out there is really just to prime the pump, help them get through the school, and get out there to make the difference we know they can.” Read more.

Image: Stuart Wittenbach (B.S. in agronomy, 1979), shown with his wife Debra Wittenbach

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