Faculty Contacts
Lab Resources
The Old Dominion University Biomass Research Laboratory is in the Kaufman Hall Room 243, 258, and 259 (Civil and Environmental Engineering) and is equipped with fume hoods, advanced analytical instruments, and small equipment. The laboratory possesses high temperature/high pressure batch and continuous reactors for conducting experimental studies related to biofuels and biochar production from lignocellulosic biomass / microalgae. This facility is well-equipped for studying different conversion processes including theromochemical, catalytic, hydrothermal (sub-and supercritical water), and anaerobic digestion.
Research Highlights
Dr. Mujde Erten-Unal, Director
Created to facilitate programs of merit emerging in academic, government and private enterprise, Sustainable Development Institute (SDI) promotes and provides engineering, environmental and educational assistance to local, regional, and national governmental agencies, international organizations and businesses, and individual citizens.
The mission of SDI is to make a worthwhile and significant contribution to sustainable development through research, education/advocacy, consultancy, and service. The Institute will carry out its sustainable development mission by educating the public about climate change and its impacts, conducting short courses and technical studies, assessing community environmental and economic issues, and investigating and researching the application of renewable energy technologies.
The core function of SDI is to build a network for sustainability-oriented research in climate change, renewable energy, ecological sanitation and building science. The Institute serves as a valuable resource and provides assistance in participating in design and development of solar powered housing, energy management, pollution prevention opportunity assessments and beneficiary reuse for the community.
Sandeep Kumar, Director
The he Biomass Research Laboratory studies innovative sustainable chemical processes and ways to restrict the use of toxic and corrosive chemicals. The key objective is to develop sustainable chemical processes and products from waste and cultivated biomass using a systems approach that results in zero waste, high energy efficiency, zero toxicity, and minimal impact over the life cycle of the resulting bioproducts.
Dr. Xixi Wang, Director
The Hydraulics & Ecohydrology (HEH) Laboratory has a channel flow experiment station, a rainfall-runoff-ground water hydrology apparatus, and basic hydraulics equipment to perform experiments relating to pipe flow, weirs, pump characteristics, orifice flow, jet impact, etc.
Xixi Wang, Ph.D., P.E., Professor, has extensive research experiences in:
- Effects of climate change vs. human activity on water resources
- Water-soil-vegetation interactions in changing climate
- Urban stormwater and watershed hydrologic modeling
- Climate resilience and best management practices (BMPs)
- Groundwater hydrology
Associated Academic Programs
Register for ODU's Energy Research Cluster offers two academic programs.
