Environmental & Water Resources Engineering

Faculty Contacts

Professor Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Biological and hazardous wastewater treatment, green infrastructure, adaptive design to sea level rise, pollution prevention and sustainable development.
Professor & Chair Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Decarbonization, Microalgae, Circular Economy, Renewable Carbon, Biofuels, Bioproducts, Electrochemical Hydrogenation, Microplastics, Lithium Extraction, Adsorption, Waste Management, and Nutrients Recycling.
Professor Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Environmental engineering, aquatic chemistry, physicochemical treatment processes, natural systems water quality, lake oxygenation, reservoir management
Professor Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Effects of climate change versus human activity on water resources; evaporation from water-limited soils; hydrology-soil-vegetation interactions in changing climate; stormwater, watershed hydrology, LID, and BMP; groundwater.
Associate Professor Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Research Interests
Stochasticity in Water ResourcesWater Quality Management and ModelingDiffusive/Dispersive Substance Fate and TransportMacro- and Meso-scale Spatiotemporal SimulationStatistical Characterization and Optimization
Norfolk Drone Skyline

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

Laboratory Website

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

Laboratory Website

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.

Water Resources Engineering

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
Water Resources Engineering
Water Resources Engineering

 

Associated Academic Programs

Register for ODU's Energy Research Cluster offers two academic programs.