Current Members
Faculty
Dr. Qiong Zhang (CV)Dr. Zhang’s research focuses on sustainability assessment, process modeling and system modeling with applications on water and wastewater systems, solid waste systems, water-energy-nutrient nexus and critical interdependent infrastructures. Her research strongly emphasizes life cycle thinking, systems thinking and bio-inspired thinking with intent to transform how we design our infrastructures with discovery and application of the universal principles across human and natural systems. Her students are currently developing treatment process models and decision support tools with active collaboration with partnering utilities for integrated water/wastewater systems for resource recovery, interdependent water, transportation and cyber infrastructures for resilience improvement, and watershed level green infrastructure implementation for stormwater management. Dr. Zhang holds a BS in Environmental Engineering from the North-West Institute of Architecture Engineering, a MS in Environmental Engineering from TsingHua University (China) and a PhD in Environmental Engineering from Michigan Technological University. Dr. Zhang joined the faculty at the University of South Florida in 2009.
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Postdoctoral Researchers
Thanh DangThanh completed a B.Eng. in Hydraulic Engineering from Thuyloi University and a M.Eng. in Civil Engineering from the University of New South Wales. After pursuing a PhD in Civil Engineering at the University of Canterbury, he moved to Singapore University of Technology and Design for a postdoc on the nexus of water-energy-climate in the Greater Mekong Subregion. His work at USF focuses on how to control and prevent harmful algal blooms in Lake Okeechobee, Florida.
Research interests: hydrodynamic modeling, watershed hydrology, water quality modeling, water resources systems, and remote sensing. |
PhD Students
Jiayi "Joey" Hua Jiayi Hua is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. She obtained her B.S. in Environmental Engineering at Suzhou University of Science and Technology and her M.Eng. in Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida. She is an Envison Sustainability Professional (ENV SP) and a certified Water Sustainability Professional. Her current research focuses on developing a framework for resource recovery in municipal wastewater treatment plants. She wants to contribute to the field of sustainability to help people survive and thrive in new living environments with limited natural resources.
Research Interests: Sustainability, Sustainability assessment, Life Cycle Assessment, Environmental Assessment, Economic Life Cycle Assessment |
Xiliang MaoXiliang is a PhD student of Civil Engineering at the University of South Florida. He studies water distribution networks on both the component and system as part of a larger of interdependent infrastructures. He uses modeling to explore the relationship between the performance and structure of the water distribution network. He is very interested in the evaluation methods of urban water distribution networks and the strategies used to enhance the performance of water distribution networks. He got his MS in Civil Engineering from the University of South Florida and his BS in Civil Engineering from Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology.
Research Interests: Evaluation methods of the water network, Network science |
Martha McAlister
Martha is a PhD student of Environmental Engineering, co-advised by Dr. Qiong Zhang and Dr. James Mihelcic. She is interested in the underlying structures that drive the design and outcomes of global environmental health interventions. She is studying the use of systems thinking as an approach to problem solving and system dynamics modeling as a tool for learning and engagement. She is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Vanuatu) and received her MS in Environmental Engineering from the University of South Florida and her BS in Civil Engineering from Oregon State University.
Research Interests: Global environmental health, Sustainable development, Humanitarian assistance, Systems thinking, System dynamics |
Chao YeChao Ye is a PhD student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and is co-advised by Dr. Yu Zhang in Transportation. She got her bachelor's and master's degree from North China Electric Power University. Her research interests focus on the resilience and interdependence study of road transportation systems and stormwater drainage systems, i.e. studying the interrelationship between the two infrastructure systems, designing the system network in a proper way and applying some optimization methods to improve system performance.
Research Interests: Stormwater drainage system modeling and evaluation, Network design, System optimization |
Yan ZhangYan Zhang is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. She got her bachelor’s degree at North University of China and her M.S. in University of South Florida (USF). Her research interests focus on using advanced porous materials to removal and recovery contaminants from water/wastewater. In particular, she is looking the potential applications of advanced porous materials, including predicting the performance of the advanced porous materials based on mathematical modeling and evaluating the sustainability of novel systems.
Research Interests: Advanced Porous Materials, Contaminants Removal, System and Process Modeling |
Lab Alumni
Dr. Noha Abdel-MottalebNoha Abdel-Mottaleb graduated with her PhD in Civil Engineering in 2021. Her dissertation focused on patterns between system-architecture and function for water distribution network design and how urban morphology evolves the infrastructure systems that support it, and strategies that can be used to enhance this co-evolution.
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Dr. Joshua Benjamin (CV)Joshua Benjamin graduated with his PhD in Environmental Engineering in 2021. He obtained his M.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of South Florida and his B.S. in Environmental Engineering at the University of Florida. His dissertation focused on how to optimize the Pressure-Retarded Osmosis through fouling management and process design as well has how the technology affects local and regional environments in terms of water, climate, and energy. He is currently a Process Engineer in Black & Veatch.
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Dr. Nancy Diaz-Elsayed (CV)Nancy Diaz-Elsayed was a Research Assistant Professor within the group from 2014 - 2020.She obtained her Ph.D. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley and her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT. Her projects included nutrient management for onsite wastewater treatment systems and the sustainable design of integrated water and wastewater management systems. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at USF.
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Dr. Lawrence Gottschamer (CV)Lawrence Gottschamer graduated with his Ph.D. in Engineering Science in 2019. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. His dissertation focused on modeling the social and technical dynamics of moving to renewable energy. He is currently seeking a new position in Germany.
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Dr. Youngwoon Kim (CV)Youngwoon Kim graduated with his Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering in 2018. He obtained his M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of South Florida and his B.S. in Environmental Engineering from Myong-Ji University, South Korea. His dissertation focused on sustainable aquaculture production using life-cycle assessment. He is currently working as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of California, Mercad.
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Janine LambertJanine Lambert graduated with her M.S in Environmental Engineering in 2016. She obtained her B.S.E. in Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Science from the University of Michigan. Her thesis focused on conducting a life cycle analysis of a uranium mine in Namibia. She is currently working as a Project Engineer with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
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Dr. Eunyoung Lee (CV)Eunyoung Lee graduated with her PhD in Civil Engineering in 2017. She obtained her M.S. and B.S. degrees in Environmental Engineering from Myongji University, South Korea. Her dissertation focused on integrated microalgal bio-energy system with wastewater treatment and high-solids anaerobic digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. She is currently working as a Modeling Scientist for Carollo Engineers.
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Simona PlatukyteSimona Platukyte graduated with her M.S in Environmental Engineering in 2016. She obtained her B.S. degree in Environmental Science and Policy from the University of South Florida. Her thesis focused on water metering in rural, piped, community-managed water systems in the developing world. She is currently working as a Physical Scientist for the US EPA Region 9.
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Dr. Christine Prouty (CV)Christine Prouty graduated with her Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering in 2018. She obtained her B.S. in Environmental Engineering from Louisiana State University. Her dissertation focused on determining the appropriate context into which wastewater-based resource recovery systems should be installed. She is currently working as the Senior Manager of Infrastructure Initiatives with the American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Anusha RavichandranAnusha Ravichandran graduated with her Master's of Science in Environmental Engineering in 2019. She obtained her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, India. Her thesis focused on understanding the influence of climate and population density on the economic and environmental sustainability of thermal energy recovery at small scale wastewater systems. She is currently working as an Engineer I at the Toho Water Authority.
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Dr. Nader Rezaei (CV)Nader Rezaei graduated with his Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering in 2019. He obtained his B.S. and M.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology (SUT). His dissertation focused on the development of decision-making frameworks and mathematical optimization models for sustainable design and management of water reclamation systems. He is currently a Postdoctoral Scholar in the College of Engineering at University of California, Irvine.
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Dylan SchreiberDylan graduated with his Master's of Science in Environmental Engineering in 2019. Dylan received his B.E. in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Environmental Engineering from Stony Brook University in New York. His thesis focused on modelling the city of Tampa's stormwater infrastructure to look at the effect of green infrastructure implementation on the entire system. He is currently working as a Civil Inspector at Merritt Construction Services, Inc. in Manhattan, New York.
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Dr. Sahand Iman Shayan(CV)Sahand Iman Shayan graduated with his PhD in Environmental Engineering in 2021. He obtained his M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Bologna and his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the Sahand University of Technology. His dissertation focused on modeling and optimization of bioreactors and algae-bacterial systems for nutrient removal and recovery. He is now working as a Water Treatment Process Engineer at AECOM.
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Isabella SilvermanIsabella Silverman graduated with her Master's in Environmental Engineering with a concentration in International Development in December 2021. She obtained her B.S. in Ocean Engineering from the University of Rhode Island. Her thesis focused on Community Assessment of Water Perceptions and Household Point-of-Use Treatment Methods in Madagascar. She is now working for CDM Smith as an Environmental Engineer in the water services group.
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Dr. Xiaofan "Caleb" Xu (CV)
Xiaofan Xu graduated with his Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering in 2020. He obtained his M.S. degree in Environmental and Urban Geosciences from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and his B.S. in Environmental Engineering from East China Normal University. His dissertation focused on the technology-level evaluation and system-level optimization for sustainable nutrient management in wastewater and stormwater treatment. He is currently working as an Assistant Professor at Florida Polytechnic University in the Department of Environmental Engineering.
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Dr. Jie ZhangJie Zhang graduated with his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering in 2014. He obtained his M.S. degree in Fluid Mechanics, his B.E. in Aircraft Design and Engineering, and his B.S. in Applied Mathematics from Beihang University. His dissertation focused on conducting numerical simulations of flow in ozonation processes. He is currently working as a Decision Support System Research Lead at Carollo Engineers. For more information, see his personal website.
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