Dear Students,

Happy New Year, and welcome to the Spring semester! I hope you had a restful break and are ready for a rewarding term ahead.

As you continue your journey in Environmental Engineering and Science, remember that learning is not just about mastering facts—it's about cultivating a mindset of curiosity, critical thinking, and a passion for problem-solving. Each new challenge is an opportunity to grow, not only as a student but as an engineer with the potential to make a lasting impact on our world.

Whether you're studying complex systems, solving real-world problems, or developing innovative solutions, stay curious, stay focused, and know that every step forward brings you closer to your goals.

Looking forward to seeing all that you'll accomplish this semester!

Rosa Espinosa-Marzal
Area Chair Environmental Engineering & Science
Ivan Racheff Professor and Chair of Environmental Engineering and Science
Professor of Materials Science and Engineering

A collaborative research project led by EES Assistant Professor Ran Mei has been selected as one of the 2024 University Academic Alliance in Taiwan – University of Illinois System Joint Research Projects.

The project, titled "Innovative Aeration Strategies for Achieving Sustainability and Carbon Neutrality in Urban Wastewater Treatment," aims to revolutionize wastewater treatment by integrating two cutting-edge processes: an anaerobic membrane bioreactor and a partial nitritation-anaerobic ammonium oxidation reactor, with a key focus on the development of novel aeration strategies. The research will investigate the engineering design and biological mechanisms driving these processes, leveraging advanced tools including microbial cultivation, multi-omics technologies, bioreactor design, and engineering control. The innovative processes are expected to offer significant advantages over traditional methods, including reduced energy consumption, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and minimized risks of antimicrobial resistance.

The project includes three professors from the University Academic Alliance in Taiwan: Jer-Horng Wu (National Cheng Kung University), Chang-Ping Yu (National Taiwan University), and Yu-Wei Wu (Taipei Medical University). Industrial partners will support the research by providing wastewater samples, technical expertise, and opportunities for scaling up the technologies.