Caixia Wan

March 4, 2026

Sowing the seeds of agricultural and economic security

An interdisciplinary project aims to help farmers extract value from low-cost resources to improve soil health and maximize productivity and profitability.

Dec. 15, 2025

Researchers target Missouri mines for critical materials

A $2.8 million U.S. Department of Energy award is powering the development of breakthrough extraction technology.

Nov. 13, 2024

Using biowaste to create clean water

Mizzou Engineer Caixia “Ellen” Wan is filtering clean water using new materials created from lignocellulosic biomass waste.

Nov. 9, 2023

Algae-based manufacturing system uses CO2 to create eco-friendly plastic

Biodegradable plastics made from sustainable sources and CO2 are one step closer to reality thanks, in part, to a Mizzou Engineer’s expertise in bioprocesses and bioproducts.

March 9, 2023

Mizzou Engineering researcher helps turn food wastes into biodegradable plastics

A Mizzou Engineer is helping researchers at Virginia Tech develop a process to convert food wastes into biodegradable plastics. Caixia “Ellen” Wan is an associate professor of chemical and biomedical Engineering and a bioprocess engineer. She’s part of a team that received a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to upscale bioplastic production with the goal of replacing petroleum-based plastics while also keeping leftovers out of landfills.