Water and Environmental Research Lab team takes honors at statewide meeting

For the second year in a row, a Mizzou Engineering research group snagged an overall first place and a third-place award in the student poster competition at the joint annual meeting of the Missouri Water Works Association (MO-AWWA) and the Missouri Water Environmental Association (MWEA).

Engineering professor outlines challenges, strategies around ‘forever’ chemicals in Nature Water journal

Water treatment systems in the U.S. are more than a century old, allowing contaminants to pollute our drinking water and cause health problems. There are technologies that would help states and cities filter out these chemicals without having to replace entire treatment systems; however there’s no mandate for governments to install them. Short of that, there are non-technical solutions that could help reduce pollution levels. Civil and Environmental Engineering Associate Professor Feng “Frank” Xiao outlined these challenges and strategies in a paper published in a Nature journal, Nature Water. Xiao is specifically looking at ways to treat per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or 'forever' chemicals, which are found in household and industrial products. These chemicals are ending up in our water and causing various medical conditions.

Mizzou Engineer helps study effects of hurricanes on water, sediment quality

With heavy rainfall and strong winds, hurricanes can alter the make-up of ecosystems, pushing salt water into freshwater bodies and disturbing sediment on the ocean floor. While this impacts water quality and disrupts aquatic life, the effects of hurricanes on water and sediment quality aren’t well understood. Enter Maryam Salehi, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Mizzou. Salehi is an expert in the transport and fate of contaminants, including microplastic pollution.

Interdisciplinary team develops fast, reliable model to predict how seeds move

Playing an essential foundational role in an ecosystem, plants contribute to the well-being of human health by helping create resources like food and medicine. Therefore, to better understand how plants can maintain resiliency in the face of challenges like climate change, a team of researchers at the University of Missouri and Michigan State University recently collaborated to develop an innovative mathematical model that can provide fast and reliable predictions of how far wind can carry a plant’s seeds.

Xiao Honored as 2023 Emerging Investigator, Presents Keynote at AWWA Conference

Feng “Frank” Xiao, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, was honored by the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP) as the 2023 Emerging Investigator lecturer and presented a keynote address at the American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) Water Quality Technology Conference in Dallas last month.

Mizzou Engineer part of Dept. of Energy project to cut greenhouse gas emissions at wastewater treatment plants

A Mizzou Engineer is part of a multi-disciplinary team working to improve wastewater treatment processes to cut greenhouse gas emissions by half without increasing costs to plants.

Mizzou Engineering camps allow students to explore STEM opportunities

Mizzou Engineering hosted six summer camps designed to showcase opportunities in STEM.

Mizzou Engineer provides expertise for paper in Ecology Law Quarterly

A Mizzou Engineer provided expertise on water management in a paper published in this month’s Ecology Law Quarterly.