Center for Environmental Protection
The Center for Environmental Protection (CEP) directs its R&D efforts toward reducing the adverse ecological impacts of engineered systems, minimizing the pollution potential of urban areas, and advancing waste reduction, stream treatment, and contaminated site remediation. The CEP engineering team has partnered with over 100 industrial and municipal facilities to lower their carbon footprints, purify waste streams, and remediate polluted environments.
The center has secured over $40M in external R&D funding from major federal entities including the DoD, DOE, EPA, and USDA, alongside substantial investments from over 50 industrial partners and numerous state agencies. Led by Dr. Mark E. Zappi, PE, the CEP fosters multidisciplinary collaboration across several core university branches, including Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, Geosciences, Petroleum Engineering, Education, and Mechanical Engineering.
Core Research Domains
Providing industrial optimization frameworks and process retrofits to systematically lower manufacturing carbon intensities and improve localized climate resiliency metrics.
Engineering advanced adsorption processes and biological treatment systems to neutralize complex urban organic pollutants and reclaim value from municipal waste streams.
Deploying activated sludge reactors, aerobic biodegradation paths, and advanced anaerobic digestion systems for optimal biosolid reduction and waste-to-energy generation.
Current Research Initiatives
Center Leadership
