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Research   >  Environmental Engineering   |  Geotechnical Engineering  |
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Environmental Engineering Program


The mission of the Environmental Engineering program at GW is to develop highly qualified Environmental Engineering professionals who can serve and lead the growing profession of Environmental Engineering in academia, industry, government, and consulting in both national and international arenas.

The Environmental Engineering program at GW prepares students to specialize in pollution control, hazardous waste cleanup, and water and wastewater treatment systems, with strong foundations in computers, mathematics, physics, chemistry, human sciences, social sciences, and engineering methodology.  The Civil and Environmental Engineering program at GW is nationally recognized and accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

The wide variety of environmental design, pollution control, water and wastewater treatment, solid waste management, environmental policy, emerging technology, and applied science courses offered in the Environmental Engineering program, combine research and state-of-the-art industrial practices and technology to groom both graduate and undergraduate students into future leaders of the Environmental Engineering profession.  The faculty in the environmental engineering program provides individual attention to students and mentors the students to develop strong academic, research, and practical skills.

Dr. Rumana Riffat is the coordinator of the Environmental Engineering program. Dr. Riffat specializes in the area of anaerobic biotechnology and hazardous wastes.  Her research interests are in biological treatment of wastes and wastewater, process kinetics and toxicity.  Dr. Riffat is a nationally respected Environmental Engineering professional and is the author of a number of publications in the area of Environmental Engineering.  She has led a number of sponsored research projects in the water-wastewater areas.

The career potential and placement for GW environmental engineering graduates is very high.  The setting of GW in the nation’s capital gives GW graduates a strategic edge over other university graduates.  The Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area provides a unique combination of research, practicing, and academic atmosphere. In addition to all Federal Government offices located in this area, a number of the multinational engineering companies are also headquartered in this region with some of the most outstanding research and development facilities in the nation.  These include:

Student Accomplishments
  • Doctoral Dissertations in Environmental Engineering

    1. Kannitha Krongthamchat. D.Sc. Thesis Title: “Anaerobic Degradation of Organic Pollutants in High Saline Wastewater with the Aid of Halophilic Methanogens.” Completed: July, 2001. Dr. Krongthamchat is currently a faculty of the School of Public Health at Khon Kaen University, Thailand.

    2. Somchai Dararat. D.Sc. Thesis Title: The Mitigation of BTEX Toxicity in Methanogenesis Processes by Acclimation Culture and Proper Engineering Control. Completed: April, 2001. Dr. Dararat is a senior officer of the Environment Division, Ministry of Energy and Environment, Thailand.

    3. Rosa Orellana. D.Sc. Thesis Title: "Effects of Various Substrates on Anaerobic Biodegradation of Benzene and Toluene." Completed: May 2000. Dr. Orellana is a Program Director of the Environment Division, at IFC (International Finance Corporation), a member of the World Bank Group.

  • Masters Theses in Environmental Engineering

    1. Ara Bakarian. Masters Thesis Title: “The Influence of Carbon Source on Start-Up of Anaerobic Filters Using Different Bacterial Cultures.” Completed: December 2002.

    2. Shani Bryce. Masters Thesis Title: “Determination of Monod kinetic Parameters (Y and kd) for Halophilic Methanogenic Bacteria.” Completed: December 2002.

    3. Faisal Hameed. Masters Thesis Title: “Chemical Industries: Wastes, Conservation, and Treatment.” Completed: June, 2002.

    4. Lisa M. Turcios. Masters Thesis Title: “Results of a Fluvial Sediment Data Harvest and Development of Sediment-Transport Curves for US Geological Survey Hydrologic Benchmark Network Stations.” Completed: December, 2001.

    5. Carlos E. Urrea. Masters Thesis Title: “Comparative Study Between the Development of Pollution Prevention Technologies of the Metal Finishing Industry in the United States, and the Current Situation of Twelve Metal Finishing Companies in Colombia.” Completed: 1997.


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  Page Updated on 25 April 2004