Newsletter Contents

• In the News
• Department Highlights
• Department Research
• Student Spotlight
• Faculty Highlights
• Alumni Highlights
• Extracurriculars
• Upcoming Events
• Recent Publications
• Recent Grant Awards
• Our Advisory Board
• Newsletter Credits
• Special Thanks

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Opportunities for Students

We collect information on various opportunities for students and alumni, such as internships, co-ops, scholarships and other job postings. Feel free to contact us at cee@njit.edu with any potential new openings!

During NJIT’s 2025 Ph.D. commencement ceremony on May 19, Jianan Gao was honored as the recipient of the Outstanding Dissertation Award in recognition of exceptional research achievement and promise. The environmental engineering graduate studied sustainable water treatment and resource recovery technologies. 

Gao is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Hong Kong, working under Professor Chuyang Tang. His research focuses on climate-smart electrochemical systems for seawater resource recovery and green hydrogen/chlorine production. While he continues to publish and mentor, he is also preparing for faculty applications in environmental engineering and water-energy nexus fields. 

While at NJIT, he served as a teaching assistant for ENE 661: Environmental Microbiology and mentored undergraduate and high school students at the university and in surrounding communities. “The CEE department fostered a strong sense of collaboration and mentorship, and I benefitted immensely from the guidance of outstanding faculty, as well as opportunities to mentor younger students,” Gao says. “Participating in department seminars, proposal writing and student support activities helped me grow not only as a researcher, but also as a future educator and leader.”

Having published 26 peer-reviewed journal articles, Gao is glad to have been the first author in nine of these that appeared in top-tier journals such as Nature Communications, Environmental Science & Technology, ACS Nano, Advanced Energy Materials and more, with over 1700 citations. One of his memorable honors includes receiving the Heh-Won Chang, Ph.D. Fellowship in Green Chemistry through the American Chemical Society. He is also the first author of a U.S. patent on electrified membrane flow-cell reactors for nitrate reduction and ammonia production. 

“I’m most proud of building a research portfolio that not only advanced the field of environmental electrochemistry but also aligned closely with NJIT's mission of innovation and societal impact,” Gao remarks. “My work on electrified membrane systems laid the groundwork for sustainable water treatment technologies with real-world applications, and I was able to carry this out thanks to the supportive and interdisciplinary research environment at NJIT.”



He reflects on the recognition from NJIT: “I immediately thought of my mentors — Professors Wen Zhang and Taha Marhaba, peers and students who supported me along the way. This award is a profound recognition of the years of dedication, late nights and resilience throughout my Ph.D. journey.”

What began in his third year attending NJIT came full circle this year for Stephen George, CEE’s associate director of undergraduate programs and academic advisor. In June, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) selected him as the recipient of the ASCE 2025 Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award. 

In 2009, he joined the NJIT student chapter of ASCE, becoming more involved with the Steel Bridge Team. He competed as a builder in 2011, when the team took home first place in the regional competition and made it to nationals at Texas A&M University. The following year, George was co-captain of the team, which again landed in the top spot regionally and placed 15th in the national competition. The same year, he helped resurrect the ASCE Concrete Canoe Team after a 10-year hiatus. He filled the position of a rower, and the team was awarded first place regionally. 

Even after graduating in 2012, George continued to support and interact with the ASCE teams as an external advisor, mentoring students with the leadership and technical skills he applied while a member himself. A few years down the road, he joined CEE as the director of labs for education, continuing to work with the teams and NJIT-ASCE executive board — but at an even deeper level. Finally, in 2023, he was appointed to the official role of faculty advisor for the student chapter. 

Since then, the chapter has prevailed in a number of aspects. A student member, Saad Rehmatullah, was selected for the ASCE Student Leadership Award in 2024; NJIT-ASCE was recognized with the 2025 Certificate of Commendation — a distinction for the top 5% of all student chapters in the nation; and the chapter successfully hosted the 2025 ASCE Metropolitan Symposium on NJIT’s campus and at White Meadow Lake, which included six competitions and welcomed 13 universities from the region. 

ASCE’s Outstanding Faculty Awards are given each year by the Committee on Student Members to faculty advisors who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and support to their ASCE Student Chapter. One of the criteria includes having established exceptional dedication to ASCE student members and emphasized the value of ASCE involvement during college and after graduation — elements that George had organically gathered for the last 15 years. 

“I was floored when I received the award email from ASCE. I had known that the students and some of my peers had submitted recommendation letters, but I never thought I would get the award, considering how stacked the field is,” he comments. “Our student chapter, staff, faculty and practitioner advisors have been putting in a ton of work lately, and it feels great to be recognized for it.”

George feels deeply honored to be named the recipient of this award. “Thank you to the ASCE Committee on Student Members for this recognition. It truly means a great deal,” he says. “I’m especially grateful to the incredible students of the NJIT ASCE Student Chapter, whose passion, leadership and teamwork make this role so rewarding.”

He also appreciates NJIT’s department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, his colleagues, mentors and support system, as their encouragement and collaboration have made this journey possible. He emphasized, “This is a team effort!”

Chi Epsilon Induction at NJIT

The Center for Natural Resources (CNR), led by its director Michel Boufadel, Ph.D., hosted two undergraduate students on summer research programs in 2025. Giana Gont is a second-year molecular biologystudent at Columbia University, and Joy Harb is an international exchange student from Lebanon attending the program on a fully funded scholarship that included accommodations. The center aims to continue this program every summer in coming years, allowing international students exposed to research and work culture, as a bridge to pursue their higher education in STEM.  

Food waste is a major contributor to climate change, accounting for over 50% of landfill-derived methane emissions, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Traditional disposal methods like incineration and composting only offer partial environmental benefits. While incineration recovers energy, it sacrifices valuable nutrients; composting retains nutrients but does not capture energy. Anaerobic digestion (AD) offers a more sustainable alternative by recovering both energy and nutrients. In this process, microorganisms break down food waste in oxygen-free conditions, producing biogas rich in methane and a nutrient-dense slurry called digestate. The captured methane can be used as renewable energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by converting methane into less potent carbon dioxide. The digestate can be reused as an organic fertilizer, soil amendment or animal bedding, making AD a scalable and environmentally circular waste solution.

NJIT generates about 75 tons of food waste annually, previously sent to the Essex County incinerator. Since 2023, roughly 50 tons have been diverted to Waste Management’s Newark facility, where the waste is processed into slurry and used in Rahway’s anaerobic digesters to recover energy, but not nutrients. A more effective solution would enable recovery of both energy and nutrient value.

To explore this possibility, NJIT faculty and student researchers launched a pilot-scale anaerobic biodigester project. The initiative is led by Jay Meegoda (Civil and Environmental Engineering) with co-leads Layek Abdel-Malek (Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering), Martina Decker and Andrzej Zarzycki (Hillier College of Architecture and Design), Prabhakar Shrestha (Office of Sustainability), and Ravisha Mudalige, a Ph.D. student and research assistant. This interdisciplinary team aims to demonstrate the feasibility of on-campus anaerobic digestion while integrating sustainability education into practical engineering applications.

Based on a fall 2024 audit, NJIT’s faculty dining hall produces about 90 pounds of food waste weekly. A food waste separation initiative launched in the spring of 2024 has facilitated consistent waste collection and laid the foundation for regular digester operation. The pilot system, located outside the Campus Center’s third floor, uses a 275-gallon HDPE tank and operates under mesophilic conditions (30–38°C), with a retention time of 21 days. The system is entirely manually operated, requiring grinding, mixing and slurry circulation before loading. 

Additional components include biogas collection, pressure regulation and gas scrubbing systems. The team also collaborated with NJIT’s School of Art + Design to create a weatherproof, vandal-resistant enclosure that integrates visually with campus surroundings.

Supported by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection recycling research grant, this pilot biodigester not only reduces campus food waste but also serves as an educational tool and a model for sustainable waste management that could be replicated across other institutions in the state.

Figure: Proposed flow diagram of the system

Construction sites are inherently complex environments characterized by dynamic activities, diverse machinery and numerous safety risks. Traditional monitoring methods, which heavily depend on manual inspections, visual monitoring and human reports, have proven inefficient due to their high susceptibility to human errors, limited spatial coverage and reduced effectiveness in poor visibility or adverse weather conditions. Such limitations significantly delay hazard identification, hinder proactive safety measures and negatively impact overall project timelines and costs. Therefore, there is a critical need for innovative monitoring solutions that can enhance real-time response capabilities and predictive insights on construction sites.

To address these challenges, Dr. Rayan H. Assaad and his Ph.D. student, Oscar Poudel, from the Smart Construction and Intelligent Infrastructure Systems (SCIIS) Lab developed a real-time intelligent acoustic-based monitoring system utilizing machine listening techniques. This novel approach utilizes IoT-enabled hardware integrated with edge computing and cloud computing to accurately detect and classify various construction-related sounds in real-time. 

They developed a Convolutional Recurrent Neural Network (CRNN) combining CNNs and Gated Recurrent Units (GRU) to accurately classify construction-related audio signals. These acoustic signals were categorized into 14 distinct classes, including sounds from equipment operations (chainsaws, jackhammers, hand drills), environmental conditions (rain, thunderstorms, wind), potential safety hazards (glass breaking, sirens, crackling fire), and workforce-related activities (footsteps, coughing). An extensive preprocessing pipeline was implemented, converting audio recordings into mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs), in addition to applying spectral subtraction and data augmentation techniques to enhance the robustness of the model against environmental noise and overlapping audio events. 

The CRNN model achieved notable predictive performance, with a testing accuracy of 89.13%. Detailed metrics showed exceptional precision and recall for critical categories such as sirens, jackhammers, hand drills and weather-related sounds, crucial for effective hazard detection and safety management on construction sites. The system architecture integrates IoT-enabled sensors (ESP32 microcontrollers and MEMS microphones), NVIDIA Jetson Xavier NX modules for localized edge computing and Amazon EC2 cloud infrastructure for scalable data processing. The embedded edge computing significantly reduced audio inference latency to 30–50 milliseconds, enabling real-time analytics and robust operation, even under disrupted network conditions. A smartphone-based application was created to deliver real-time notifications and predictive alerts directly to stakeholders for immediate response and informed decision-making. The system was extensively tested in controlled construction workshop scenarios and real-world jobsite conditions to validate its practicality, reliability and scalability.

This intelligent acoustic-based monitoring system promises substantial advancements in civil engineering practice, in construction safety management, proactive hazard detection, operational efficiency enhancement and overall project cost reduction. By shifting towards automated and predictive monitoring, construction projects can achieve higher safety standards, improve regulatory compliance and optimize resource utilization. The integration of IoT and edge computing technologies ensures continuous operation and reduced latency, even under network disruptions. The versatility and affordability of acoustic sensors allow for comprehensive and cost-effective monitoring, especially in environments with restricted visual accessibility. Moreover, the system's ability to quickly identify and classify multiple overlapping sounds enables precise hazard localization, enhancing emergency response times. These capabilities collectively set a new benchmark in modern construction engineering practices with safer and more efficient project execution.

The published paper related to the research was selected for the Editor’s Choice section by the ASCE Journal of Construction Engineering and Management.

Figure: Integrated system architecture for real-time acoustic monitoring and alert system.

The high-pitched squeal that trains emit while rounding a curve is the sound of their wheels pressing into wavy indentations in the track caused by repetitive stress. As the grooves deepen, the risk of greater damage and possible derailment accelerates. 

The two primary methods for detecting these defects, called corrugation, are deployed infrequently. Manual inspections are labor-intensive and potentially unsafe. Special trolley cars, equipped with monitoring equipment that run at low speeds, are expensive and disruptive. Neither is suited for regular reconnaissance in urban systems. 

Civil engineer Yun Bai is proposing a third way. By placing integrated sensor systems on regular service trains, she aims to provide hourly updates on the state of the track while gathering enough data over time to learn how and where flaws form and evolve. Deformations have a distinctive vibration and noise that sensors pick up; over time, machine learning algorithms will be able to characterize them as to length and depth, for example. 

“One of my goals is to extend the life of the track with minimum cost,” she explains. “We’d like to determine when we can perform maintenance, rather than reconstruction. We don’t always need to replace tracks to fix them.” 

The trick, particularly in underground subways where GPS is limited, is to match abnormal signals with their place on the track. Bai and her collaborators use positioning technology to do this. It fuses the sensor data with a map of the track based on its geometry — its curves, slopes and turns — that are revealed by a train’s acceleration, speed and angular velocity, meaning how sharply it turns. They have developed another algorithm to correct positioning errors, which reduces the drifting errors of the accelerometer sensor. To be of any use, they must pinpoint the signal within 20 meters of the defect. 

Based on initial field tests in the Guangzhou metro system in China, their technology reduced train positioning errors to 0.5% on average and below 1% in most cases. The team is currently developing algorithms to identify defects by fusing vibration data detected by an inertial measurement unit, a device that measures motion and orientation, and acoustic data collected by microphone. 

Bai is focused first on identifying corrugation, but over time, plans to extend the application to other problems, such as broken rail joints and defects in welded joints. 

“We hope to extract a lot of useful information, including the subtle differences in signals that will identify different kinds of defects,” she says. 

Her goal is not just to produce updated track information, but to understand how problems develop, the factors that contribute to them, including speed, loading, temperature and adverse weather, and to predict when and how much they will deform. 



“The large amount of data accumulated over a long period of time can be used to study the long-term formation and deterioration of rail defects, such as the wavelength and amplitude of corrugation via datadriven models,” she says. “These results should help us develop track health records and better life cycle management.”

In the past year, fourth-year civil engineering student Khadija Bangurah has worked hard to support her dreams of earning her degree to create a positive impact on society. She was awarded the Eric Johanson Scholarship, Paul and Elizabeth Katsner Scholarship, John M. Luttati Memorial Scholarship, Victor and Barbara Pelson Scholarship and Turner Construction Co. Scholarship for Civil & Environmental Engineering — all of which she is extremely grateful for. 

“I was honestly astounded,” she says. “I did not expect to win a scholarship, let alone five of them.”

Earlier this summer, she was inducted into the national honor society for civil engineers, Chi Epsilon, which honors the top third of students by academic performance. Furthermore, she has interned as a geotechnical engineer at ANS Geo, a consulting engineering firm that offers geotechnical, civil, renewable, structural and environmental services. She hopes to expand on geotechnical engineering work and also earn her master's degree in the future.

Bangurah was also part of NJIT’s student chapter of Professional Women in Construction. Though she only served as secretary for a short period of time, the role gave her a glimpse of what it means to be a leader in civil engineering and the different pathways there are in the field. 

“I am proud that I have stepped out of my box and participated in not only academic opportunities, but various leadership and work opportunities, which allow me to exercise my skills both inside and out of the classroom,” she says. 

The awards drive her to strive harder in her academic and professional careers while reminding her that she is fully capable of earning the degree she is working towards. “Knowing that you have a support system behind you and seeing that there are people who believe in your talents enough to sponsor your education is amazing,” Bangurah commented. “I am grateful to be a part of continuing to carry the legacy of the incredible individuals after which the scholarships were named.”

For Sherlyn Rodriguez, it’s clear that the fruits of hard work make the journey worth the battles. Now a recent awardee of the New Jersey Post Scholarship from the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME), she is beginning her final year at NJIT as a civil engineering student. 

“I am most proud of the fact that I came into college being behind in my math requirements and have worked to learn as much as I could taking summer classes, going to office hours and more to perform well in my courses. My goal was to graduate within four years, which will happen because of my dedication and tenacity,” she says. Graduating from college has always been on the horizon for her, but the road has been challenging. “Not everyone makes it, so the fact that I can say I will be getting my bachelor's degree in civil engineering as a first-generation Hispanic woman is an amazing accomplishment.”

The scholarship has had a direct impact on Rodriguez’s journey to this point: “The award signifies financial security — I have enough funds for the summer classes I’m currently taking because someone believed in me!” Her academics have always been the priority, but she has made sure to get involved with other aspects in CEE to build on skills not found in the classroom. 

As an active member of NJIT’s student chapter of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), she has attended site visits, company presentations and committee meetings for the 2025 ASCE Metropolitan Student Symposium hosted by NJIT. As a member of the NJIT Steel Bridge Team, she has practiced welding steel members together, constructed and disassembled the bridge, as well as offered support in other areas the team deemed necessary.

Outside of NJIT, Rodriguez secured an internship at Colliers Engineering & Design as a structural engineer this summer, further solidifying her professional goals that the scholarship built on as well. “It affirms my commitment to civil engineering and strengthens my confidence as I prepare to contribute meaningfully to the field through future projects,” she comments. 

Rodriguez attributes this success to the support system surrounding her. “I want to thank God for His favor, His love and His discipline over my life. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” she says. “I would also like to extend my appreciation to my family, my friends, to everyone who has shown care for me, and a massive thank you to SAME for considering me for this award.”

UCA Honors Matthew Sonibare with RETC 2025 Scholarship

Matthew Sonibare, a second-year geotechnical engineering Ph.D. student, was recently selected to be a recipient of the Rapid Excavation and Tunneling Conference (RETC) scholarship this year. This honor covers the conference registration fees as well as travel support, ensuring that awardees are able to further their professional development in the field at little to no cost. 

Travelling to Dallas, Texas, he attended the conference, organized by the Underground Construction Association (UCA) and the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration Inc. “I was able to connect, learn and grow alongside leading experts in the field,” he says, citing technical sessions and insightful conversations that he participated in. 

At NJIT, Sonibare has worked as a research assistant in the Geomechanics for Geoengineering and Sustainability (GGES) Lab. “I am most proud of the collaborative research environment within my lab group and the civil engineering department,” he says. “Being part of a team that is dedicated to solving complex engineering problems — while also learning from each other — has been deeply fulfilling.”

Rafal Wojcik (right) receiving the 2025 Young Civil Engineer of the Year Award from Brian Deitz, P.E., ASCE New Jersey section president

Rafal Wojcik, PE, graduated from NJIT with a bachelor’s in civil engineering in 2011 and a master’s in geotechnical engineering in 2015. Wojcik is a Geotechnical Project Manager with Dewberry Engineers Inc and provides comprehensive geotechnical design support services for a variety of public and private clients. His most recent accomplishment includes earning the 2025 Young Civil Engineer of the Year Award from the New Jersey Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). For the last two years, he also served as the chair of ASCE’s Coasts, Oceans, Ports, and Rivers Institute (COPRI) and will be serving on the ASCE North Jersey Branch board as secretary this fall. Wojcik spoke to CEE about this year’s honor as well as his involvement in both ASCE and the CEE department.

What led you to NJIT when you first came for your bachelor's? 

When I was choosing a college, I had a few non-negotiables. I needed a school that was commutable, offered smaller class sizes and had ABET accreditation. Most importantly, I was looking for a strong hub for future professional networking. The generous scholarships I received were definitely a bonus! From the moment I stepped foot on campus during my senior year of high school, I knew it was the right fit. The rest, as they say, is history.

What does being an adjunct professor at CEE mean to you now? 

Being an adjunct professor is incredibly rewarding. I get to play a direct role in shaping the future of civil engineering by guiding students at my alma mater – how cool is that? It’s a genuine privilege that not only keeps my skills sharp but also allows me to connect with the bright minds entering our field. This involvement is also key to deepening my ties with the department and university, as I'm regularly engaging with staff and leaders and staying on top of cutting-edge civil engineering research.

What was your involvement with ASCE like? 

My involvement with ASCE truly began during my undergraduate years. The NJIT ASCE student lounge became a focal point for me, a place to connect with classmates and friends between classes and my on-campus job. This informal connection quickly evolved into deeper engagement, leading to my heavy involvement with the Steel Bridge team during my junior and senior years. I then stepped into a leadership role as Vice President of the ASCE student chapter. Even after graduation, my connection to ASCE continued to grow. I remained active with the ASCE Younger Members Group and various technical committee events, eventually taking on leadership roles within the ASCE North Jersey Branch. Most recently, I completed my tenure as Technical Chair for COPRI and will be serving as Secretary for the North Jersey Branch of ASCE beginning this Fall.

Now at Dewberry, are there any skills from your time with ASCE that you carry with you? 

Absolutely! The leadership experience I gained through ASCE directly translates to my work at Dewberry. It provided a practical environment to hone essential 'soft skills' like clear communication, adaptability, professionalism, effective time management and teamwork. These are the invaluable, foundational skills that truly take time to develop and are the cornerstone of any successful career.

What was your reaction when you found out you were selected as New Jersey Section's Young Civil Engineer of the Year? 

Following the initial shock, I felt an immense sense of honor and pride to be recognized by my peers. As civil engineers, our work is critical to society but often goes unnoticed by the general public. To receive this acknowledgment from my peers has truly been a defining moment in my career.

Do you have any future goals you are working towards?

Definitely. I have a number of future goals that guide my professional development. Chief among them is to continue and deepen my involvement in equipping public agencies with the tools and strategies they need to implement greater resiliency in their infrastructure planning. This is a critical area, especially given our evolving climate and infrastructure challenges. Receiving the Young Civil Engineer of the Year award is incredibly motivating. It not only validates the work I'm passionate about but also fuels my drive to contribute even more significantly to our industry.

What advice do you have for students? 

Making meaningful connections, practicing patience, working steadily towards your short term and long term goals, and “staying the course” are all obvious, but important hallmarks of a successful career. The other is being open to stepping out of your comfort zone. Raise your hand to volunteer to take charge on a project. Get involved with professional organizations such as ASCE. Become that “go-to person” for your team. You need to get out of your comfort zone in order to grow personally and professionally. You have to get comfortable being uncomfortable.

With a brand new executive board starting in the summer, NJIT’s chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) has hit the ground running with the continuation of projects in their subsequent phases. 

This summer, members have worked on Phase III of the Maca Grande Ecuador Project. They are designing a water distribution system to bring water from a spring cap and storage tank, both previously designed by the chapter, directly to 26 homes in the community. This is its largest project yet. It was chosen because the Maca Grande community, located in the mountains of Ecuador, faces difficulty acquiring a steady source of clean water. Residents travel on foot every day to nearby springs to collect water for use in their village. 

The official Ecuador Project team currently consists of three dedicated students, with support from two faculty advisors. Specific responsibilities include finalizing the design of a water distribution system, maintaining contact with affiliated organizations and firms, and recording and organizing all project related finances. “We are grateful for all of the time that our members have dedicated throughout this summer, as they have been keeping up with their responsibilities while working at their summer internships,” Archer says. 

NJIT-EWB is led by four civil engineering seniors currently, and these members are looking to fill the rest of their board in Fall 2025. Serving as president is Kerry Archer, vice president is Klara Tinaj, secretary is Stephanie Herrera-Chavez and social media manager is Paul Ionescu. Archer emphasized that students of any major are welcome to join the chapter and board.

As for local projects, the chapter has an ongoing one in Branch Brook Park in Newark. The project will address the excessive algal growth in the park’s watercourse due to organic matter — branches, trees, leaves, litter — in bodies of water. Members are planning to develop an app to map 200 cherry blossom trees planted to assess their health. 



“Sharing our story is a great way to support the project without actively participating. We host a Gofundme and multiple other fundraisers at local restaurants throughout the summer and fall semesters that directly support this project,” Archer said, adding that the chapter has raised over $2,000 this summer. “All events are posted on our Instagram account, @njit_ewb, and every share helps!”

Analyzing the Release of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances from Spent Granular Activated Carbons by Standard Leaching Procedures

Paulina Alulema-Pullupaxi, Yi Zhang, Navid B. Saleh, Arjun Venkatesan, Onur G. Apul

Environmental Science & Technology

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A Review of Harmful Algal Blooms: Causes, Effects, Monitoring, and Prevention Methods

Christina M. Brenckman, Meghana Parameswarappa Jayalakshmamma, William H. Pennock, Fahmidah Ashraf, Ashish D. Borgaonkar

Water

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Developing a Quantitative Modeling Framework for Risk Propagation Analysis: Application to Preconstruction Delays

Ghadi Charbel, Rayan H. Assaad, Tulio Rodriguez Tejada, Fadi Karaa

ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems, Part A: Civil Engineering

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Exploring low-concentration methane oxidation: Insights from bioengineered column experiments

Anirban Dhulia, Viravid Na Nagara, Abdulrazzak Doughan, Jordan Angle, Roger C. Prince, Michel C. Boufadel

Environmental Technology & Innovation

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Mechanical degradation of Longmaxi shale exposed to water-based fluids and supercritical carbon dioxide

Jianting Du, Andrew J. Whittle, Liming Hu, Thibaut Divoux, Jay N. Meegoda

Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering

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Geochemical interactions of supercritical CO2-brine-rock under varying injection strategies: implications for mechanical integrity in aquifers

Stella I. Eyitayo, Marshall C. Watson, Ion Ispas, Oladoyin Kolawole

Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering

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Direct Electrosynthesis and Separation Platform for Chlorine from Saline Water

Jianan Gao, Qingquan Ma, Yihan Zhang, Shan Xue, Guangyu Guo, Bingcai Pan, Han-Qing Yu, Wen Zhang

Environmental Science & Technology

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Developing a Prediction Model for Real-Time Incident Detection Leveraging User-Oriented Participatory Sensing Data

Md Tufajjal Hossain, Joyoung Lee, Dejan Besenski, Branislav Dimitrijevic, Lazar Spasovic

Information

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Interfacial Heating in Membrane Distillation: Advances, Optimization Strategies, and Industrial Applications for Desalination

Jiahui Hu, Guangyu Zhu, Avner Ronen, David Jassby, Qilin Li, Peng Wang, Wenbin Wang, Wen Zhang

Environmental Science & Technology

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Modeling Framework to Quantify and Gauge Project Cost Risks due to Construction Material Price Volatilities Using Predictive Probabilistic Deep-Learning Algorithms and Stochastic Risk Modeling

Yasser Jezzini, Rayan H. Assaad, Islam H. El-adaway

Journal of Construction Engineering and Management

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Efficient photo-Fenton degradation of water pollutants via peracetic acid activation over sulfur vacancies-rich metal sulfides/MXenes

Shuo Li, Tianqi Zhang, Heshan Zheng, Junfeng Niu, Wen Zhang, Jun Ma, Wen-Wei Li

Applied Catalysis B: Environment and Energy

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Self-Cleaning Microwave-Responsive MXene-Coated Filtration System for Enhanced Airborne Virus Disinfection

Fangzhou Liu, Qingquan Ma, Jiahe Zhang, Jian Wang, Dheeban Govindan, Mengqiang Zhao, Cuiling Gao, Yang Li, Wen Zhang

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces

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A two hollow-fiber-set membrane module for air gap membrane distillation with high thermal efficiency

Fangzhou Liu, Weihua Qing, Guangyu Zhu, Qingquan Ma, John Chau, Kamalesh K. Sirkar, Wen Zhang

Desalination

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Determination of main influence mechanism of fulvic acid on arsenic removal by ferric chloride

Xiaoguang Meng, Sihang Xu, Meng Ji, Qiantao Shi, Biswarup Guha, Kelly Mascarenhas, Lee Lippincott, Wen Zhang, Qingquan Ma

Journal of Environmental Sciences

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Insights into susceptibility of underground infrastructure to geohazards due to subsurface urban heat Island

Mary C. Ngoma, Oladoyin Kolawole, Mohsen Zaker Esteghamati

Sustainable Cities and Society

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Influence of permeability and strength of bentonite-based and low-carbon-based grouts on long-term wellbore integrity and sealing

Felix Oppong, Md Maruf Hasan, Oladoyin Kolawole, Matthew P. Adams

Progress in Engineering Science

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A Real-Time Intelligent Acoustic IoT-Enabled Embedded Construction Site Monitoring and Alert System: Integrating Deep Learning–Based Machine-Listening Algorithms, Edge Computing, and Cloud Computing

Oscar Poudel, Rayan H. Assaad

Journal of Construction Engineering and Management

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Sustainable ammonia recovery in electrochemical membranes: The critical role of electromigration

Siyao Qi, Wen Zhang, Guy Z. Ramon, Avner Ronen

Journal of Membrane Science

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Emerging investigator series: identification and transformation of per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in residential wastewater and effluent from alternative treatment systems

Rachel Smolinski, Meghan Oates, Arjun K. Venkatesan, Christopher J. Gobler, Carrie A. McDonough

Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts

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Biologically active filtration (BAF) for metabolic 1,4-dioxane removal from contaminated groundwater

Yuyin Tang, Mian Wang, Arjun K. Venkatesan, Christopher J. Gobler, Xinwei Mao

Journal of Hazardous Materials

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1,4‐Dioxane Induces Epithelial‐Mesenchymal Transition and Carcinogenesis in an Nrf2‐Dependent Manner

Ziwei Wang, Chitra Thakur, Zhuoyue Bi, Yiran Qiu, Wenxuan Zhang, Haoyan Ji, Arjun K. Venkatesan, Sashank Cherukuri, Ke Jian Liu, John D. Haley, Xinwei Mao, Jaymie Meliker, Fei Chen

Journal of Extracellular Vesicles

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US Dept Of Transportation

Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) Regional UTC Consortium Led by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Principal Investigator: Matthew Adams

Co-Principal Investigator: Taha F. Marhaba, Matthew J. Bandelt, Rayan Hassane Assaad

Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering

Duration: Tuesday, June 5, 2018 to Sunday, August 31, 2025

N.J. Dept. Of Environmental Protection

New Jersey Coastal Consortium for Resilient Communities

Principal Investigator: Michel Boufadel



Department: Center for Natural Resources

Duration: Sunday, May 1, 2022 to Wednesday, December 31, 2025

US Dept Of Transportation

University Transportation Research Center - Predicting urban stormwater flooding using geomorphic information

Principal Investigator: Michel Boufadel

Department: Center for Natural Resources

Duration: Sunday, September 1, 2024 to Saturday, May 31, 2025

Environmental Protection Agency

Pesticides and their human metabolites in New Jersey wastewaters

Principal Investigator: Arjunkrishna Venkatesan

Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering

Duration: Sunday, September 1, 2024 to Monday, August 31, 2026

National Academy of Sciences

Training Program for the Emergency Management Playbook

Principal Investigator: Dejan Besenski

Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering

Duration: Monday, December 2, 2024 to Tuesday, December 1, 2026

Environmental Protection Agency

Environmental Justice Government-to-Government Program for Newark

Principal Investigator: Michel Boufadel

Co-Principal Investigator: Ashish Dhananjay Borgaonkar

Department: Center for Natural Resources

Duration: Saturday, February 1, 2025 to Monday, January 31, 2028

ACI Foundation

Improving Global Warming Potential Benchmarking for Use in Low Carbon Concrete Codes and Policies

Principal Investigator: Matthew P. Adams

Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering

Duration: Thursday, April 24, 2025 to Monday, August 31, 2026

New Jersey Economic Development Authority

Optimizing mobile battery placement and operation

Principal Investigator: Michel Boufadel

Department: Center for Natural Resources

Duration: Monday, May 19, 2025 to Sunday, May 31, 2026

N.J. Dept. Of Environmental Protection

New Canopy Initiative

Principal Investigator: Michel Boufadel

Co-Principal Investigator: Daniel E. Bunker, Caroline Marie Devan, Gareth J. Russell, Maria L. Stanko

Department: Center for Natural Resources

Duration: Monday, June 30, 2025 to Friday, December 31, 2027

N.J. Dept. Of Environmental Protection

Recycling Enhancement Act Recycling Research

Principal Investigator: Rayan Hassane Assaad

Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering

Duration: Tuesday, July 1, 2025 to Tuesday, June 30, 2026

N.J. Dept. of Transportation

Study on Production Rates in NJDOT Construction Scheduling Manual

Principal Investigator: Rayan Hassane Assaad

Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering

Duration: Friday, July 4, 2025 to Saturday, July 31, 2027

Maurice Rached, P.E. (Chair)

Colliers Engineering & Design

Ted Cassera, P.E., ‘72

Omland Engineering Associates

Anthony Castillo, P,E., '95, '02

SESI Consulting Engineers

Andrejs Delle, P.E.

Schiavone Construction Company LLC

Muhammad Elgammal, P.E., P.M.P, '12, '15

Stantec

James Giurintano, P.E., P.P.,CME, '94

Colliers Engineering & Design

Andre Grebenstein, LEED AP '95

HITT Contracting Inc.

Gareth C. Middleton, P.E, '93, '04

Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.

Dennis Motiani

Kimley-Horn Associates

Áine O’Dwyer, P.E., ​'07, '08

Enovate Engineering

Chrissa D. Roessner, P.E., '02

NJ Transit

Kenneth Sisk

The Rinaldi Group

Joseph Stanley, P.E., '78, '85

Hatch Mott MacDonald

Wei Wang, Ph.D., '95

Urban Tech, Inc.



Editors & Contributors

Taha F. Marhaba

Tracey Regan

Sylvana Brito-Rodriguez

Yukthi Sangoi

Special Thanks

NJIT Office of Strategic Communications

NJIT Office of Alumni Relations

Contributing Faculty, Staff, Students & Alumni