Paul V. Roberts/AEESP Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award

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This award is given annually to recognize a rigorous and innovative doctoral thesis that advances the science and practice of water quality engineering for either engineered or natural systems. Special consideration will be given to physical-chemical process research and/or research that especially supports underserved communities, environmental awareness, or sustainable solutions. The award will consist of a plaque and a cash prize of $1,500 for the student, and a plaque and a cash prize of $500 for the faculty advisor. A $750 travel allotment is provided to the student recipient if he or she attends the awards ceremony. A total allotment of $750 is also available to support travel of the faculty advisor to the awards ceremony, or may be shared by faculty co-advisors who attend the ceremony.

Refer to the nomination package for the required submission requirements.

Faculty advisors are encouraged to nominate dissertations completed under their supervision but must limit themselves to a single entry.

*Eligibility: Dissertations must have been from the previous calendar year, as per the cover page of the dissertation.

Professor Roberts (1938 - 2006) was among the very best and most admired environmental engineers of his generation. He brought together interdisciplinary teams of hydrogeologists, chemists, microbiologists, and engineers, and showed the value of interactions between laboratory studies, field studies, and theory for the solution of complex environmental problems. In 1997, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for these contributions. Paul was an inspiration to his students and faculty colleagues. For his students, Paul provided not only the tools, motivation and inspiration for making rigorous and innovative contributions to environmental engineering and science, but also a poignant example of how one can balance professional excellence with a full and rich personal life. He was an advocate of environmental awareness and green engineering long before it was commonly popular, and he was a strong supporter of environmental justice and engineers' role in helping to meet the needs of underdeveloped communities. Paul was a role model for many, and was often heard reminding his students and others to "do good while doing well."

Click here for a summary of past Student Award winners.

Past Recipients

YearRecipientDissertation TitleAdvisor
2025Min YangMicroplastic and Dispersed Oil Co-Contaminants in the Marine EnvironmentBaiyu (Helen) Zhang, Memorial University
2024Jessica SteigerwaldDevelopment of Novel-Biochar-Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Composites for Targeted Adsorption of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Water Treatment ApplicationsJessica Ray, University of Washington
2023Weiyi PanUsing Aquatic Chemistry to Understand Lead Concentrations in Drinking WaterDaniel Giammar, Washington University in St. Louis
2022Riley MulhernPoint-of-Use Water Treatment for Private Wells in North Carolina: Risks and Solutions for Lead, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), and Microbial ContaminantsJacqueline MacDonald Gibson, Indiana University
2021Michael BentelUnderstanding Structure-Reactivity Relationships for Aqueous Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Within the UV/sulfite SystemJinyong Liu, University of California, Riverside
2020John T. TrimmerResource Recovery from Sanitation to Amplify Development: Navigating Global and Local PossibilitiesJeremy S. Guest, University of Illinois at Champaign Urbana
2019Emily D. GarnerOccurrence and Control of Microbial Contaminents of Emerging Concern through Urban Water Cycle: Molecular Profiling of Opportunistic Pathogens and Antibiotic ResistanceAmy Pruden and Marc Edwards, Virginia Tech
2018Masaru NobuOmics-based characterization of complex anaerobic metabolism in methanogenic wastewater treatmentWen-Tso Liu, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2017Kimberly ParkerContribution of Halides to Photochemical Reactions in Estuaries and Coastal WatersWilliam Mitch, Stanford, University
2016Sara E. BeckWavelength-Specific Effects of Ultraviolet Light on Microorganisms and Viruses for Improving Water DisinfectionKarl G. Linden, University of Colorado
2015Justin T. JasperTreatment of Trace Organic Contaminants and Nutrients in Open-Water Unit Process WetlandsDavid L. Sedlak, UC-Berkeley
2014Roland D. CusickNutrient and Heat Recovery from Waste Streams Using Microbial Electrochemical TechnologiesBruce E. Logan, Penn State University
2013Greg LeFevreFate and Degradation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Stormwater Bioretention CellsPaige Novak and Raymond Hozalski, University of Minnesota
2012Simoni TriantafyllidouLead (Pb) Contamination of Potable Water: Public Health Impacts, Galvanic Corrosion and Quantification ConsiderationsMarc A. Edwards, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University