Research areas
Environmental Engineering; wastewater treatment and reclamation; biological processes in wastewater for biotransformation of emerging contaminants; biomethane recovery from anaerobic digestion; fate and transport of pollutants, applied microbial ecology
B.S., Environmental Health Engineering, Northwestern University
M.S., Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University
Ph.D., Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University
Autumn 2026: Space in the Gough Lab for accepting new graduate students is uncertain and dependent on the outcome of submitted research grant proposals.
Topic areas might include methanogenesis in anaerobic digestion, alternative on-site sewage treatment, and anaerobic treatability of pulp mill and biorefinery waste.
Courses
- SBSE 210 | Concepts in Bioproduct Sustainability (4) - Fall
- SBSE 410 | Industrial Wastewater Treatment and Reduction (5) - Winter
- ESRM 426 | Wildland Hydrology (4) - Spring
Current sponsored projects
Strengthening Green Stormwater Infrastructure Through Community Initiatives (UW Urban Research to Action Collaboratory (RAC))
A pilot study for treating CECs in wastewater: a focus on PBDEs (Washington State Department of Ecology)
Selected publications
Santos, P.A. et al, Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) removal from wastewater: a perspective on advancing microbial technologies. Water Emerging Contaminants & Nanoplastics. 2025. 4(7). doi: 10.20517/wecn.2024.78.
El Shahawy et al Using Eco-friendly Prepared Nano-Phragmites australis Biomass with Immobilized Actinomycetes for Enhancing UASB (Up-Flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket) Reactor Performance: A Field Study. Journal of Water Process Engineerin., 2024. 68: 106461. doi: 10.1016/j.jwpe.2024.106461
Kargol, A.K., et al., Wastewater reuse for tree irrigation: Influence on rhizosphere microbial communities. Resources, Environment and Sustainability, 2022. 9: p. 100063.
Chowyuk, A.N., et al., Economics of growing poplar for the dual purpose of biorefinery feedstock and wastewater treatment. Biomass & Bioenergy, 2021. 153: p.9.
Chaudhary, Y.K. and H.L. Gough, Identifying ranges of combined lime and heat treatments to achieve biosolids stabilization fecal coliform targets. Journal of Environmental Management, 2021. 282.
Tobin, T., et al., Integration of wastewater treatment into process design of lignocellulosic biorefineries for improved economic viability. Biotechnology for Biofuels, 2020. 13(1).