The Electrified WAstewater Treatment and Element Recovery (E-WATER) Lab in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Michigan State University invites applications for 1-2 Ph.D. positions beginning in Fall 2026. Successful candidate(s) will be supported by a Graduate Research Assistantship or a combination of Research and Teaching Assistantships. Students will work on developing electrochemical systems to remove inorganic and organic pollutants from municipal, industrial, and agricultural wastewaters while recovering value-added products for beneficial reuse. The E-WATER group conducts research at the intersection of applied electrochemistry, water and wastewater treatment, and resource recovery. Current projects are funded by DOE NAWI, DOD SERDP, US EPA, and NASEM. Students will have the opportunity to conduct both lab and field work, collaborate in a multidisciplinary team, and attend academic and professional conferences.
The following qualifications are desired:
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant science or engineering field. Note: Applicants with a Civil Engineering (or related) degree, to be competitive, must demonstrate a strong chemistry background, with coursework in inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry as well as thermodynamics;
- Prior experience in wastewater treatment using electrochemical processes, environmental bioprocesses, membrane reactors, or bioelectrochemical systems;
- Experience in wastewater quality analysis (e.g., IC, TOC, ICP-OES) and electrochemical techniques (e.g., voltammetry, amperometry, EIS) will be considered favorably;
- Good communication skills, team spirit, and a record or clear potential of publishing peer-reviewed papers;
- A valid driver’s license is preferred (but not required), as our primary lab is located off campus.
Interested candidates are encouraged to contact Dr. Shiqiang (Nick) Zou at zoushiqi@msu.edu with the subject line “MSU ENE PhD application.”
Please attach a single PDF file that includes a cover letter, a two-page CV, unofficial transcripts, the contact information of three references, and a publication list (if applicable). Failure to provide materials in a single PDF may result in a delayed response. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the positions are filled.
For more information on the E-WATER research group, please visit https://shiqiangzou.com.
Information about the application and admission process can be found at:
https://engineering.msu.edu/academics/majors-degrees/environmental-engineering-phd.