CEE SURE/SROP Projects 2025

Faculty Mentor: Nancy Love, [email protected]

Graduate Mentor: Joseph Lybik, [email protected]

Project Description:

Urine recycling, the process of recovering nutrients in source-separated urine as fertilizers, can help close the loop on urban nutrient flows reducing excess nutrients in urban waterways and reliance on external fertilizer imports. While production of aqueous urine-derived fertilizers (UDFs) is maturing as a technology with safe and nutrient-rich products currently available, solid-state UDFs, specifically solid-state nitrogen-based UDFs, remain at a lower level of technological readiness. Solid-state UDFs are an attractive alternative to aqueous UDFs due to their smaller volumes, ease of application, decreased odors, and ability to be made slow-releasing. To produce a solid-state UDF, this project seeks to leverage the high concentration of ammonia in hydrolyzed urine and its strong affinity for absorbing CO2 to precipitate a solid ammonium bicarbonate fertilizer. SURE students will engage in building and optimizing a lab-scale carbon capture reactor and run experiments using urine-based absorbents to obtain ammonium bicarbonate precipitates. Students will gain valuable laboratory skills and hands-on experience designing and running experiments. Additional chemical modeling skills will be learned through this project as well. Students interested in the intersection of the circular economy, water treatment, and climate solutions are welcome to apply!

Faculty Mentor: Jeremy Bricker, [email protected]

Prerequisites: Completed basic physics, statics/dynamics. Completed or taking

fluid mechanics or similar courses. Completion of mechanics of materials

(solid/structural mechanics) is suggested but not required.

Project Description:

This summer, we need help for 2 PhD students who are working on evaluating

the effectiveness of flood countermeasures in reducing damage to buildings,

and on the potential for pumped hydroenergy storage to be developed in

Michigan.

For both projects, possible tasks include:

1. Utilize Geographic Information Systems (GIS) programs to develop

databases of buildings and infrastructure in Michigan.

2. Utilize GIS to conduct calculations related to topographic gradients

throughout the state, to site potential pumped hydro energy storage sites.

3. Conduct calculations with tools such as Python, Excel, or MATLAB related to

building damage and/or hydropower.

4. Run and analyze numerical simulations of storms and coastal/fluvial/pluvial

flooding.

5. Apply hydraulic and hydrological knowledge from your courses to flood risk

assessment and hydropower potential.

6. Write a technical report to present the results. Also present results visually

and orally to research team.

Research Mode: Analysis can be done in the laboratory or in a hybrid manner,

up to the student. Computationally intensive programs like GIS might run better

on computers in the laboratory, than on a home laptop.

Faculty Mentor: Rachel O’Brien, [email protected]

Project description: Indoor and outdoor surfaces provide a location for heterogeneous or multi-phase chemical reactions that can have large impacts on air quality. At this point, we lack a detailed understanding of the types of chemicals and the features of the surfaces that are important. In this project, we will work on designing and building novel extractors that will let us collect these surface materials so that we can investigate what types of chemicals are most prevalent. This project will have some flexibility on the types of environments the student is interested in collecting samples from. Previous studies have looked at samples on surfaces like desks and windows as well as leaves of grass. Specific emission sources that contribute to these films can also be targeted like wildfire smoke and cooking emissions.

Research Mode: In Lab

Faculty Mentor: Rachel O’Brien, [email protected]

Project Description: Sunlight is an important source of energy for chemical reactions in the atmosphere. Aerosol particles are very small, but they have a very large impact on our climate and on human health.  After they are emitted/formed in the atmosphere, aerosol particles can experience photo-aging due to sunlight exposure. We have some large gaps in our understanding of the longer-term fate for aerosol particles and controlled studies are needed to help understand the types of chemical reactions that are possible. In this project, we will make or collect aerosol samples and then age them to mimic what they might experience in the atmosphere. We will target both natural aerosol particles as well as ones that come from urban emissions.

Research Mode: In Lab

Faculty Mentor: Estefan Garcia, [email protected]

Prerequisites: CEE 211 – Statics & Dynamics or equivalent, basic scripting with Python or Matlab or capacity to learn

Project Description: The strength of soil is important to understand for effective foundation design, natural disaster preparedness, and other areas of geotechnical engineering. Many disasters within the United States and abroad can be explained through environmental loads that exceed the strength of the soil involved in natural or engineered systems. The levee failures during Hurricane Katrina, the Oso Landslide that decimated an entire community, and recently in Michigan the Edenville Dam failure can all be explained in terms of the strength of the soil. One component of soil strength that often goes overlooked is how the fabric of the soil can change its strength. Soil fabric refers to how the grains are packed together, the shapes and sizes of the grains, and the arrangement of grain-to-grain contacts. In cases of soil liquefaction, fabric has been shown to be the key distinguisher that separates soil that may liquefy in an earthquake from soil that keeps its strength. This project analyzes how soil fabric evolves through a combination of computational simulations performed with the discrete element method and through physical soil shearing experiments. The computational simulations include small-scale shear simulations and large-scale fault rupture simulations. The physical experiments involve direct shear tests that will be solidified in place and scanned using X-ray microcomputed tomography. In each case, whether physical or numerical, the undergraduate student will analyze how the soil fabric manifests and evolves within shear zones and relate the observed micro-fabric to macroscopic measures of strength. The student is expected to have a sound understanding of Newton’s Law, Hooke’s Law for springs, and dynamics of rigid body motion as taught in first- and second-year physics, statics, and dynamics courses. The student must also be proficient in coding in MatLab, Python, or another scripting language. Ideal students have an interest in geology, civil engineering, applied mechanics, or mechanical engineering.

Faculty Mentor: Yafeng Yin, [email protected]

Graduate Student Mentor: Tianming Liu, [email protected]

Project Description: Modeling of transportation systems, including their users, infrastructure, and user-infrastructure interaction, is a key task in transportation system analysis and planning. The advent of generative AI technology provides a new opportunity for transportation system modeling, as generative-AI-based agents process impersonation and autonomous decision abilities as well as a rich knowledge base that could enhance the modeling of travelers.  In this project, our main aim is to develop a prototypical framework of generative-agent-based model of transportation systems and conduct comprehensive testing of system structure and validity. The SURE student will engage in data processing, coding of the prototype as well as conducting validation experiments. The student will gain valuable skills and experience at the intersection of transportation engineering, artificial intelligence, and data science.

Faculty Mentor: SangHyun Lee, [email protected]

Prerequisites: Python and Swift

Project Description: This project focuses on leveraging consumer-grade wearable IMUs to detect fall risk and perform ergonomic risk assessments. By using IMUs embedded in everyday devices like smartphones, smartwatches, and earbuds, we aim to provide a real-time estimation of human posture and analyze potential fall and ergonomic risks with the minimum # of IMUs (i.e.,3). The project will evaluate the system’s effectiveness and compare its performance with other existing methods. Work will involve implementing and modifying an existing codebase in Python and Swift. Preference will be given to students with experience in Python and iOS development.

Faculty Mentor: SangHyun Lee, [email protected]

Project Description: Effective scheduling is crucial for ensuring a construction project’s success by preventing frequent cost overruns and project delays. However, traditional scheduling methods relying on experienced schedulers are time-consuming and error-prone due to the complexity of construction projects. To address these challenges, our project aims to automatically generate construction schedules from project descriptions and building information modeling (BIM) by applying large language model (LLM)-based agents. The SURE student will participate in developing LLM-based agents for schedule generation. For this task, experience in natural language processing projects using the Transformer architecture, which underlies LLMs, is essential. This task will be conducted using the Python programming language. Through this project, the SURE student will gain hands-on experience with LLMs to solve real-world challenges in the construction industry.

Faculty Mentors: Lutgarde Raskin, [email protected] and Steven Skerlos, [email protected]

Graduate Student Mentor: Research Renisha Karki & Renata Starostka, [email protected], and  [email protected] 

Project Description: To mitigate climate change, accelerating the transition to a renewable electricity grid is crucial. Achieving a grid that is 100% renewable requires advanced energy storage technologies, such as green hydrogen and renewable natural gas (RNG) production, to balance the intermittent supply of wind and solar energy. Organic wastes such as food waste or wastewater sludge offer abundant chemical energy that can serve as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. Anaerobic digestion (AD) transforms these organic wastes into biogas, which primarily consists of ~60% methane and ~40% carbon dioxide. Biogas can be further processed through biogas upgrading to produce RNG, which is composed of >95% methane. This purification is crucial, as RNG can seamlessly replace fossil fuel-derived natural gas in existing infrastructure worldwide. The upgrading process removes carbon dioxide and other impurities using chemical, physical, or biological methods. 

In this project, students will operate an integrated biochemical and electrochemical process train at the University of Michigan laboratory. This process train includes three innovative technologies: a novel two-phase anaerobic dynamic membrane bioreactor (AnDMBR) for generating biogas developed at the University of Michigan,  Electrochemical Reactor for CO2 and H2 Delivery  (ERCHD) developed at Argonne National Laboratory, and a gas phase methanogenesis reactor (GAME) for biogas upgrading developed at Northwestern University. 

The tasks for the SURE student will include:

• Operate, monitor, and maintain the systems
• Preserving microbial samples for DNA and RNA analyses
• Analyzing both product gasses (hydrogen and RNG) and the bicarbonate stream
• Optimizing the energy efficiency of the reactor by identifying optimal operation settings

• Participating in data analysis and operational decision-making
• Identifying system upsets and diagnosing and resolving emergent operational challenges

This project offers students a unique opportunity to engage with researchers from University of Michigan, Argonne National Laboratory and Northwestern University and lead research activities on state-of-the-art renewable energy technologies.. They will gain hands-on experience in operating and optimizing bio- and electrochemical processes, preparing them for future contributions to the field of renewable energy. Join us in this exciting exploration as we work towards a more sustainable and efficient approach to energy storage and sustainable fuel production!

Faculty Mentors: Lutgarde Raskin, [email protected] and Steven Skerlos, [email protected]

Graduate Student Mentor: Renisha Karki, [email protected]

Project Description: Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a biological process that transforms organic waste streams into methane which could be used as renewable energy; AD plays a crucial role in efficient waste management and in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, AD faces significant operational challenges such as accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), and chemical compounds formed during the breakdown of complex molecules, which can hinder methane generation, the product of interest in AD. Our project seeks to maintain the delicate chemical balance in digesters required for the efficient transformation of organic substrates into methane during AD using micro-aeration.

The excess of VFAs disrupts the balance of microorganisms in the AD process by decreasing the pH in the reactor, leading to reduced methane output and potential system failure. To address this issue, micro-aeration is often utilized with the strategic injection of small amounts of oxygen to oxidize VFAs and increase methane production. In this project, three continuously-stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) will be operated anaerobically with daily food waste feeding. When the reactors have VFAs accumulation, micro-aeration will be employed to maintain and improve the methane yield.

This project presents a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to delve into the field of sustainable waste management. The SURE student will gain hands-on experience with various physico-chemical and microbial analyses. The tasks include the measurement of oxygen and methane concentrations, organic compounds entering and leaving the reactors, and VFA levels in the three reactors. These analyses are pivotal in elucidating how micro-aeration contributes to enhancing methane production in the AD process. Through this project, the SURE student will gain valuable skills and experience at the forefront of environmental biotechnology.

Research Mode: In Lab

Faculty Mentors: Lutgarde Raskin, [email protected] and Steven Skerlos, [email protected]

Graduate Student Mentor: Renata Starostka, [email protected] 

We’re launching an intriguing project delving into the realm of a cutting-edge filtration technology known as a “dynamic membrane.” This innovative technology is designed to separate solid waste from liquids in a less energy-intensive manner, utilizing a mesh coated in a biofilm which we are coupling with an anaerobic bioreactor. Unlike traditional membranes that demand high pressure and energy for maintenance, dynamic membranes keep beneficial bacteria in the system while managing common issues such as frequent clogging and high energy demand for clogging control.  Our primary goal is to investigate how effectively the dynamic membrane filter operates under different conditions. We’ll utilize chemical tests and advanced analytical tools to evaluate its performance in purifying liquid waste in an anaerobic environment.

A team of mechanical engineering undergraduates and environmental engineering PhD students has developed a system featuring multiple dynamic membranes working in tandem, referred to as a “multiplex system”. In addition to the multiplex system, we’re delving into a two-phase anaerobic dynamic membrane bioreactor, in collaboration with other graduate mentors.

We’ll employ tools such as Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) for studying the surface of the membrane and elucidate how the operational conditions affect the membrane morphology, turbidity meters for measuring the filtration quality, pressure sensors, and chemical tests to scrutinize the growth and operation of dynamic membranes in the multiplex system.  We will also be extracting extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which are the main structural components of dynamic membranes as well as the primary foulants of membrane systems. Specifically, this work will help analyze how different modes of operation, backwashing, and relaxation, affect EPS production and dynamic membrane fouling. 

This project presents an opportunity to hone skills in physico-chemical and analytical methods within a lab setting. It may also include data analysis and machine learning if those are of interest to the student. Beyond the lab, it contributes to advancing this relatively new and promising technology.  Join us in this exciting exploration as we work towards a more sustainable and efficient approach to waste management!

Research Mode: In Lab

Faculty Mentors: Lutgarde Raskin, [email protected] and Steven Skerlos, [email protected]

Graduate Student Mentors: Kate Giammalvo, [email protected] and Alex Song, [email protected] 

Project Description: Water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) are under increasing pressure to meet strict nitrogen discharge limits with low energy consumption and footprints. Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactors (MABRs) have gained traction as a method of nitrification (conversion of ammonia to nitrate using specialized nitrifying bacteria) for WRRFs.  MABR technology consists of submerged gas-permeable membranes which allow transfer of oxygen from the gas phase and into biofilms which grow on the membrane surface.  This technology enables nitrification with a lower energy demand and lower footprint compared to conventional methods.

MABRs are often coupled with anoxic tanks to denitrify (conversion of nitrate to nitrogen gas using denitrifying bacteria) and clarifiers to remove microbial biomass.  This denitrifying approach is inefficient and space-intensive.  To better leverage the strengths of MABR, we propose replacing the conventional denitrifying technology with a Dynamic Membrane Bioreactor (DMBR). DMBR is a promising technology for accomplishing denitrification by achieving synergistic nitrate removal and liquid-solids separation. The DMBR uses a coarse mesh, on which a cake layer composed of suspended particles and microorganisms (also referred to as dynamic membrane) forms when wastewater flows through, providing both filtration and biological treatment. The DMBR offers significant potential due to its low cost, high flux, effective fouling control, and low energy demands compared to alternative technologies.

To evaluate this treatment process, we have constructed a pilot scale system at the Ann Arbor WRRF.  The pilot has shown promising results for the feasibility of full scale implementation of the combined MABR/DMBR process.  We are currently working to optimize the operation of the pilot and expand our understanding of the treatment process.

This project offers undergraduate students an opportunity to focus on aspects that they find the most interesting.  The student could contribute to many areas including modeling, life cycle analysis and techno-economic assessment (LCA/TEA), microbial analysis, process control, etc.  Students will also become familiar with laboratory techniques used commonly in the analysis of wastewater samples, and gain insight into the technology development and testing process.

Research Mode: In the LAB and possibly at the City of Ann Arbor WRRF if the student is interested

Faculty Mentors: Lutgarde Raskin, [email protected] and Steven Skerlos, [email protected]

Graduate Student Mentor: Alex Song, [email protected] 

Project Description: Denitrifying dynamic membrane bioreactor (DMBR) is a promising technology for treating nitrate-containing wastewater by achieving synergistic nitrate removal and liquid-solids separation. The DMBR uses a coarse mesh, on which a cake layer composed of suspended particles and microorganisms (also referred to as dynamic membrane) forms when wastewater flows through to provide effective filtration and biological treatment. The DMBR offers significant potential as a wastewater treatment technology due to its low cost, high flux, effective fouling control, and low energy demands compared to alternative technologies such as activated sludge systems and membrane bioreactors. However, as a relatively new development, further progress is required to enhance final effluent quality and gain a deeper understanding of the microbiological factors influencing the formation and characteristics of the dynamic membrane.

The microbial community dynamics within DMBRs, especially the role of heterotrophic protists (microbial eukaryotes) that graze on bacteria and other biofilm components, remains unstudied. This project will investigate how heterotrophic protist grazing affects the performance of denitrifying DMBRs. Students will use the advanced imaging technique of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to conduct time-series analyses of biofilm structural changes caused by grazing. Students will gain experience with molecular techniques, such as DNA extraction and sequencing, to study microbial communities and with analytical techniques, such as spectrophotometry, to determine nitrogen species concentrations.. 

This project offers undergraduate students an opportunity to engage in cutting-edge research at the intersection of environmental engineering and microbiology. Participants will gain practical experience in bioreactor operation, imaging, and molecular analysis while developing critical skills in data interpretation, experimental troubleshooting, and scientific communication,  preparing them for careers in environmental sustainability, water treatment, and microbial ecology.

Research Mode: In Lab

Faculty Mentor: Jiaqi Li, [email protected]

Project Description: This project aims to convert mine tailings and byproducts from carbon-intensive industries to carbon-negative cement with permanent CO2 storage. Work will include the processing of minerals at room temperature and characterization of the raw materials,  cement, and CO2-sequestrated products. Characterization will include thermogravimetric analysis, microscopy, and Raman spectrometry. The lab work will also include CO2 storage experiments using a CO2 incubator. The goal of this project is to determine whether minerals present in the byproducts can be processed to capture CO2 and to evaluate the highest potential for CO2 uptake. Work will take place primarily in the lab but will also include some life cycle assessment to evaluate the carbon footprint of the cement products. Training will be provided for all elements of the project.

Faculty Mentor:  Krista Wigginton ([email protected])

Mentors: Ke Zhang

Project Description: In collaboration with faculty in the medical school and school of public health, we are investigating how respiratory viruses are transmitted indoors. Our lab looks at two main questions related to this goal 1) How stable are respiratory viruses under different environmental conditions? and 2) How can we improve our ability to detect viruses in the indoor environment? To answer the first, we run experiments with several viruses, depositing them in different controlled environments to see how their infectivity changes over time. To answer the second, we are using samples collected by our collaborators from several local childcare centers. We apply several molecular detection techniques to detect viruses in these samples, which helps us understand and improve our sampling and detection procedures for similar sample types.

Faculty Mentor: Evgueni Filipov, [email protected]

Prerequisites: None required, CEE 211 and CEE 212 preferred.

Project Description: This project will explore the potential of mycelium-based biomaterials to create sustainable, biodegradable, negative carbon, and regenerative architecture and construction. Mycelium, the root-like structure of fungi, offers a sustainable and adaptable material that can be combined with other substrates to create lightweight, durable, and potentially self-healing composites.

The student will assist in conducting experiments to analyze mycelium growth and its interactions with organic substrates under controlled conditions. This may include preparing and maintaining cultures, fabricating test samples, and observing material behavior over time. Tasks will involve using basic lab equipment, documenting experimental results, and collaborating to refine testing methods.

The student will gather, analyze, and synthesize research papers, case studies, and technical articles to build a detailed understanding of how such biomaterials can be applied in architecture and construction. Topics of focus will include the mechanical properties of mycelium composites, methods to enhance their strength, and approaches for integration with current building practices. This work offers an opportunity to gain hands-on experience with bio-materials research and contribute to advancing sustainable solutions in the built environment.

Faculty Mentor: Evgueni Filipov, [email protected]

Prerequisites: None required, CEE 211 and CEE 212 preferred.

Project Description: This project focuses on exploring the potential of basket weaving techniques as an innovative methodology for creating 3D functional woven structures and metamaterials. These 3D structures with woven hierarchies possess advantages including high stiffness-to-weight ratios and high resilience to localized damage, which can offer novel applications in consumer devices, automotive components, robotics, and architecture. 

The student will assist in conducting experiments to study how dimensions, the number of ribbons, and the type of weaving pattern influence the stiffness and resilience of 3D woven structures. The research will include fixture design, fabricating prototypes by weaving with different materials (plastic, wood, metal), and testing the structures in different loading scenarios. Tasks will involve using basic lab equipment, documenting experimental results, and collaborating to analyze findings. The student will also focus on exploring how to scale the principles of weaving to create structures at the meter scale that can carry large structural loads. This work offers an opportunity to gain hands-on experience with novel structural design and contribute to advancing concepts of weaving to applications in civil, architectural, robotics, and aerospace.

Faculty Mentor: Alex Szczuka, [email protected]

Project Description: Drinking water disinfection is one of the greatest public health achievements of the twentieth century. Disinfectants readily remove disease-causing pathogens in our water and help prevent millions of deaths from waterborne illnesses.

However, when disinfectants are applied to water, disinfection byproducts, which are probable carcinogens, can form. While some classes of disinfection byproducts are regulated in drinking water, toxicologists have found that disinfection byproducts that are not regulated in drinking water can be orders of magnitude more toxic to cells than regulated disinfection byproducts. In this project, we will develop methods to detect both regulated and unregulated disinfection byproducts in water, and explore how treatment can lower both disinfection byproduct concentrations along with co-contaminants such

as PFAS.  

Research Mode: In Lab

Faculty Mentor: Alex Szczuka, [email protected]

Project Description: Pathogen inactivation is the cornerstone of safe drinking water provision. Typically, drinking water utilities apply chlorine-based disinfectants to inactivate pathogens in water. At the same time, water scarcity caused by climate change and increased water demands caused by increasing populations are leading utilities to turn to alternate sources of water, which are more difficult to treat to protect public health. In this project, we will probe how constituents of impaired waters affect disinfection efficiency, focusing on the impact of water salinization, and the potential for advanced treatment technologies to increase pathogen inactivation.

Research Mode: In Lab