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Syracuse · United States

PhD Position in Sustainable Wastewater Treatment & Resource Recovery

Syracuse University

View Details
Funding
Fully Funded
Deadline
Rolling
Tuition
Duration
5 years

Research Areas

Summary

Research group recruitment under Environmental Engineering at Syracuse University, focused on sustainable wastewater treatment with an emphasis on resource recovery and energy recovery via microbial community control. Current themes include EBPR, low-oxygen biological nutrient removal, fermentation-based resource recovery, and PFAS fate/biotransformation; funding and formal application deadlines are TBD.

Program Overview

  • Type: PhD
  • Department: Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University
  • Recruitment scope: PhD / MS / Visiting Student (lab recruitment)
  • Study mode: TBD
  • Duration: 4–5 years (PhD track); MS / Visiting Student: TBD
  • Intake size: TBD
  • Start date: TBD
  • Last updated: 2026-03-05

Funding Details

  • Funding type: TBD
  • Stipend: TBD
  • Tuition coverage: TBD
  • Health insurance: TBD
  • Other benefits: TBD

Research Areas

  • Sustainable Wastewater Treatment
  • Wastewater Resource Recovery
  • Wastewater Energy Recovery
  • Biological Nutrient Removal
  • Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal
  • Low-Oxygen Nutrient Removal
  • Fermentation-Based Resource Recovery
  • PFAS Fate And Biotransformation
  • Microbial Community Ecology
  • Wastewater Process Modeling

Advisor / Contact

  • PI: Prof. Fabrizio Sabba, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University
  • Email: fsabba@syr.edu
  • Lab: Sabba Lab (Environmental Engineering) — TBD
  • Lab website: TBD (QR code referenced; URL not provided)

Eligibility

  • TBD

How to Apply

  • Step 1: Email Prof. Sabba to express interest (fsabba@syr.edu)
  • Suggested email contents (from source):
    • Brief self-introduction
    • What you have done (projects / research experience)
    • What you want to work on (research interests)
    • Why you find these topics compelling
  • Apply via: Email (fsabba@syr.edu)
  • Apply via (lab website): TBD

Application Windows

  • TBD

Source URL

  • TBD

Notes

  • Research framing: shifting wastewater treatment from a cost center to a resource/energy recovery platform (recovering carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus via microbial “community” control).
  • Example application contexts mentioned: wastewater treatment systems and (for PFAS) landfill leachate.
  • Lab culture is described as bridging basic science and engineering practice (microbial ecology ↔ reactor/process modeling; lab work ↔ utility/consulting/industry collaboration).
  • Acronyms (for reference): EBPR = Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal; PFAS = per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances; “Low-DO” refers to low dissolved oxygen operation (energy-saving via reduced aeration).

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