Winter – Dec to Jan 2025
ECU CSE3 Newsletter
Welcome to the latest edition of the Center for Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering Winter Newsletter!
We’re excited to share the latest happenings at our center. In this edition, you’ll get an insider’s look at the recent activities that have kept us busy, as well as a closer look at the amazing individuals who make our center thrive. From our Student Spotlight to Professor Spotlight, we highlight the inspiring people behind our success. You’ll also find updates on student engagement initiatives, and a preview of upcoming events. Thank you for accompanying us on this journey.
Student Spotlight
Brooke Butler is a senior in the environmental engineering concentration and will be graduating in May 2025. She started working with CSE3 in the fall of 2023 on the UNC Research Opportunities Initiative project related to wastewater treatment. Brooke initially spent most of her time conducting laboratory analysis for samples collected from hybrid treatment wetland systems used to treat human and aquaculture wastewater. In the fall of 2024, she began her own independent research and developed a spreadsheet that will allow those not familiar with wastewater treatment to estimate wetland sizes needed to treat different contaminants. This is a great contribution to the use of ecological engineering technology and nature-based solutions in areas that may not have had the resources to evaluate the use of treatment wetland systems before.
Welcome to the team!
We are excited to welcome Babacar Niass a sophomore student in the Mechanical Engineering program, to our center. Babacar will be supporting the center by working alongside the Pollution Prevention team and contributing to cutting-edge energy research. We’re thrilled to have him join us and look forward to the valuable insights and contributions he will bring to our projects. Please join us in welcoming Babacar to the team!
Recent Activities
The center has started the new year on a high note with several exciting developments and ongoing initiatives. One of the highlights is the recent grant awarded to the Nature-based Solutions Team for monitoring the effectiveness of projects for restoring water quality in Lake Mattamuskeet.
The Pollution Prevention (P2) team has been busy working on impactful projects. They are currently creating detailed reports with recommendations and cost-benefit analyses to help companies improve energy efficiency and reduce their environmental impact. These reports provide actionable insights to help businesses operate more sustainably.
Professor Spotlight: Meet Our Esteemed Faculty
Dr. Kanchan K. Das is a distinguished professor at the College of Engineering at ECU, with a deep expertise in supply chain management and manufacturing systems. His research interests span planning and designing supply chain networks, integrating quality management systems, and enhancing resiliency in operations. Additionally, Dr. Das focuses on sustainability in supply chain management, emphasizing the integration of lean and green practices to improve both environmental impact and operational efficiency. He actively contributes to our center as a valuable member of the technical team, conducting energy and lean assessments. His insights are particularly beneficial in refining processes within manufacturing facilities.
Upcoming Events
In the coming weeks, the P2 team will also be hosting a series of webinars and workshops to continue supporting environmental sustainability efforts:
Webinars
Webinar 1
Managing Environmental Data, featuring Myrna Pacheco, Environmental Engineer from Avient, on January 22 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM
Webinar 2
Energy Efficiency Practices, featuring Dale Cranford, Energy Project Sales Engineer from Piedmont Service Group on February 13 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM.
Webinar 3
Mitigating pollution by reducing methane in the oil and gas industry: an overview of the Methane Emissions Reduction Program featuring Sarah Busch, General Engineer from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on March 13 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM.
Workshops
Workshop 1
Sustainability in Manufacturing on January 27, from 9 AM to 1 PM. Location: East Carolina University; SciTech Building, Room: 144 A.
Workshop 2
Clean and Green: Pollution Prevention Strategies for Manufacturers, on February 27 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Location: Washington Civic Center; 110 Gladden St, Washington, NC 27889.