James Mihelcic

Professor

E-mail: jm41 at mtu.edu

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Textbook: Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 324 pages, 1999 & Fundamentos de Ingenieria Ambiental, 384 pages, Limusa Wiley, 2001

Bachelor's Degree: Environmental Engineering

Master's Degree: Civil Engineering

Ph. D. Degree: Civil Engineering

Biographical Sketch

Dr. James R. Mihelcic is Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Michigan Technological University. He also co-directs the Sustainable Futures Institute and directs the Master’s International Program in Civil & Environmental Engineering. He has devoted personal time in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Jamaica, and Vanuatu working on community-based engineering projects. Dr. Mihelcic currently serves as President-Elect of the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP) and was awarded the AEESP-Wiley Interscience Award for Outstanding Contributions to Environmental Engineering & Science Education in 2002. He is lead author of the textbook, Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering and has published several articles about sustainability and issues of international water & sanitation over the past few years.

Research Emphasis

My research group primarily works on projects associated with: 1) the chemical and biological processes which control the fate and treatment of pollutants in natural and engineered systems, 2) industrial ecology, sustainability, pollution prevention, and environmental risk, and 3) engineering water and sanitation projects that incorporate appropriate technology in the developing world. I currently advise five doctoral students who work on issues of how global change (e.g., climate, population, urbanization) impacts water availability and water quality and I advise students in the Master's International Program in Civil & Environmental Engineering.

Sustainability International Activities

I co-direct the Michigan Tech Sustainable Futures Institute and direct our Master's International Program in Civil & Environmental Engineering. This is program allows a student to combine graduate studies and Peace Corp volunteer work and is the only program of its kind in the world. Check them out at: www.sfi.mtu.edu and www.cee.mtu.edu/sustainable_engineering

Synergistic Activities

Dr. Mihelcic currently directs MTU’s Master’s International Program in Civil & Environmental Engineering (www.cee.mtu.edu/sustainable_engineering). This program allows graduate students to combine graduate coursework and research with a two-year engineering assignment with the U.S. Peace Corps. To date, 24 students have graduated and close to 40 M.S. students are currently enrolled (48% are female or under-represented minority) . These students serve in 19 countries. Dr. Mihelcic also co-directs MTU’s Sustainable Futures Institute (www.sfi.mtu.edu).

In the past 2 years he developed and gained university approval for a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability and an Undergraduate Certificate in “International Sustainable Development Engineering” that provides context for students enrolled in the capstone International Senior Design course.

<>Approximately one half of Dr. Mihelcic’s graduate students have been female (4 of his 5 current doctoral students are female), he has been the primary graduate advisor to several underrepresented minority M.S. and Ph.D. students; and he is currently an Adjunct Graduate Faculty at Southern University and A&M College (Baton Rouge, Louisiana). Dr. Mihelcic served as lead faculty advisor to a team of students from MTU and Southern that was awarded an Honorable Mention by the Academy of Sciences in the EPA People, Prosperity, and Plant (P3) Contest and a Mondialogo Worldwide Engineering Award made by UNESCO and Daimler Chrysler. The project was focused on development of sustainable construction materials for the developing world.

Experience

<>Professor (9/00-present), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan Tech
Adjunct Doctoral Faculty (9/1/04 to present), Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, LA

Co-Director (1/2004 to present), Co-Director, Michigan Tech Sustainable Futures Institute
Associate Professor (9/95-8/00) Michigan Technological University
Assistant Professor (9/89-9/95) Michigan Technological University
Environmental Engineer (9/88-9/89) Solid and Hazardous Waste Engineering, ABB Environmental, Inc.,     Portland, Maine
Engineering Fellow (6/88-9/88) Office of Underground Storage Tanks, US Environmental Protection
     Agency, Wash., DC
Research Assistant (9/83-5/88) Department of Civil Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh,     Pennsylvania
Supervising Engineer (7/81-6/83) Waste, Wastewater, and Utilities Division, LTV Steel Corporation,
     Aliquippa, PA

Special Achievements and/or Awards

2006-2007, President Elect, Association of Environmental Engineering & Science Professors
2004-2007 Board of Directors, Association of Environmental Engineering & Science Professors<><>
<><>2006 Awarded Outstanding Environmental Engineering/Water Resources Faculty by Michgian Tech Society for Environmental Engineering<>
<><>2002 Association of Environmental Engineering & Science Professors-Wiley Interscience Award for Outstanding Contributions to Environmental Engineering &Science Education
1998 Civil & Environmental Engineering Howard E. Hill Outstanding Faculty of the Year Award
1991 NSF Research Initiation Award
1991 Finalist for the Michigan Tech Distinguished Teaching Award
1988 Engineering Science-Association of Environmental Engineering Professors Doctoral Thesis Award
1988 American Association for the Advancement of Science-U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Science and Engineering Fellow
1986 Graduate Student award in Environmental Chemistry, American Chemical Society
1980 Elected to Chi Epsilon, Civil Engineering Honor Society

Professional Affiliations

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Association of Environmental Engineering Scientists and Professors (AEESP)
Water Environment Federation: Michigan Water Environment Federation
American Society for Engineering Education
International Society for Industrial Ecology (ISIE)
Engineers Without Borders-USA

Examples of Published Works and Copyrighted Software

Published Software
BiofilterTM: Biofilter Model Software, Authors: JC Crittenden, H Hautakangas, H Li, JR Mihelcic, E Oman, Michigan Technological University, National Center for Clean Industrial and Treatment Technologies Environmental Technologies Design Option Tool, Version 1.1 2002.

Textbook
Mihelcic, JR, MT Auer, DW Hand, RE Honrath, JA Perlinger, NR Urban, MR Penn, Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering, 335 pages, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York, 1999.

Mihelcic, JR, MT Auer, DW Hand, RE Honrath, JA Perlinger, NR Urban, MR Penn, Fundamentos de Ingenieria Ambiental, 384 pages, Limusa Wiley, Balderas, Mexico, 2001.

Publications

<>Recent Conferece Proceedings
Fuchs, V.J. and J.R. Mihelcic, “Engineering Education for International Sustainability: Curriculum Design under the Sustainable Futures Model, Proceedings of the 5^th Annual ASEE Global Colloquium on Engineering Education, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, October 9-12, 2006. <>

Fry, L.M. and J.R. Mihelcic, “Integrating a Global Perspective into Graduate Engineering Education & Research,” Proceedings of the 5^th Annual ASEE Global Colloquium on Engineering Education, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, October 9-12, 2006. <>

Paterson, K., D. Watkins, J.R. Mihelcic, L. Phillips, “International Service Engineering across Academic Borders,” Conference Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education, Chicago, IL, Paper 1098, 10 pages, 2006.

Cowden, J.R, Mihelcic, J.R., & Watkins, D.W. “Domestic Rainwater Harvesting Assessment to Improve Water Supply and Health in Africa’s Urban Slums”. Proc. 2006 World Environmental & Water Resources Congress, Omaha, NE, May 21-25, 2006.

<>Watkins, D.W. Jr., J.R. Mihelcic, L.D. Phillips, and K.G. Paterson, “Contributions and Impacts of International Water Resources Activities at Michigan Tech University,” Proc. 2006 World Environmental & Water Resources Congress, Omaha, NE, May 21-25, 2006.

Watkins, D.W., J. McConville, and B. Barkdoll, “Metrics for Sustainable Water Use,” Proceedings, EWRI World Water and Environmental Resources Congress, Salt Lake City, UT, June 2004.

Journals & Book Chapters
Mihelcic, JR, TD Eatmon, Jr., RA Harris, HE Muga,” Engineering Sustainable Construction Materials for the Developing World: A Meta-discipline Approach to Engineering Education,” International Journal of Engineering Education, in press, 2007.

Hokanson, DR, JR Mihelcic, LD Phillips, “Educating Undergraduate & Graduate Engineers to Achieve a More Sustainable Future: Education & Diversity Initiatives with a Global Perspective,” International Journal of Engineering Education, in press, 2007.

McConville, J.R., and J.R. Mihelcic, “Adapting Life Cycle Thinking Tools to Evaluate Project Sustainability in International Water and Sanitation Development Work,” Environmental Engineering Science, in press, 2007.

<>Hokanson, D.R.., Q. Zhang, J.R. Cowden, A.M. Troschinetz, J.R. Mihelcic, D.M. Johnson, “Challenges to Implementing Drinking Water Technologies in Developing World Countries, “ Environmental Engineer, in press, 2007.

Ahrens, BT and JR Mihelcic, “Making Wastewater Construction Projects Sustainable in Urban, Rural, and Peri-Urban Areas,” Journal of Engineering for Sustainable Development: Energy, Environment, Health, 1(1):13-32, 2006.

Fry, L, JR Mihelcic, DW Watkins, Jr.,” Improving Public Health by Improving Water Supply: Results from Springbox Projects in Cameroon,” Journal of Engineering for Sustainable Development: Energy, Environment, Health, 1(1):33-42, 2006.

Mihelcic, JR, LD Phillips, DW Watkins, Jr., “Integrating a Global Perspective into Engineering Education & Research: Engineering International Sustainable Development,” Environmental Engineering Science, 23(3): 426-438, 2006.

Mihelcic, JR and DR Hokanson, “Educational Solutions: For a more Sustainable Future,” in Environmental Solutions, Eds: NL Nemerow and FJ Agardy, Elsevier, pg. 25-58, 2005.

Li, H, DR Lueking, JR Mihelcic, K Peterson, “Biogeochemical Analysis of Hydrogen Sulfide Removal by a Lava Rock Packed Biofilter,” Water Environment Research, 77(2):179-186, 2005.

Martin, Jr., RW, CR Baillod, JR Mihelcic, “Low Temperature Inhibition of the Activated Sludge Process by an Industrial Discharge Containing the Azo Dye Acid Black 1,” Water Research, 39(1):17-28, 2005.

Baker, JR, D Gamberger, JR Mihelcic, A Sabljić “Evaluation of an Artificial Intelligence Based Model to Estimate Chemical Biodegradability,” Molecules, 9:989-1004, 2004.

Martin Jr., RW, JR Mihelcic, JC Crittenden, “Design and Performance Characterization Strategy using Modeling for Biofiltration Control of Odorous Hydrogen Sulfide,” Journal of Air and Waste Management Association, 54:834-844, 2004.

Mihelcic, JR “Educating Tomorrow’s Global Engineer through a Unique Partnership with the U.S. Peace Corps,” Woman Engineer, 25(1):30-33, 2004.

Mihelcic, JR, “Educating the Future’s Water Professional, Water Environment Technology, 16(9):86-92, 2004.

Mihelcic, JR, JC Crittenden, MJ Small, DR Shonnard, DR Hokanson, Q Zhang, H Chen, SA Sorby, VU James, JW Sutherland, JL Schnoor, “Sustainability Science and Engineering: Emergence of a New Metadiscipline, Environmental Science & Technology, 37(23):5314-5324, 2003.

Orr, BD, JR Mihelcic, TJ Van Dam, “Engineering Help while Getting a Degree,” IEEE Potentials, 22(2):32-34, 2003

McNally, DL, JR Mihelcic, JM Stapleton, “Bioremediation of Contaminated Soil and Groundwater,” in Environmental and Ecological Chemistry, Edited by Aleksandar Sabljic, in Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), Developed under the Auspices of the UNESCO, EOLSS Publishers Co, Oxford, UK, 2003.

Penn, MR, J Pauer, JR Mihelcic, “Biochemical Oxygen Demand,” in Environmental and Ecological Chemistry, Edited by Aleksandar Sabljic, in Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), Developed under the Auspices of the UNESCO, EOLSS Publishers Co, Oxford, UK, 2003.

Li, H, JR Mihelcic, JC Crittenden, KA Anderson, “Field Measurements and Modeling of a Two-Stage Biofilter that Treats Odorous Sulfur Emissions,” Journal of Environmental Engineering, 129(8), 684-692, 2003.

Zhang, Q., JC Crittenden, D Shonnard, and JR Mihelcic, "Development and Evaluation of an Environmental Multimedia Fate Model CHEMGL for the Great Lakes Region," Chemosphere, 50(10), 1377-1397, 2003.

Li, H, JC Crittenden, JR Mihelcic, H Hautakangas, “Optimization of Biofiltration for Odor Control: Model Development and Parameter Sensitivity, Water Environment Research, 74(1):5-16, 2002.

Martin, RW, H Li., JR Mihelcic, JC Crittenden, DR Lueking, CR Hatch, P Ball, “Optimization of Biofiltration for Odor Control: Model Verification and Applications. Water Environment Research, 74(1):17-27, 2002.

Qiong Zhang, John C. Crittenden, and James R. Mihelcic, "Does Simplifying Transport and Exposure Yield Reliable Results for Pollution Prevention Decision? An Analysis of Four Risk Assessment Methods," Environmental Science and Technology, 35(6):1282-1288, 2002.

Baker, JR, JR Mihelcic, A Sabljic, “Reliable QSAR for Estimating Koc for Persistent Organic Pollutants: Correlation with Molecular Connectivity Indices,” Chemosphere, 45(2): 213-221, 2001.

Solomon, B.E. and J.R. Mihelcic, “Standardized Environmental Management Codes & Continuous Environmental Improvements: Insights From the Chemical Industry,” Business Strategy & The Environment, 10(4):215-224, , 2001.

McNally, DL and JR Mihelcic, “Petroleum Hydrocarbon Degradation in Soils: Monitoring Cell Growth as a Measure of Performance,” In: AEESP Environmental Engineering Processes Laboratory Manual (Eds: SE Powers, J Bisogni, J Burken, K Pagilla), Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors, Champaign IL, 2001.

Stapleton, JM and JR Mihelcic, “Darcy’s Law and Hydraulic Conductivity,” In: AEESP Environmental Engineering Processes Laboratory Manual (Eds: SE Powers, J Bisogni, J Burken, K Pagilla), Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors, Champaign IL, 2001.

Baker, JR, JR Mihelcic, E. Shea, Estimating Koc for Persistent Organic Pollutants: Limitations of Correlations with Kow, 41:813-817, Chemosphere, 2000.

Cusack, CC and JR Mihelcic, Copper Toxicity in Sediments of the Torch Lake Great Lakes Area of Concern, in press, 25(4):735-743, Journal of Great Lakes Research, 1999.

Hautakangas, H, JR Mihelcic, JC Crittenden, EJ Oman, Optimization and Modeling of Biofiltration for Odor Control, Proceedings of the Water Environment Federation Conference & Exposition, October 10-13, 1999.

DL McNally, JR Mihelcic, DR Lueking, "Biodegradation of Mixtures of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Under Aerobic and Nitrate-Reducing Conditions," Chemosphere, 38:1313-1322, 1999.

Baker, JR, MW Milke, JR Mihelcic, " Relationship Between Chemical and Theoretical Oxygen Demand for Specific Classes of Organic Chemicals, " Water Research, 33(2):327-334, 1999.

Whitman, B.E., D.R. Lueking, J.R. Mihelcic. "Naphthalene uptake by Pseudomonas isolate UPER-1," Canadian Journal of Microbiology, 44:1086-1093, 1998.

McNally, DL, JR Mihelcic, DR Lueking, " Degradation of 3- and 4-Ring Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons under Denitrification Conditions," Environmental Science and Technology, 32(17):2633-2639,1998.

McNally, DL, JR Mihelcic, DR Lueking, " Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Degrading Microorganisms in Great Lakes’ Sediments," Journal of Great Lakes Research, 24(2):392-403, 1998.

Baker, JR, JR Mihelcic, DC Luehrs, JP Hickey, " Evaluation of Estimation Methods for Organic Carbon Normalized Sorption Coefficients," Water Environment Research, 69:136-145, 1997.

Mihelcic, JR, A Pritschow, DR Lueking, "Uptake of Dissolved and Oil Phase Organic Chemicals by Bacteria," Ground Water Monitoring and Remediation, 100-106, Summer, 1995.

Whitman, BE, JR Mihelcic, DR Lueking, "Naphthalene Biosorption in Low and High Sorptive Soil-Water Systems," Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 43:539-544, 1995.

Mihelcic, JR, DL McNally, DR Lueking, "Effect of Different Surfactant Concentrations on Naphthalene Biodegradation" in "Surfactant-Enhanced Subsurface Remediation" Eds: DA Sabatini, RC Knox, JH Harwell, ACS, Washington, DC, 112-123, 1995.

Stapleton, JM, JR Mihelcic, DR Lueking, "Sorption and Desorption Kinetics of Pyrene onto a Great Lakes Sediment," Journal of Great Lakes Research, 20(3)561-568, 1994.

Mihelcic, JR, DR Lueking, R Mitzel, and JM Stapleton, "Bioavailability of Sorbed -and Separate- Phase Organic Chemicals," Biodegradation, 4:141-153, 1993.

Harrington, JR, JR Mihelcic, TL Planinsek, RA Lewis, "FATE Estimates Pollutant Treatability" Water Environment and Technology, 5(3) 49-53, 1993.

Mihelcic, JR, CR Baillod, JC Crittenden, and TN Rogers, "Estimation of VOC Emissions from Wastewater Facilities by Volatilization and Stripping," Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association, 43(1) 97-105, 1993.

Mihelcic, JR and RG Luthy, "Sorption and Microbial Degradation of Naphthalene in Soil-Water Suspensions Under Denitrification Conditions," Environmental Science and Technology, 25(1) 169-177, 1991.

Mihelcic, JR and RG Luthy, "Microbial Degradation of Acenaphthene and Naphthalene Under Denitrification Conditions in Soil-Water Systems," Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 54(5) 1188-1198, 1988.

Mihelcic, JR and RG Luthy, "Adsorption of Lead and Zinc on Blast Furnace Iron Oxide Solids," Journal of the Water Pollution Control Federation, 58(5): 242-249, 1986.

Last updated: December 18,, 2006