Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Archives

silhouettes of two firefighters standing in front of massive wilfdire

Is wildfire soot leaving a mark on the world’s oceans?

When clouds of smoke and ash billow out over the ocean, stretching away from the wildfires that are their source, they might not just affect the air quality, according to research by Aron Stubbins, associate professor of marine and environmental sciences at Northeastern.

by Eva Botkin-Kowacki September 17, 2021

A new sustainability seminar lets students propose their own sustainability program. They learn to think critically and propose solutions, says Jacob Glickel, who works in the Office of Sustainability. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University

New course to cultivate ideas about how to expand campus sustainability efforts

A weekly seminar this fall will bring together researchers, campus operations, and people who live near the Boston campus into the discussion about the environment. Universities are anchors in their communities, and the class is an opportunity to demonstrate best practices for environmental sustainability and resilience, say faculty experts.

by Peter Ramjug September 7, 2021

Can a robot seal air leaks to help this old (and cold) house?

Northeastern won a $200,000 award from the U.S. Energy Department to scale up a model that could one day help with the back-breaking work of filling in energy-wasting air leaks in the crawl spaces of old homes.

by Peter Ramjug August 24, 2021

Our plastic pollution problem may have more significant consequences than we think

Plastics are a pervasive source of pollution. And they might also be significantly altering the Earth’s carbon cycle and our ability to monitor it, according to research by Northeastern’s Aron Stubbins.

by Eva Botkin-Kowacki July 6, 2021

A bottle of spring water inspired this Fulbright scholar to study advanced farming in Iceland

En route to Reykjavik eight years ago, Tyler Gogal, a mechanical engineering student, received a bottle of pure Icelandic spring water. He still has that bottle today—a symbol of his future academic career in water resource engineering at the University of Iceland thanks to the Fulbright Open Study/Research Award.

by Emily Arntsen - contributor and April 14, 2021

Hurricane Laura is the strongest storm to hit Louisiana in 160 years. How can communities defend themselves against it?

As state and local officials brace for Hurricane Laura’s impact, they rely on numerical weather prediction models developed by researchers like Qin Jim Chen, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northeastern, to help them make decisions about road closures, flood monitoring, and evacuation orders, along with other life-and-death matters.

by Khalida Sarwari August 28, 2020

Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Face masks help prevent you from spreading the coronavirus. But can they prevent you from catching it?

The scientific evidence is growing about the importance of masks in fighting COVID-19. But one important question is whether homemade masks can protect people wearing them. The answer depends on the fit of a mask and the materials within it, research by Northeastern engineers suggests.

by Roberto Molar Candanosa July 29, 2020

Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

Our drinking water was always full of microbes. Are the wrong ones thriving in the pandemic?

It’s been months, and life has changed dramatically across the planet. Zooming in where only a microscope can see, Northeastern researchers are trying to determine how the lifestyle changes caused by COVID-19 might be helping harmful bacteria grow in our drinking water.

by Roberto Molar Candanosa June 25, 2020

Ming Wang, distinguished professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northeastern, developed a testing device to monitor glucose levels using rapid saliva samples. The device, he says, can be tweaked to test for COVID-19. Photo illustration by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Could a new tool for diabetes patients solve the problem of coronavirus testing?

Ming L. Wang, distinguished professor of civil and environmental engineering, has been perfecting a new home testing kit to monitor diabetes using saliva. Now, he’s redesigning the sensors within it to test for SARS-CoV-2.

by Roberto Molar Candanosa May 1, 2020

Questions about how to make homemade face masks that will seal your nose from the novel coronavirus abound. Loretta Fernandez, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, is starting to get some answers. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Pantyhose? Toilet paper? Coffee filters? Which materials make the best masks?

The techniques Loretta Fernandez uses to study hazardous environmental pollutants could help determine the best recipe for do-it-yourself face masks to protect people from inhaling the novel coronavirus.

by Roberto Molar Candanosa April 20, 2020