Education
Master of Science, Environmental Engineering, 2024
Duke University
Bachelor of Engineering, Environmental Engineering, 2022
South China University of Technology
Research Interests
I grew up in Lanzhou, a city in northwestern China. My passion for environmental engineering began due to the severe air pollution in my hometown. After graduating from high school, I went to South China University of Technology in Guangzhou, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering, specializing in air pollution control. Following my undergraduate studies, I joined Duke University for my master’s degree, where I became deeply interested in environmental microbiology and biotechnology applications that address broader environmental challenges and contribute to climate resilience and sustainability. For my master’s project, I worked with Dr. Marc Deshusses on developing a biotrickling filter with methanogens under varying pressures to upgrade raw biogas to renewable natural gas. I also developed a process model to predict and optimize its performance.
With my ongoing interest in environmental microbiology and biotechnology, I joined Dr. Delgado Vela’s research group in 2024 to pursue a doctoral degree. My Ph.D. work will focus on sustainable wastewater treatment, specializing in nitrogen cycling and nutrient removal. I plan to incorporate in-depth investigations (e.g., bioinformatics, quorum sensing) to explore the versatility of different denitrifying microorganisms. In addition to understanding these mechanisms, I am also passionate about novel reactor design, operation, modeling, and process optimization. In the future, I plan to work on membrane aerated biofilm reactors (MABRs) to facilitate advanced and simultaneous nitrification and denitrification.
Awards, Honors, and Distinctions
Graduate with Honors - SCUT, China (2022)
Outstanding National Undergraduate Independent Research Project, Leader - SCUT, China (2021-2022)
Academic Merit (top 10%) Scholarship - SCUT, China (2021)
Other Interests
In my spare time, I love playing basketball, billiards, singing, travelling, and cooking. I am a big fan of Chinese Kungfu Tea. I also enjoy reading and watching movies, picking up fun facts and some languages!