April Z. Gu

April Z. Gu is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University, joining the faculty in 2018. She holds a B.S. from Tsinghua University and a Ph.D. from the University of Washington. Previously, she served as a full professor and program leader at Northeastern University's Department of Environmental Sciences. Her research focuses on applying microbial agents to mitigate environmental pollutants, with emphasis on water quality monitoring, bioremediation, and sustainable wastewater treatment. She is a WEF Fellow (2017) and served on the AEESP Board (2017).

Her research interests include microbial processes in phosphorus cycling, enhanced biological phosphorus removal, and next-generation biosensors. Current projects address climate change impacts on phosphorus utilization, energy-efficient wastewater treatment, and mechanistic toxicity assessment platforms. She has authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles and led interdisciplinary collaborations on water sustainability.

• Education:
  • B.S., Environmental Engineering and Science, Tsinghua University (China)
  • Ph.D., Civil and Environmental Engineering (with Microbiology), University of Washington (USA)
• Awards: WEF Fellow, AEESP Board Member
• Grants/Projects: Includes studies on side-stream EBPR systems, ENRe biotechnology for manure management, and hurricane-impacted water quality.

Her teaching philosophy emphasizes integrative problem-solving and mentors students in water engineering and biotechnology. She leads a research group advancing translational technologies for sustainable water systems.