About
Julie Zimmerman is the Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the Yale School of the Environment and a Professor in both the Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering at the Yale School of Engineering and Applied Science and the School of the Environment. She also holds an appointment in Epidemiology (Environmental Health Sciences) and serves as Deputy Director of the Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering at Yale. Additionally, she is the Editor-in-Chief of Environmental Science & Technology, a premier journal in the environmental sciences.
- Ph.D., University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- B.S., University of Virginia
Her research is centered on green chemistry and green engineering, with a focus on designing sustainable products, processes, and systems. Key areas include developing water treatment technologies for inorganic contaminants using nanomaterials like chitosan-metal composites, advancing integrated biorefineries using supercritical fluid technologies, and promoting the design of safer chemicals and nanomaterials. Her work integrates life cycle assessment, policy analysis, and industrial ecology to address sustainability challenges.
Her recent publications reflect a strong trend toward emerging environmental health issues, particularly the chemical composition and health implications of e-cigarettes and novel tobacco products. She also publishes on circular economy modeling, nanomaterial synthesis, and environmental policy. Her editorial leadership further amplifies her influence in shaping the direction of environmental science research.
- Elected Member, National Academy of Engineering, 2025
- Fellow, Royal Society of Chemistry, 2015
- Elected Member, Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, 2015
- Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize, ASCE, 2012
- Multiple EPA Medals for Commendable Service
- University of Michigan Distinguished Dissertation Award, 2004
Dr. Zimmerman advises a large group of PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, many of whom have gone on to academic and leadership positions. Her lab is supported by major grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other agencies, including the NSF Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT) and the Yale Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science. Her lab, the Zimmerman Lab, fosters interdisciplinary research at the intersection of engineering, chemistry, and public policy.
Research fields
