معرفی
Ezra L. Cates is an Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at Clemson University, affiliated with the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences. He leads the Cates Lab, focusing on radiation-based environmental technologies, including photocatalytic processes for water treatment and UVC disinfection. His work integrates materials science and environmental engineering to address challenges like PFAS contamination and biofilm control.
Educated at the University of North Carolina - Asheville (B.S., 2007), Georgia Tech (Ph.D., 2013), and Yale University (Postdoc, 2013–2014), Cates has received prestigious awards such as the 2019 EPA Early Career Award and the 2021 UV Technology Paper of the Year. His research emphasizes sustainable solutions for water treatment, including advanced oxidation processes and photocatalytic materials.
Key research areas include UVC LED reactors, PFAS degradation using bismuth oxyhydroxy phosphate and boron nitride, and optimizing reactor configurations for contaminant removal. His lab collaborates with industry partners like Ardurra Group and has secured grants from the EPA, DoD, and NASA.
- Grants: $1.01M for PFAS destruction (DoD), $458K EPA STAR grant, and $700K NASA project.
- Lab Members: Mojtaba Qanbarzadeh (Ph.D., 2024), Laura DiGiacomo (EREF Fellow), and others advancing photocatalytic systems.
- Teaching: Courses include Environmental Engineering, Solid Waste Management, and Water Treatment Operations.
Recent publications highlight advancements in PFAS degradation mechanisms, UV reactor design, and biofilm dynamics under UVC irradiation. The lab’s innovations aim to bridge materials science and environmental sustainability, addressing global water quality challenges.
