Garrett McKay

Garrett McKay is an Assistant Professor in the Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Texas A&M University, holding the A.P. & Florence Wiley Career Development Professorship. His research focuses on aquatic chemistry, environmental redox reactions, and the characterization of dissolved organic matter (DOM). He leads the McKay Lab, which investigates DOM's role in contaminant remediation, photoreactivity, and environmental systems. His work bridges fundamental chemistry with engineering applications, such as PFAS treatment and wildfire-impacted watershed dynamics.

Education:

• Ph.D., Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder (2017)
• M.S., Chemistry, California State University Long Beach (2013)
• B.A., Chemistry, California State University Long Beach (2011)

Research Interests:
His lab explores:

• Aquatic photochemistry and UV-advanced reduction processes for PFAS destruction
• Environmental fate of pyrogenic organic matter from wildfires
• Optical properties of DOM and brown carbon
• DOM reactivity with reactive species like hydrated electrons and singlet oxygen

Scientific Contributions:
Recent work includes developing optical surrogates for DOM characterization, evaluating pH-dependent photochemical processes, and advancing UV-ARP technologies for water treatment. His 2023 Super Reviewer Award highlights peer-review contributions.

Advising & Grants:
Current advisees include Kai Cheng (PhD), Benjamin Fennell, and Ahmad Beyhaqi. Active grants include NSF CAREER funding for chromophore behavior studies and collaborative work on pyrogenic organic matter.

Labs & Teams:
The McKay Lab collaborates with Texas A&M's College of Engineering and external institutions. Research outputs are tracked on Google Scholar and via Twitter @garrettjmckay.