Gerald Speitel

Gerald Speitel is the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and holds the C.W. Cook Professorship in Environmental Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. He is affiliated with the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering within the College of Engineering. His research focuses on environmental and water resources engineering, particularly treatment processes for hazardous organic chemicals, drinking water treatment systems, and computer modeling of environmental processes.

Education:

• Ph.D., Environmental Engineering, University of North Carolina, 1985
• M.S.E.E., Environmental Engineering, University of North Carolina, 1979
• B.S.C.E., Civil Engineering, Union College, 1976

Research Interests:

• Biodegradation and adsorption of hazardous chemicals
• Monochloramine and bromamine decomposition kinetics
• Disinfection byproduct formation and control
• Nitrifying biofilm and cometabolism processes
• Formaldehyde adsorption on modified activated carbon

Recent Contributions: His work addresses critical challenges in chloramination kinetics, haloamine behavior in water systems, and advanced treatment technologies for water safety. He has developed novel methodologies for analyzing disinfectant degradation and by-product formation, with a focus on practical applications in drinking water infrastructure.

Other Activities: Dr. Speitel’s expertise extends to environmental biotechnology and the design of sustainable water treatment systems. His research often integrates laboratory experiments with computational modeling to optimize treatment processes.