Hossain Azam

Dr. Hossain Azam is an Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), specializing in water and wastewater treatment, solid waste management, and environmental sustainability. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has held academic positions at Manhattan College and George Washington University. His research focuses on resource recovery, the water-energy-food-climate nexus, and innovative environmental engineering solutions.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• M.Sc. in Civil Engineering, North Carolina State University
• B.Sc. in Civil Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology

Research Interests:

Dr. Azam’s work addresses critical challenges in environmental engineering, including sustainable wastewater treatment, solid waste management, and the integration of circular economy principles. His research combines experimental and modeling approaches to advance technologies like anaerobic digestion for biogas production, struvite recovery, and nutrient removal from hydroponic systems. He also explores the intersection of climate change, energy systems, and environmental policy.

Grants & Awards:

• National Science Foundation grants for integrating the water-energy-food-climate nexus into education and climate change impact analysis
• U.S. Department of Agriculture funding for optimizing methane and hydrogen production from agricultural waste
• NASA grant for space technology research in aquaponics and in-situ material utilization
• 2023 nominee for UDC’s Best Teaching Award and 2024 Best Collaborator Award

Leadership & Service:

As Graduate Program Director for Civil Engineering at UDC (2022–2025), he oversees curriculum development and student mentorship. He also serves on the UDC Faculty Senate and has led interdisciplinary initiatives to enhance engineering education through hands-on projects and industry collaboration.

Labs & Teams:

Dr. Azam’s research group focuses on experimental and computational studies in wastewater treatment, resource recovery, and environmental sustainability. Collaborations with institutions like DC Water and NASA extend his work to real-world applications in urban infrastructure and space technology.