Kartik Chandran

Dr. Kartik Chandran serves as a Visiting Professor at Tecnológico de Monterrey's School of Engineering and Sciences while maintaining his primary position as Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering at Columbia University's Henry Krumb School of Mines. His dual appointments reflect his international impact in environmental engineering and wastewater treatment innovation.

Dr. Chandran's research expertise spans environmental engineering and microbiology, water quality engineering, sustainable resource recovery, and circular economy applications in wastewater management. His work fundamentally re-engineers microbial nitrogen cycles to create resource-efficient sanitation systems that simultaneously address carbon, water, and energy challenges. A key innovation involves tailoring mixed microbial communities to decarbonize wastewater treatment while recovering valuable resources.

His publication record demonstrates consistent leadership in the field, with recent articles focusing on microbial community engineering (2025), anaerobic digestion optimization (2024), universal sanitation frameworks (2024), denitrification processes (2022), and microplastic impacts on treatment systems (2022). These works reveal a strong trend toward integrated solutions that bridge fundamental microbiology with practical sanitation applications.

• MacArthur Foundation Fellow (2015)
• Paul L. Busch Award from Water Environment Research Foundation (2010)
• Committee member on National Academies' Grand Challenges in Environmental Engineering (2017–2018)

With over 60 funded projects, Dr. Chandran has successfully translated research into real-world applications across global communities. His leadership extends to editorial roles in major journals and participation in standard-setting organizations like the International Water Association. At Tecnológico de Monterrey, he contributes specialized expertise in advanced wastewater treatment technologies, enhancing the institution's environmental engineering capabilities.