Lijie Zhang

Dr. Lijie Zhang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). Their research focuses on interfacial processes controlling the fate and transformation of environmental pollutants and resources in natural and engineered systems. Dr. Zhang leads the NJIT Environmental Biogeochemistry and Engineering (EBE) Lab, which investigates topics such as mercury methylation, contaminant adsorption, and geochemical processes in subsurface systems.

Educational Background:

• Ph.D. in Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis (2018)
• B.S. in Environmental Science and Engineering from Tsinghua University (2012)

Research Interests:

• Environmental geochemistry of mercury and other heavy metals
• Biogeochemical transformations in aquatic and soil systems
• Advanced materials for contaminant remediation
• Machine learning applications in environmental monitoring
• Subsurface engineering for CO₂ and hydrogen storage

Key Contributions:

• Developed novel methods to characterize mercury methylation by methanotrophs
• Investigated phosphonate- and phosphate-driven mineral dissolution under subsurface conditions
• Pioneered electric-magnetic-responsive hydrogels for forward osmosis
• Advanced understanding of biogeochemical drivers in Arctic wetland soils

Honors & Awards:

• 2020 Outstanding Post-Graduate Researcher Award (Oak Ridge National Lab)
• 2018 Doctoral Student Research Award (Washington University)
• 2018 Student Travel Award (American Chemical Society)

Lab & Collaborations:

• Directs the NJIT EBE Lab (https://sites.google.com/view/njitebp)
• Active in Arctic fieldwork and geochemical modeling collaborations
• Focuses on bridging molecular-scale mechanisms with field-scale environmental engineering solutions