معرفی
Marc Deshusses is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Duke University and Duke Kunshan University, with over two decades of experience in environmental engineering research and education. His work bridges fundamental research with practical applications for global sanitation and pollution challenges.
Dr. Deshusses received his Ph.D. from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Switzerland) in 1994. His research program focuses on innovative approaches to environmental challenges, with particular emphasis on waste treatment technologies that can be deployed in both developed and developing contexts.
Deshusses' research interests span multiple interconnected domains including environmental remediation, waste-to-energy conversion, decentralized sanitation systems, biofilm engineering, advanced oxidation processes, and mathematical modeling of environmental systems. A significant portion of his recent work centers on Supercritical Water Oxidation (SCWO) technology for destroying persistent contaminants like PFAS ('forever chemicals') and developing novel sanitation solutions for resource-limited settings. His lab has pioneered the Anaerobic Digestion Pasteurization Latrine (ADPL) system, which provides onsite fecal sludge treatment with pathogen reduction.
His recent publication record reveals a strong focus on PFAS destruction using SCWO technology, with multiple papers analyzing treatment efficiency across different waste matrices including sludge, ion exchange resins, and firefighting foams. Parallel research streams address bioaerosol monitoring, VOC treatment using novel bioreactor designs, and sanitation technologies applicable in developing countries.
- AAAS Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2006)
Dr. Deshusses has successfully mentored numerous graduate students who have gone on to make significant contributions in environmental engineering. His research has been supported by major funding sources including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has enabled his team to develop and field-test sanitation technologies in Kenya and the Philippines. His entrepreneurial spirit led to the founding of 374Water, a company commercializing SCWO technology for PFAS destruction.
The Deshusses lab operates as an interdisciplinary research hub with multiple active projects including the SCWO pilot plant on Duke's campus, which has successfully completed 100-hour continuous operation tests. The lab collaborates with wastewater treatment facilities, government agencies, and international partners to address pressing environmental challenges related to emerging contaminants and sanitation infrastructure.
