Mai Pham

** **** ******, *** ** White Plains, NY 10603 Phone: 217-***-****; Email: aceqtk@r.postjobfree.com

AGRICULTURAL AND BIOENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER

Accomplished and focused professional with demonstrated expertise in developing physical, chemical and

biological water/wastewater treatment processes for removing natural organic matter, emerging contaminants,

and toxicity. Comprehensive knowledge and experiences in the field of bioenergy production from bio-waste.

Recognized for professionalism, commitment to excellence and ability to handle multiple projects and meet

deadlines under pressure. Self-motivated and able to work independently or in a team. Proficient in MS Office

(Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Project), MatLab, R Project, SigmaPlot, Origin Pro, STELLA. Bilingual and bi-

literate in English and Vietnamese languages.

EDUCATION

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL

• Ph.D., Agricultural and Biological Engineering, December, 2013: Bioenvironmental Engineering

o Thesis: Characterizing the Effects of Hydrothermal Processes on Bio-active Compounds in

Wastewater Bio-energy Systems

o Advisor: Professor Lance Schideman

• M.S., Civil and Environmental Engineering, August, 2009: Water Quality Process Engineering

o Thesis: Deposition Kinetics of Bacteriophage MS2 to Natural Organic Matter: Role of Divalent

Cations

o Advisor: Professor Helen Nguyen

Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam

• B.S., Environmental Science, 2005: Environmental Management

o Graduated with Honors: top 2/87

HONORS AND AWARDS

Vietnam Education Foundation Fellowship for Graduate Study in the US, 2007-2009

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Representative at Conference of Young Scientists at Vietnam National University, 2005

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Annual Vietnamese Government Scholarship for Outstanding Undergraduate Students, 2001-2005

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First prize, Vietnam National University Undergraduate Student Research Competition, 2004

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Second prize, Vietnam Ministry of Education and Training Undergraduate Student Research

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Competition, 2004

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Bio-energy recovery from human, animal and food waste streams

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Integrated wastewater-bioenergy production system

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Effects of waste-to-energy processes such as hydrothermal liquefaction and catalytic hydrothermal

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gasification on the fate of chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) in biowastes

Environmental impacts of waste to energy processes

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W ater and wastewater treatment processes focusing on:

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o Algal-based wastewater treatment systems

o Granular activated carbon for water/wastewater treatment

o Catalytic hydrothermal gasification of wastewater

Interfacial behavior of viruses in natural environment for controlling of emerging waterborne pathogens

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for a sustainable water supply

o Interactions of bacteriophage MS2 with surfaces coated with natural organic matter: Role of

solution compositions

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering

Postdoctoral research associate in Bioenvironmental Engineering Division, actively worked on the

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project “Characterizing the fate and transport of chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) from animal

manures during waste to energy processes”; 2014-Present

o Develop and validate a dynamic process model describing the fate, transport, and transformation of

chemical of emerging concerns in animal manure through an integrated wastewater treatment and

bioenergy production process

Research assistant in Bioenvironmental Engineering Division, actively worked on the project

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“Characterizing Effects of Hydrothermal Liquefaction Bioenergy Production Process on Emerging

Contaminants and Wastewater Reuse Potential”; 2011-2013

o Conducted hydrothermal liquefaction of wet biomass (animal waste, algae, and activated sludge) to

produce renewable bio-crude oil

o Characterized the wastewater generated from hydrothermal liquefaction of wet biomass

o Evaluated toxicity effect of hydrothermal liquefaction wastewater on mammalian cells and algal

growth

o Developed and evaluated the use of algal bioreactors, activated carbon adsorption, and catalytic

gasification to improve chemical and biological quality of hydrothermal liquefaction wastewater

Research assistant in Bioenvironmental Engineering Division, actively worked on the project “Evaluating

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Granular Activated Carbon Filter Caps for Control of Multiple Organic Compounds”; 2009-2011

o Performed bench-scale and pilot scale granular activated carbon column experiments to remove

emerging contaminants and natural organic matter in natural water

o Conducted bench-scale testing to evaluate the reduction of natural organic matter preloading effect

by novel granular activated carbon adsorbents

o Developed and evaluated predictive modeling tools to predict removal of trace contaminants and

natural organic matter by granular activated carbon filter caps

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Research Assistant in Newmark Civil Engineering Laboratory, actively worked on the project

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“Characterizing the Interfacial Behavior of MS2 Bacteriophage in Natural Environment”; 2007-2009

o Cultured, purified viruses, and characterized surface properties of bacteriophage MS2 using

Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) technique

o Investigated fate and transport of bacteriophage MS2 in natural environment using Quartz Crystal

Microbalance with Dissipation (QCM-D)

Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam

Research Assistant at Center of Environmental Modeling and Monitoring, Department of Environmental

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Science, worked on the project “Apply Turbulent Diffusion Models of Pollutants to Estimate Suitable

Height of Factory Chimneys”; 2003-2005

o Collected data of air pollutants from weather stations in Hanoi, Vietnam

o Developed and tested turbulent diffusion models to predict the concentration of air pollutants from

industrial factories in Hanoi, Vietnam

TEACHING AND MENTORING EXPERIENCES

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering

• Teaching assistant for ABE/TSM 430, “Project Management”, Fall 2012

o Authored and delivered lecture material; developed and evaluated homework assignments

• Teaching assistant for TSM 372, “Environmental Control and HVAC Systems”, Fall 2011

o Delivered lab material and instructed lab experiments; evaluated homework assignments

• Teaching assistant for ABE 141, “ABE Principles: Biological”, Spring 2011

o Delivered lab material and instructed lab experiments; evaluated homework assignments

Mentoring as a PhD Student:

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o One Master Student: Bridge Cameron, 2010-2011

o Two Undergraduate Students: Alexandra Breban, 2008-2009; Randy Leibowitz, 2012-Current

Vietnam Forestry University, Hanoi, Vietnam

• Lecturer in “Introduction to Environmental Science”, 2005-2006

o Authored and delivered lecture material

o Developed and evaluated homework assignments and exams

PUBLICATIONS

Pham, M., Schideman,L., Chao, G., Shin, Y., Sharma B.K, Zhang, Y., Plewa, M.J., 2013. Effects of

•

Operating Conditions on the Quality of Wastewater Generated from Hydrothermal Liquefaction of

Chlorella pyrenoidosa. Environmental Science & Technology ( In preparation)

Pham, M., Schideman, L., Sharma B.K., Zhang Y., 2013. Effects of Hydrothermal Liquefaction on the

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Fate of Bioactive Contaminants in Manure and Algal Feedstocks. Bioresource Technology 149, 126-

135.

Pham, M., Schideman, L., Scott, J., Rajagopalan, N., Plewa, M.J., 2013. Chemical and Biological

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Characterization of Wastewater Generated from Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Spirulina. Environmental

Science & Technology 47, 2131-2138.

Zhou, Y., Schideman, L., Zhang, Y., Yu, G., Wang, Z., Pham, M., 2011. Resolving Bottlenecks in

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Current Algal Wastewater Treatment Paradigms: A Synergistic Combination of Low-Lipid Algal

Wastewater Treatment and Hydrothermal Liquefaction for Large-Scale Biofuel Production. Proceedings

of the Water Environment Federation 2011, 347-361.

Pham, M., Mintz, E.A., Nguyen, T.H., 2009. Deposition Kinetics of Bacteriophage MS2 to Natural

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Organic Matter: Role of Divalent Cations. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 338, 1-9.

Yuan, B., Pham, M., Nguyen, T.H., 2008. Deposition kinetics of bacteriophage MS2 on a silica surface

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coated with natural organic matter in a radial stagnation point flow cell. Environmental Science &

Technology 42, 7628-7633.

PRESENTATIONS (*indicates presenter)

Mai Pham*, Lance Schideman. “Characterizing the Effect of Hydrothermal Processes on Bioactive

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Compounds in Wastewater Bioenergy System”. Oral Presentation. Department of Biology, Brooklyn

College. March 04 2014. Brooklyn, New York, USA.

Mai Pham*, B.K. Sharma, Michael Plewa, Lance Schideman. “Characterizing the Effect of Hydrothermal

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Liquefaction on Fate and Transport of Bioactive Compounds in Animal Waste”. Oral presentation.

ASABE Annual International Meeting. July 21-24, 2013. Kansas City, Missouri USA.

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Mai Pham, Lance Schideman. “Chemical and Biological Characterization of Wastewater from

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Hydrothermal Liquefaction Conversion of Biomass to Biofuels”. Oral Presentation. Bioenvironmental

Engineering Meeting. February 20 2013. Urbana, Illinois, USA.

Mai Pham*, Lance Schideman. “Characterizing Effects of Hydrothermal Liquefaction Bioenergy

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Production Process on Emerging Contaminants and Wastewater Reuse Potential”. Oral presentation.

ASABE Annual International Meeting. July 29-August 1 2012. Dallas, Texas, USA.

*

Mai Pham, Lance Schideman. “Evaluating Granular Activated Carbon Filter Caps for Control of

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Disinfection By-product Precursors”. Oral Presentation. Bioenvironmental Engineering Meeting.

February 22 2010. Urbana, Illinois, USA.

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Mai Pham, Lance Schideman. “Destruction of Antibiotic Resistant Genes and Emerging Contaminants

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via a Hydrothermal Liquefaction Process”. Oral Presentation. Bioenvironmental Engineering Meeting.

October 22 2010. Urbana, Illinois, USA.

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Mai Pham, Thanh H.(Helen) Nguyen. “Role of Divalent Cations in the Deposition Kinetics of MS2 Virus

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to Natural Organic Matter”. Oral Presentation. WaterCAMPWS National Science Foundation Site Visit.

June 3-4, 2009. Urbana, Illinois, USA.

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Mai Pham, Thanh H.(Helen) Nguyen. “Deposition Kinetics of Bacteriophage MS2 to Natural Organic

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Matter: Role of Divalent Cations”. Poster Presentation. MRS Annual International Meeting. April 13-19,

2009. San Francisco, California, USA.

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Mai Pham, Thanh H.(Helen) Nguyen. “Deposition Kinetics of Bacteriophage MS2 on a Silica Surface

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Coated with Natural Organic Matter in the Presence of Divalent Cations”. Oral Presentation.

Environmental Engineering Science Symposium. April 8 2008. Urbana, Illinois, USA.

GRANTS AND FUNDING

Characterizing the Fate and Transport of Chemicals of Emerging Concern (CECs) from Animal

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Manures during Waste to Energy Processes (2013-2016)

o Funding Agency: United States Department of Agriculture

o Total Funding: $500,000

o Role: Grant writing, researcher. PI. Co PIs: Prof. Lance Schideman, Prof. Yuanhui Zhang, Dr. B.K.

Sharma; Prof. Michael Plewa

Characterizing the Effects of Thermochemical Bioenergy Production Process on Emerging

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Contaminants and Wastewater Reuse Potential (2011-2012)

o Funding Agency: Illinois Sustainable Technology Center; University of Illinois at Urbana-

Champaign

o Total Funding: $25,000

o Role: Grant writing, researcher. PI. Co PIs: Prof. Yuanhui Zhang, Prof. Lance Schideman, Dr. B.K.

Sharma

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Analysis Technique: Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total

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Trihalomethanes (TTHMs); High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), UV/Visible

Spectrophotometer, Dynamic Light Scattering, Quazt microbalance with dissipation, Liquid Scintillation

Counter, Solid phase extraction; Liquid-Liquid phase extraction,

Technical Skill: Hydrothermal liquefaction and catalytic hydrothermal gasification; Aseptic techniques

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and molecular biology ( e.g., RNA/DNA extraction/purification, DNA electrophoresis and DNA

transformation); Virus, mammalian cell and algae culture; In vitro toxicology assays; Aerobic batch and

continuous algal bioreactors; Bench scale and pilot scale granular activated carbon column operation.

REFERENCES

Professor Lance Schideman (Ph.D. Advisor), Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering,

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Email: aceqtk@r.postjobfree.com; Phone: 217-***-****)

Professor Michael Plewa, Department of Crop Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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(Email: aceqtk@r.postjobfree.com; Phone: 217-***-****)

Professor Yuanhui Zhang, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Illinois at

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Urbana-Champaign (Email: aceqtk@r.postjobfree.com; Phone: 217-***-****)

Professor Helen Nguyen (M.S. Advisor), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University

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of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Email: aceqtk@r.postjobfree.com; Phone: 217-***-****)

Ivan Racheff Professor Vernon Snoeyink, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Email: aceqtk@r.postjobfree.com; Phone: 217-***-****)

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