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Michigan State
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East Lansing, MI 48823
Phone: 517-355-4720
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An Introduction to Dr. Steve Safferman
I am honored to be the newest faculty member in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering. Coming from a traditional civil engineering department, my new position allows me to apply my environmental engineering background to new and interesting challenges, all of which are critical to society. Such an opportunity is rare and I’m already finding working to solve these challenges is rewarding.
During the prior 11 years I was a faculty member at the University of Dayton and before that an environmental engineer in the U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development for 4 years. I also have project experience in consulting and manufacturing. My undergraduate degree is in civil engineering and my M.S. and Ph.D. are in environmental engineering, all from the University of Cincinnati.
I enjoy diverse applied research, teaching, and outreach. As evidence, I have taught and conducted research in centralized and decentralized wastewater unit evaluation and system development, biological and ion exchange fluidization treatment, passive amendment addition to optimize treatment of carbon and nutrient impacted water, storm water runoff management, hazardous waste remediation, pollution prevention education, and water and wastewater treatment plant operator continuing education. One of my most significant accomplishments is the initiation, development, and management of the Regional Water and Wastewater Research and Training Center (http://WWRTC.udayotn.edu). The Center is a consortium of 4 Universities, 4 cities/municipalities, 2 state organizations, and 2 social research/service organizations in greater Dayton Ohio that focuses on the Great Miami and Little Miami watersheds. Please also take a look at our Pollution Prevention Incorporated Within the Core Curriculum (http://P2CC.udatton.edu) K-12 education outreach program. I just submitted a proposal to the U.S. EPA to nationalize this resource as a joint Michigan State University/University of Dayton program.
My holistic research approach is to consider “waste” as a resource to be returned to beneficial function within the watershed. Included are nutrients, compost, bioenergy, and water. Such an approach needs to be comprehensive. It involves science, engineering, economics, and policy. Partnerships between Universities, stakeholders, and government agencies are critical. General research topics that I am already exploring center around innovative animal waste management strategies for large and small producers, biological, chemical and physical treatment technologies for nitrogen and phosphorus control, passive nutrient, low-tech treatment systems for storm drainage including effluent from tiles, the use of compost originating from agricultural waste in storm water best management practices, innovative physical and chemical processes for on-site wastewater treatment technologies, and industrial assessments to minimize water use and wastewater production.
I also look forward to teaching. Teaching is why I left my U.S. EPA research career and embarked on an academic career. I enjoy instructing classes that introduce engineering design to first year students and that emphasize pollution prevention to both engineering and non-engineering majors. It’s always a pleasure and challenge to teach senior and graduate level classes and I look forward to developing modules on the interaction of ecosystem components and the management, protection, and reclamation of those that relate to environmental quality. I also have a long history of developing and instructing outreach and professional development opportunities and look forward to continuing this work.
MSU combines the resources, collaborative atmosphere, and spirit to be part of the solution to society's pressing problems and I’m happy to be part of the team.
Archives:
Food Engineering | Ecosystems Engineering
