Thanh Huong Nguyen

Thanh Huong Nguyen
Thanh Huong Nguyen
  • Professor
  • Ivan Racheff Professor of Environmental Engineering in CEE
  • CEE Excellence Faculty Fellow
(217) 244-5965
3213 Newmark Civil Engineering Bldg

For More Information

Education

  • Ph.D. Environmental Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 2005
  • M.S. Environmental Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 2004
  • M.S. Earth and Environmental Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2000
  • B.S. Geology, Ivan Franko National University of L'viv, 1995

Biography

Helen Nguyen holds a B.S. with Honors in Geology (Ivan Franko National University of L'viv, Ukraine, 1995), an M.S. in Earth and Environmental Science (University of Illinois at Chicago, 2000), an M.S. in Environmental Engineering (Johns Hopkins University, 2004), and a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering (Johns Hopkins University, 2005).

Dr. Nguyen joined the faculty of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in November 2006 where she teaches graduate and undergraduate classes in environmental engineering, with an emphasis on physico-chemical processes for water and wastewater treatments.

Dr. Nguyen is a member of the American Chemical Society (Environmental Chemistry Division and Colloid and Surface Chemistry division), the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors. Prior to joining UIUC, Dr. Nguyen was a Gaylord Donnelley Environmental Postdoctoral Fellow at Yale University.  Dr. Nguyen is the recipient of the 2006 AEESP/CH2M Hill Outstanding Dissertation Award and 2010 NSF CAREER award.

Dr Nguyen is a faculty advisor for an Engineers Without Borders team that won: Engineering Open House - 1st Place in the Real World Category; Central State Water Environment Association and Water Environment Federation Student Design Competition - 1st Place; National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges Summit Student Poster Competition - 1st Place, EPA P3 (People, Prosperity and the Planet) phase I and II award , 2010. Dr Nguyen also received the ASCE-EWB Sustainable Development Award for advising an EWB team that develops a sustainable engineering solution that explores innovative ways of effectively capturing and utilizing resources, 2010.

Academic Positions

  • Ivan Racheff Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (100%), Aug. 2020-present
  • Affiliate, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (100%), Aug. 2020-present
  • Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (100%), Aug. 2019-present
  • Chair, Environmental Engineering and Science Program, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2017-2019
  • Affiliate, Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (0%), Oct. 2015-present
  • Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (100%), Aug. 2013-present.
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (100%), Nov. 2006-Aug. 2013.
  • Postdoctoral Associate, Environmental Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering Program, Yale University (100%), Advisor: Professor Menachem Elimelech, 2005-2006.

Professional Highlights

  • Fulbright specialist to Vietnam, 2025
  • Fulbright ASEAN scholar, 2025
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 2024
  • NAS panel member for Groundwater Recharge and Flow: Approaches and Challenges for Monitoring and Modeling Using Remotely Sensed Data, 2019
  • University of Illinois College of Engineering Award for Research Excellence (Associate Professor Level), 2016
  • Fulbright Specialty Fellowship to Israel, 2016
  • National Institute of Health and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Invitation Fellowship, 2015
  • University of Illinois College of Engineering Award for Research Excellence (Assistant Professor Level), 2012
  • ASCE-EWB Sustainable Development Award and EPA P3 phase 2 winner, advising, 2010
  • NSF CAREER award, 2010-2015
  • AEESP CH2M Hill Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award, 2016

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

I currently advise 10 undergrad students doing research on pathogen removal.

Research Interests

  • Pathogens and biofilms in drinking water distribution system
  • Environmental surveillance of pathogens
  • Water and Food Safety

Selected Articles in Journals

Articles in Conference Proceedings

  • Araud, E., Shisler, JL., Nguyen, T.H., The Impact of Strain Diversity on Rotavirus Solar Irradiation Disinfection, 11th IWA International Conference on Water Reclamation and Reuse, Long Beach, CA, July 23-27, 2017
  • Lu, R., Zhang, C., Piatkovsky, M., Ulbricht, M., Herzberg, M., Nguyen, TH., Role of foulants on virus removal by membrane bioreactor, 11th IWA International Conference on Water Reclamation and Reuse, Long Beach, CA, July 23-27, 2017
  • Huang, C., Shen, Y., Smith, R., Nguyen, T.H., Risk assessment of Legionella pneumophila infection by the release from biofilms in premise plumbing, 2017 AEESP Conference, June 19-22, Michigan, USA.
  • Uprety,S., Sadik, N., Nalweyiso, A., Kiggundu, N., Banadda, N. E. Shisler, J.L., Nguyen, T.H., Quantification of Multiple Waterborne Pathogens in Drinking Water, Drainage Channels, and Surface Water in Kampala, Uganda During Seasonal Variation, UNC Water Microbiology, May 16, 2017, Chapel Hill, USA
  • Uprety, S.R., Hong, P.-Y., Sadik, N., Dangol, B., Adhikari, R., Shisler, J., Degnan, P., Nguyen, T.H., The effect of the 2015 Earthquake on the bacterial community compositions in water in Nepal, 2017 Water Microbiology Conference and the 19th IWA-HRWM Symposium, May 15-18, 2017, North Carolina, USA.
  • Dong, S., Guest, J.S., Nguyen, T.H., Human Health Implications of Microplasma Ozonation for Wastewater Reuse, 31st Annual WateReuse Symposium, Tampa, FL., September 11-15, 2016
  • Lu R., Li, Q., Nguyen, T.H., Random sequential adsorption of human adenovirus on membrane surface, The 250th ACS National Meeting, Boston, Aug., 2015
  • Shen, Y., Espinosa-Marzal, R., Morgenroth, E., Ashbolt, N, J. Liu, W.-T. Nguyen, T. H., Response of simulated drinking water biofilm mechanical and structural properties to long-term disinfectant exposure. WQTC 2015, Salt lake city, UT, Nov 15-20th, 2015
  • Shen, Y., Espinosa-Marzal, R., Morgenroth, E., Ashbolt, N, J. Liu, W.-T. Nguyen, T. H., Effect of long-term disinfectant exposure on mechanical and structural properties of biofilms. IWA Biofilm Conference 2015, Arosa, Switzerland, Aug 23 – 26th, 2015
  • Romero-Maraccini, O.C., Shisler, J.L.,Thanh H. Nguyen. Aspects of human rotavirus inactivation mechanisms as examined by quantitative PCR: Roles of solar irradiation and temperature, 248th ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Aug. 10-14, 2014.
  • Romero-Maraccini, O.C., Holyoke, L., Rosado-Lausell, S.L., Wang, H., Pugh, C.R., Guest, J.S., Croue, J.P., Thanh H. Nguyen. The benefit of organic matter in wastewater treatment: its role as a disinfectant, 248th ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Aug. 10-14, 2014.
  • Wang, H., Narihiro, T., Straub, A.P., Pugh, C.R., Tamaki, H., Moor, J.F., Bradley, I.M., Liu, W.-T. and Nguyen, T.H. Role of Diverse Microbial Communities in Bacteriophage MS2 Removal in Biosand Filters, 248th ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Aug. 10-14, 2014
  • Liu, Y, Dong, S., Kuhlenschmidt, M.S., Kuhlenschmidt, T.B., Drnevich, J., Nguyen, T.H., Solar inactivation mechanisms of Cryptosporidium parvum oocyst, 248th ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, California, August 10-14, 2014
  • Nguyen, T.H., Lu, N., Liu, Y., Pore scaled transport of microorganisms, Keynote presentation, 248th ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, California, August 10-14, 2014
  • Ruiqing Lu, Qi Li, Thanh H. Nguyen (2014). Removal of Human Adenovirus in Wastewater by Membrane Bio-Reactor. The Fourth International Conference on Emerging Contaminants in the Environment. Iowa City.
  • Wang, H., Narihiro, T., Straub, A., Pugh, C., Tamaki, H., Moor, J., Bradley, I., Liu, W.-T. and Nguyen, T.H. Role of Diverse Microbial Communities in Bacteriophage MS2 Removal in Biosand Filters, Borchardt Conference, Ann Arbor, MI, Feb. 25 - 26, 2014

Other Publications

  • Wobus, C.E. and Nguyen, T.H. (2012) Viruses are everywhere - what do we do? Current Opinion in Virology 2(1), 60-62.

Bulletins

Journal Editorships

  • Editor-in-Chief, AGU Journal GeoHealth, 2024-present
  • Co-Editor-in-Chief, Environment International, 2020-present
  • Associate Editor, Environment International, 2018-2020
  • Member of Editorial Advisory Board for Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology Journal, 2017-present
  • Member of Editorial Advisory Board for Environmental Science & Technology Journal, 2017-present
  • Guest co-editor for Environmental Virology issue of Current Opinions in Virology, 2012

Professional Societies

  • Chair of AEESP Award Committee 2023-2026
  • Member of AEESP Award Committee 2013-2016
  • Member of Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors, 2002-present
  • Member of American Geophysical Union, 2006-present
  • Member of American Chemical Society, 2002-present

Service on Department Committees

  • Chair of Environmental Engineering and Science Program, 2017-2021

Service on College Committees

  • Member of search committee for Faculty in Pathobiology Veterinary Medicine, academic year 2012-2013
  • Member of Safety Advisory Board Committee at College of Engineering, Fall 2016

Service on Campus Committees

  • Member of University biosafety committee, current

Service to Federal and State Government

  • NSF panel Oct 2020, April 2021, June 2021
  • NAS Panel on Groundwater Recharge and Flow, 2019
  • NSF, site visit team for PIRE project, May 2018
  • NSF panel, Nov. 2016
  • USEPA review panel, 2011
  • NSF MRI panel review, June 2010
  • USDA panel review, June 2009, Water and watershed
  • NSF panel review, June 2007, May 2009, May 2010, May 2013 Environmental Engineering, CBET.

Other Outside Service

  • Organize annual workshop on food safety and water treatment for local and small farms. This is a collaboration with Illinois Extension and funded by USDA. Link to video of workshop in Spring 2018 http://bit.ly/ILLocalFoodsYouTube
  • Paper review: Environmental Science and Technology, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Organic Geochemistry, Journal of Environmental Engineering, Biomacromolecules, Langmuir, Water Research, Chemosphere, Journal of Environmental Quality, Journal of American Chemical Society.

Research Honors

  • Fulbright Specialist Award (2025)
  • Fulbright ASEAN Scholar Award (2024-2025)
  • Advisor to Ed Bower Best PhD Dissertation Award Winner Chamteut Oh (2024)
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowship (2024)
  • Selected to participate in National Academy of Science Arab-American Frontiers Symposium (2017)
  • University of Illinois College of Engineering Award for Research Excellence (Associate Professor Level) (2016)
  • Fulbright Specialty Fellowship to Israel (2016)
  • National Institute of Health and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Invitation Fellowship (2015)
  • EPA P3 phase 2 honorary mentioned (2014)
  • Excellence in Review Award for Environmental Science & Technology (2013)
  • University of Illinois College of Engineering Award for Research Excellence (Assistant Professor Level) (2012)

Other Honors

  • Excellence in Guiding Undergraduate Research Award (2021)
  • Advisor to second best oral paper award for one of my PhD students, Ruiqing Lu, by American Chemical Society, Division of Environmental Chemistry, (2015)
  • Advisor to Student Best Paper Award Presented by Yun Shen at Water Quality Technology Conference (2015)
  • Certificate of Merit for Best Student Presentation at American Chemistry Society Conference, Division of Environmental Chemistry (2014)
  • Engineering Open House - 1st Place in the Real World Category (2014)
  • University of Illinois Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering award in undergraduate advising (2012)
  • Water Environment Federation Student Design Competition – 2nd Place (advisor) (2010)
  • National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges National Summit Student Competition - 1st Place (advisor) (2010)
  • Engineering Open House - 1st Place in the Real World Category; Central State Water Environment Association and Water Environment Federation Student Design Competition - 1st Place; National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges Midwest Summit Student Poster Competition - 1st Place (advisor). (2010)
  • ASCE-EWB Sustainable Development Award (2010)

Recent Courses Taught

  • CEE 330 - Environmental Engineering
  • CEE 437 - Water Quality Engineering
  • CEE 440 - Fate Cleanup Environ Pollutant
  • CEE 443 - Env Eng Principles, Chemical
  • CEE 595 AG - Adv Environmental Engr Seminar
  • CEE 595 G - Environmental Engr Seminar