Pedro J.J. Alvarez, Ph.D., is the George R. Brown Professor and chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rice University. He is also a Rice faculty scholar at the Baker Institute. His research focuses on environmental sustainability through bioremediation of contaminated aquifers, fate and transport of toxic chemicals, water footprint of biofuels, microbial-plant interactions, water treatment and reuse, and the environmental implications and applications of nanotechnology. Alvarez currently serves on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Science Advisory Board and is an associate editor of Environmental Science and Technology. Additionally, he serves as honorary professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and at Nankai University in China, and as adjunct professor at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina in Florianopolis, Brazil. He is also a diplomat of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Society of Civil Engineers, International Water Association, Water Environment Federation and the Leopold Leadership Foundation. Alvarez received the 2014 Grand Prize for Excellence in Environmental Engineering and Science Research from the American Academy of Environmental Engineering and Scientists, the 2012 Clarke Prize for excellence in water research from the National Water Research Institute and a Career Award from the National Science Foundation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from McGill University and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in environmental engineering from the University of Michigan.

Contact at alvarez@rice.edu or 713-348-5903.