The Environmental Research Group (ERG), one of UNH’s organized research centers, has been situated
within the Civil Engineering Department since its creation in May 1987. Graduate and undergraduate
education are both strong components of its mission with graduate students obtaining M.S. or Ph.D. degrees in Environmental Engineering through the Civil Engineering Department. Undergraduates receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Engineering.
ERG specializes in eight areas which are represented by centers or programs:
ERG has entered into more than 160 grants and contracts since its inception, totaling more than $24
million in extramural support. ERG is located on UNH’s West Campus in the environmental technology building, Gregg Hall.
Mission and Focus
ERG’s mission is to strive to improve human and environmental health, mitigate human impact on the environment, train qualified engineering professionals for the workforce and serve society locally and internationally. ERG performs high-impact applied and fundamental research related to critical environmental science; engineering; and regulatory and policy issues. ERG fosters the intellectual growth of graduate and undergraduate students in environmental and water resource engineering through innovative, multidisciplinary research, and contributes significantly to the academic mission of College of Engineering and Physical Science and the broader University.
Faculty, Staff and Students
The ERG faculty consists of twelve full and associate members from three departments (Civil Engineering, Microbiology, Chemical Engineering), reflecting the necessary interdisciplinary team approach to problem-solving in today’s world. ERG faculty have won numerous awards: two UNH Outstanding Teacher awards, two UNH Service awards, one UNH Outstanding Assistant Professor award, one Excellence in Research award, and the Brierley Teaching Award. Two of the faculty are former Fulbright Fellows. Four faculty members are recipients of the Robert and Lucille Davison Professorship, a term professorship appointed for a three-year period. One faculty member is a recipient of the Waite Professorship, another term professorship.
The mission of ERG is supported by ten full and part-time staff members who work for ERG and its various centers and programs. Since 1987, nearly 200 graduate students have been supported by ERG research projects; these students are now employed nationally in consulting, academic, and regulatory positions. More than 170 undergraduates have been involved in paid positions in ERG laboratory and field projects. Students can be found sampling oil-contaminated sediments along the coast, casting concrete for research projects, or assisting in the set-up and operation of pilot scale innovative water treatment systems. These very real experiences are helpful in articulating future career goals.
Facilities
ERG research is conducted in approximately 4,000 sq. ft. of laboratory space in Kingsbury, Parsons and Morse Halls, as well as
10,000 sq. ft. of space in Gregg Hall. This multi-disciplinary science and engineering research
building houses custom designed laboratories, instrumentation rooms, constant temperature rooms, high bay areas, offices,
classrooms, meeting rooms, and a "superteach" room with video, communication and computer technology.
Standard research equipment includes:
- hoods at every station,
- research grade pH meters,
- specific ion and auto-titration analyzers,
- centrifuges,
- drying ovens,
- analytical balances,
- research-grade water systems,
- bench-scale water treatment facilities.
ERG has advanced bench-scale facilities and constant temperature rooms for conducting basic research, treatability and pilot
studies and is well equipped to conduct large field-scale pilot studies.
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