About Me
Dr. Rodriguez-Freire is an Assistant Professor in Environmental Engineering at the John A. Reif, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at NJIT. Lucia’s Laboratory of Applied Biogeochemistry for Environmental Sustainability investigates the mechanisms of interaction between biological and inorganic systems to remediate contaminated sites while recovering valuable materials using ubiquitous and low-value materials. In particular, Lucia collaborates with various communities impacted by abandoned mines, some now declared Superfund sites (Navajo Nation, Pueblo de Laguna, Crow, and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe). Lucia earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, and she has a M.S. and a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Arizona. She also did two postdoctoral works, one at the University of Arizona, investigating the sonochemical degradation of persistent contaminants, and another at the University of New Mexico, studying the fate and transport of radionuclides in the environment.
Education
Ph.D.; University of Arizona; Envionmental Engineering; 2014
M.S.; University of Arizona; Envionmental Engineering; 2010
B.S.; Universidad de Santiago de Compostela; Chemical Engineering; 2008
M.S.; University of Arizona; Envionmental Engineering; 2010
B.S.; Universidad de Santiago de Compostela; Chemical Engineering; 2008
Teaching Interests
I strongly believe that science and engineering education is fundamental for improving the quality of life of our global society. My teaching goal is to contribute to the academic and professional development of scientists and engineers by providing solid technical and social skills that enable them to “make a difference” in the variety of current and future challenges of our planet. Throughout my efforts I hope to inspire and impact the next generation of scientists and engineers by making use of effective pedagogy methods to enable students to gain a founded theoretical and practical vision of the subjects I will be teaching. My teaching philosophy consists of the following principles: 1) inspire and motivate to adequately deliver the relevance of the subject taught; and b) promote active learning through the incorporation of innovative pedagogy methods to facilitate effective teaching of complex concepts, direct involvement with and interaction among students, and open communication with the instructor. Specific active learning techniques that I plan to use include problem solving exercises like case study analyses that can be developed and discussed in groups, and the assignment of group projects to simulate practical design and develop communication and problem solving skills. Currently, I teach ENE 663: Water Chemistry and ENE 360: Water and Wastewater Engineering
Past Courses
CE 791: GRADUATE SEMINAR
ENE 360: WATER & WASTEWATER ENGINEERING
ENE 485: SPECIAL TOPICS IN ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
ENE 663: WATER CHEMISTRY
ENE 702: SPECIAL TOPICS
ENE 702: SPECIAL TOPICS IN ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
ENE 360: WATER & WASTEWATER ENGINEERING
ENE 485: SPECIAL TOPICS IN ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
ENE 663: WATER CHEMISTRY
ENE 702: SPECIAL TOPICS
ENE 702: SPECIAL TOPICS IN ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
Research Interests
My research group, the Laboratory of Applied Biogeochemistry for Environmental Sustainability, aims to investigate the mechanisms of interaction between biological and inorganic systems to:
(1) examine the effect of contaminants to natural biogeochemical cycles in order to predict, avoid and/or remediate current and future detrimental effects to the environment
(2) engineer high-efficient and sustainable resource-recovery technologies from agricultural, industrial and mining waste
(3) design state-of-the-art wastewater treatment systems to remove persistent contaminants in the environment using ubiquitous and low-value materials
Currently, the laboratory director, Lucia Rodriguez-Freire, and her three Ph.D. students, Bo Deng, Maedeh Soleimanifar and Boran Wang, are working in developing different approaches to selectively recover valuable metals from mine and industrial waste using microbial processes and addressing the fate of emerging contaminants in wetland areas. Lucia also continues to collaborate with the University of New Mexico, where she worked as a postdoctoral researcher, investigating the mechanisms of uranium and arsenic in plants used by Native American communities.
(1) examine the effect of contaminants to natural biogeochemical cycles in order to predict, avoid and/or remediate current and future detrimental effects to the environment
(2) engineer high-efficient and sustainable resource-recovery technologies from agricultural, industrial and mining waste
(3) design state-of-the-art wastewater treatment systems to remove persistent contaminants in the environment using ubiquitous and low-value materials
Currently, the laboratory director, Lucia Rodriguez-Freire, and her three Ph.D. students, Bo Deng, Maedeh Soleimanifar and Boran Wang, are working in developing different approaches to selectively recover valuable metals from mine and industrial waste using microbial processes and addressing the fate of emerging contaminants in wetland areas. Lucia also continues to collaborate with the University of New Mexico, where she worked as a postdoctoral researcher, investigating the mechanisms of uranium and arsenic in plants used by Native American communities.
Journal Article
Rodriguez-Freire, Lucia, & Field, James, & Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes Arsenic biomineralization: The role of the sulfur cycle in preventing arsenic groundwater contamination.
Saup, Casey, & Williams, Kenneth, & Rodriguez-Freire, Lucia, & Cerrato, Jos\'e M, , & Johnston, Michael, & Wilkins, Michael Supporting Information Anoxia stimulates microbially catalyzed metal release from Animas River sediments.
Wartell, Brian, & Boufadel, Michel, & Rodriguez Freire, Lucia, & Axe, Lisa, & Abrams, Stewart, & Ciblak, Ali (2021). Studies in Electrokinetic Migration Rates of Dyes in Sand and Clay. Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste, 25(2),
Ruiz, Omar, & Rodriguez Freire, Lucia, & Cerrato, Jose, & Thompson, Bruce (2019). Groundwater Restoration Following In-Situ Leach (ISL) Mining of Uranium. Journal of Applied Geochemistry, 109, 104418.
De Vore, Cherie, & Rodriguez Freire, Lucia, & Ali, Abdul-Mehdi, & Ducheneaux, Carlyle, & Kateryna, Artyushkova, & Zhoe, Zhe, & Latta, Drew, & Lueth, Virgil, & Gonzales, Melissa, & Lewis, Johnnye, & Cerrato, Jose (2019). Effect of bicarbonate and phosphate on arsenic release from mining-impacted sediments in the Cheyenne River watershed, South Dakota, USA. Environmental Science Processes and Impacts, 21, 456-468.
Saup, Casey, & Williams, Kenneth, & Rodriguez-Freire, Lucia, & Cerrato, Jos\'e M, , & Johnston, Michael, & Wilkins, Michael Supporting Information Anoxia stimulates microbially catalyzed metal release from Animas River sediments.
Wartell, Brian, & Boufadel, Michel, & Rodriguez Freire, Lucia, & Axe, Lisa, & Abrams, Stewart, & Ciblak, Ali (2021). Studies in Electrokinetic Migration Rates of Dyes in Sand and Clay. Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste, 25(2),
Ruiz, Omar, & Rodriguez Freire, Lucia, & Cerrato, Jose, & Thompson, Bruce (2019). Groundwater Restoration Following In-Situ Leach (ISL) Mining of Uranium. Journal of Applied Geochemistry, 109, 104418.
De Vore, Cherie, & Rodriguez Freire, Lucia, & Ali, Abdul-Mehdi, & Ducheneaux, Carlyle, & Kateryna, Artyushkova, & Zhoe, Zhe, & Latta, Drew, & Lueth, Virgil, & Gonzales, Melissa, & Lewis, Johnnye, & Cerrato, Jose (2019). Effect of bicarbonate and phosphate on arsenic release from mining-impacted sediments in the Cheyenne River watershed, South Dakota, USA. Environmental Science Processes and Impacts, 21, 456-468.
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Chapter
Rodriguez Freire, Lucia, & Gonzalez-Estrella, Jorge, & Li, Guangbin (2020). Chapter 15 - Technologies for fractionation of wastewater and resource recovery, Olivares, José Antonio; Puyol, Daniel; Melero, Juan Antonio; Dufour, Javier (Eds.), Elsevier. (pp. 329 - 354). Elsevier
Conference Proceeding
Arsenic mobility and reactivity near abandoned mine wastes in Cheyenne River, South Dakota (CRST)
2018
Transport of uranium and co-occurring constituents in abandoned mines in Native American communities
2018
2018
Transport of uranium and co-occurring constituents in abandoned mines in Native American communities
2018