News
Group Updates and Media Coverage

Tae-Kyoung Kim Wins the NIEHS KC Donnelly Award: Promoting Cross-Disciplinary Research in Environmental Health
September, 2024
Tae-Kyoung Kim has received the prestigious KC Donnelly Externship Award from the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP). This award, honoring the legacy of environmental health researcher Dr. K.C. Donnelly, provides trainees with opportunities for transdisciplinary research at SRP centers and government agencies. Tae-Kyoung will collaborate with Professor Robyn Tanguay at Oregon State University to assess the safety of his process for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) treatment. The goal is to complete the soil remediation process sustainably, reducing its carbon footprint. This collaboration supports the award’s mission to advance environmental health research, paving the way for safer, more sustainable remediation practices in the future. Congratulations Tae!

Sedlak Group Visits Pardee Dam
August, 2024
Sedlak group members recently visited Pardee Dam, guided by Clifford Chan from East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD). They explored the dam’s interior, climbed 300 steps to the “Complaint Department,” and gained a firsthand understanding of the vital role this dam plays in sustaining the Bay Area’s water supply.

David Sedlak Featured in Short Film “Untapped Potential: Ensuring a Safe Water Supply”
June, 2024
Dr. David Sedlak is featured in “Untapped Potential: Ensuring a Safe Water Supply,” part of the Chemistry Shorts™ series by the Dreyfus Foundation. The film highlights chemistry-inspired innovations in water supply, re-use, and purification. Watch the film to see how our research addresses critical water challenges.

Book Review: Water for All: Global Solutions for a Changing Climate
May, 2024
Check out the review of Dr. David Sedlak’s latest book, Water for All: Global Solutions for a Changing Climate.

Jonathan Uhler’s Project Awarded California Sea Grant: Advancing Coastal Infrastructure Resilience
March, 2024
Jonathan Uhler’s project, “Toxic Metal Removal By Horizontal Levees That Protect Coastal Infrastructure From the Effects of Sea Level Rise”, has been selected to receive funding from California Sea Grant. With this funding, Jonathan will contribute valuable insights to inform future management and policy actions, furthering our understanding of and ability to address
challenges facing California’s coastal areas.

How communities worldwide are working to solve the water crisis – WBUR FM
February, 2024
In February 2024, David discussed global water challenges with Jason Dadakis of Orange County Water District and Keith Cadee, formerly of Water Corporation in Perth, Australia. They emphasized the need for innovative solutions as hydrological challenges worsen worldwide.

UnDisciplined: Navigating the future of the global water crisis – UPR Live
January, 2024
Water crises have shaped human history repeatedly, but with a global population approaching 10 billion, can we tackle this crisis on a worldwide scale? David joins Matthew LePlante to discuss this pressing issue and to talk about his new book ‘Water for All: Global Solutions for a Changing Climate’ .

Farewell to Yanghua Duan
December, 2023
Farewell to Yanghua Duan as he embarks on a new adventure, leaving the Sedlak group to start his postdoctoral position at the Elimelech Research Group in Yale University, where his focus will be on brine management and selective removal of contaminants. Wishing him the very best for his future endeavors and thanking him for his dedication during his time with us. Farewell, Yanghua!

Sedlak group attends ACS Fall 2023
August, 2023
Sedlak’s Research Group took the spotlight at the Fall 2023 ACS National Meeting in San Francisco! The group’s researchers delivered captivating talks, sharing their their cutting-edge research with the audience.

Congratulations, Dr. Duan and Dr. Stiegler!
August, 2022
Yanghua Duan and Angela Stiegler both wrapped up their dissertations this month! Yanghua’s work focused on electrochemical advanced oxidation processes for decentralized treatment applications, and Angela studied a subsurface flow wetland for post-secondary effluent remediation. Yanghua is staying on with the Sedlak lab as a postdoctoral researcher, while Angela is heading back to Marlyand to start a postdoctoral position with group alumnus Dr. Carsten Prasse. To celebrate their achievements, the lab took a more-than-moderately-intensive hike at Stinson Beach.

KQED Forum – Desalination
September 29, 2021
David joins host Alexis Madrigal and guest Daniel Ellis, senior scientist at California State Water Resources Control Board, to discuss the current status and future of desalination practices in the California Bay Area. Listen to the full conversation at the link below.

International Water Association – Digital World Water Congress 2021
May 24, 2021
David delivers the opening keynote speech at the IWA’s Digital World Water Congress. Watch his speech along with the entire opening ceremony at the link below.
Dr. Jessica Ray selected as one of C&EN’s “Talented 12”
September 4, 2020
Congratulations to former postdoctoral researcher Dr. Jess Ray for being selected for the 2020 “Talented 12” cohort by Chemical and Engineering News! C&EN’s annual issue recognizes 12 early career scientists for their innovative use of chemistry to tackle the world’s biggest problems. Jess was selected from n outstanding pool of nominees for her interdisciplinary use of “surface chemistry, materials science, and biogeochemistry to engineer more effective ways to treat water.”

Sedlak group attends ACS virtually
August 17, 2020
Although the Fall 2020 National Meeting of the American Chemical Society was not hosted in San Francisco as planned, the Sedlak group still showed up in strong numbers to the virtual conference. Whether they were preparing for their live presentations from their home office like Angela Perantoni, or enjoying switching between multiple sessions without getting up from their chairs, the team found that the virtual format proved to have its perks.

Congratulations, Dr. Cecchetti!
July 13, 2020
Aidan Cechetti virtually filed his completed dissertation and celebrated by taking a quick trip to Gualala Point Regional Park to soak up the sun. Aidan has since started an engineering position with the California State Water Resources Control Board.

Congratulations, Dr. Scholes!
May 25, 2020
Rachel Scholes filed her signed dissertation virtually with the Graduate Division, officially graduating from UC Berkeley with a Ph.D in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Rachel will remain in the Bay Area for the nest year while she continues her work with USDA as a postdoctoral researcher.
People Behind the Science Podcast
March 3, 2020
Listen to Ep. 543: “Dr. David Sedlak: Working to Purify and Preserve Our World’s Water Supply”, where David chats with Dr. Marie McNeely about a range of topics, from his childhood experiences at Oyster Bay, NY that sparked his passion for environmental science, to his punishing cloud droplet sampling campaigns in the high hills of Northern England.

Congratulations, Dr. Marron!
February 27, 2020
Emily Marron was accompanied by members of the group to file her signed dissertation with the Graduate Division. She received the customary Berkeley PhD send-off, a See’s lollipop, for all her efforts and took the opportunity to pose for a photo. Emily has headed down to Palo Alto to begin a postdoctoral position at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment.
“How Development of America’s Water Infrastructure Has Lurched Through History” – PEW Trend Magazine
March 3, 2019
David discusses the development of water infrastructure through the history of the US and why the remains of what we are left with will not cut it in a future of rapid climate change and inadequate pollution regulation.
“The solution to cities’ water problems has been hiding in rural areas this whole time” – Quartz
November 14, 2018
David discusses the advantages of “off-the-grid” water systems that are more commonly used in rural communities, and how they could be adopted in urban and suburban areas to overcome some of our urban water infrastructure challenges.