From Poultry Waste to Sustainable Solutions
My Journey in Environmental Engineering
I am thrilled to share that my research at West Virginia University (WVU) was recently featured in the university magazine, highlighting my work on transforming poultry manure into sustainable solutions. Here’s a summary of the article and an inside look at my journey.
Tackling a Big Question: “What Do We Do with All This Crap?”
As a doctoral student originally from Ahmedabad, India, I’ve been working with WVU engineers and poultry farmers in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle to address a pressing environmental issue: managing livestock waste. Poultry manure, while commonly used as fertilizer, can lead to significant water pollution if overapplied. Excess nutrients from manure runoff into water bodies like the Chesapeake Bay can cause algal blooms, depleting oxygen levels and harming aquatic life. Our goal is to develop environmentally friendly and economically viable systems to recover and reuse these nutrients within a circular economy. By collaborating directly with farmers, we aim to create tailored solutions that respect local practices while addressing broader sustainability challenges.
Exploring Innovative Uses for Poultry Waste
While much of our work focuses on optimizing manure as fertilizer, we’re also investigating other innovative applications. For instance, pyrolysis — a process that burns manure to create biofuel — presents exciting possibilities. However, scaling such solutions requires careful modeling to evaluate their economic and practical feasibility under different conditions.
Questions like seasonal variations in manure availability and energy demand play a critical role in determining how best to deploy these systems. As I often remind myself, “All models are wrong, but some are useful.” The focus is on creating impactful solutions that can be implemented quickly for maximum benefit.
A Passion for Sustainability and Community
My research is part of a National Science Foundation CAREER Award funded project led by Dr. Kevin Orner at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Working in his lab has allowed me the freedom to pursue projects I deeply resonate with, combining my passion for sustainability with practical problem-solving.
Beyond research, I find inspiration in coffee — an obsession that fuels both my academic pursuits and personal life. From sourcing beans from local producers to techniques with my AeroPress, coffee is my creative outlet.