About the PI

Biography

Dr Pan Weiyi is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Prior to this, he was a postdoctoral researcher at Rice University (2025) and Yale University (2022-2024). He earned his PhD in Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis in 2022. He also holds an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Peking University and a B.E. from the China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing). His research focuses on Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Mitigation, with expertise in Environmental Chemistry, Electrochemistry, Membrane Technology, and Process Engineering.

Qualifications

• PhD, Washington University in St. Louis, 2022

• M.S., Peking University, 2017

• B.E., China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), 2014

Positions Held

• Post-doctoral Research Associate, Rice University, Jan. 2025 – Jun. 2025

• Post-doctoral Research Associate, Yale University, Aug. 2022 – Dec. 2024

Selected Honours & Awards

• Outstanding Reviewers for Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, Royal Society of Chemistry, 2025

• Paul V. Roberts/AEESP Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award, Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors, 2023

• CAPEES/Elsevier Dissertation Award, Chinese-American Professors in Environmental Engineering and Science, 2023

• Dissertation Award, Washington University in St. Louis, 2023

• Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, 2022

• McDonnell Scholar Fellowship, Washington University in St. Louis, 2017-2022

Professional Activities

1. Invited Speaker, Advanced Academic Lecture Series in Environmental Science & Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China, 2025

2. Session Chair, AEESP Research and Education Conference, Boston, U.S.A., 2023

3. Student Committee Chair, AEESP Research and Education Conference, St. Louis, U.S.A., 2022

Research Interests

• Environmental Chemistry

• Membrane Technology

• Electrochemistry

• Process Engineering

Selected Publications

1. Pan, W., Roy, D., Jiao, Z., Wang, R., Patel, S.K., Ahn, E., Kamcev, J. and Elimelech, M., (2026). Selective boron removal from water by functional-polymer-film-assisted electrosorption. Chemical Engineering Journal, p.172928.

2. Pan, W., Roy, D., Uralcan Kilavuz, B., Patel, S. K., Iddya, A., Ahn, E., Kamcev, J., & Elimelech, M. (2025) A highly selective and energy-efficient approach to boron removal overcomes the Achilles’ heel of seawater desalination. Nature Water, 1-11.

3. Elizabeth, E. J., Pan, W.*, & Giammar, D. E. (2022). Capture and extraction of particulate lead from point-of-use filters. ACS ES&T Engineering, 2, 2058–2065. (*Corresponding Author)

4. Pan, W., Catalano, J. C., & Giammar, D. E. (2022). Redox-driven recrystallisation of PbO2. Environmental Science & Technology, 56, 7864–7872.

5. Pan, W., & Giammar, D. E. (2022). Point-of-use filters for lead removal from tap water: Opportunities and challenges. Environmental Science & Technology, 56, 4718–4720.

6. Pan, W., Ledingham, G., Catalano, J. C., & Giammar, D. E. (2021). Effects of Cu(II) and Zn(II) on PbO2 reductive dissolution at drinking water conditions: Short-term inhibition and long-term enhancement. Environmental Science & Technology, 55, 14397–14406. (Tribute to Dr. James J. Morgan special issue).

7. Pan, W., Johnson, E. R., & Giammar, D. E. (2021). Lead phosphate particles in tap water: Challenges for point-of-use filters. Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 8, 244–249.

8. Pan, W., Johnson, E. R., & Giammar, D. E. (2020). Accumulation on and extraction of lead from point-of-use filters for evaluating lead exposure from drinking water. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, 6, 2734–2741. (2020 Best Paper Nomination)

9. Pan, W., Schattner, L., Guilak, J., & Giammar, D. E. (2019). Impact of Cu(II) and Zn(II) on the reductive dissolution of Pb(IV) oxide. Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 6, 745–751. (Front Cover)

10. Pan, W., Pan, C., Bae, Y., & Giammar, D. E. (2019). Role of manganese in accelerating the oxidation of Pb(II) carbonate solids to Pb(IV) oxide at drinking water conditions. Environmental Science & Technology, 53, 6699–6707.