Mark M. Clark, Principal Investigator

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of Illinois
3207 Newmark Civil Engineering Laboratory
205 North Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
Tel: (217) 333-3629
Fax: (217) 333-9464
mmclark3@uiuc.edu

Research Philosophy

We train Masters and PhD students to think like scientists and communicate effectively. To do this, several steps are required: (1) develop the tools to observe environmental phenomena (e.g., fouling of a membrane by lake water),(2) form hypotheses and develop models to explain the phenomena (tests,experiments, or simulations), and (3) test and refine the hypotheses and models. This approach is obviously important for PhD students, but is also critical for our MS students going into industry, government or consulting: I have discovered repeatedly in my consulting career that scientific analysis is often lacking in the "real world" outside of academia. This can result in confusion, poor decision making, and waste of money and resources.

The tools required for step 1 are developed in the group and through consultation with me and experts inside and outside of academia. Step 2 is one of the most fulfilling, exciting, frustrating, and frightening parts of science. Besides a good program of courses in mass transport engineering, fluid mechanics, and physical chemistry, the most important requirements for completing step 2 are the student’s maturity, commitment, and dedication. Step 3 usually comes after a significant success or failure in hypothesis formation and testing. Sometimes we stop here and consolidate our observations and tests in the form of a public conclusion (e.g., a thesis, conference presentation or paper), and sometimes we go back to step 1. Throughout this process, students have numerous opportunities to make presentations to the group and the EE&S program. Writing skills development is also stressed, and most students participate in a minimum of one national/international conference presentation and one journal paper.