Dr. Bill Rixey, Associate Professor, Associate Department Chair of Civil & Environmental Engineering

Cullen College of Enginerering , Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

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• Areas of expertise

  • Mass transfer in environmental systems
  • Water and waste water treatment
  • Hazardous waste treatment
  • Subsurface remediation of hazardous chemicals
  • Environmental risk assessment

• Awards

  • Enron Teaching Excellence Award, University of Houston (2002)
  • W.T. Kittinger Teaching Excellence Award, Cullen College of Engineering (1999)
  • Outstanding Teaching Award, Dept. Civil & Environmental Engineering (1998, 2001 & 2008)
  • ASCE Professor of the Year Award, Dept. Civil & Environmental Engineering (1998)
  • Distinguished Service Award, Water Environment Association of Texas and the Texas Section American Water Works Association (2005)
  • Associate Editor, Groundwater Monitoring and Remediation (2005-present)
  • Gulf Coast Hazardous Substance Research Center and Texas Air Research Center Advisory Boards, University Representative (2002-present)
  • Chairman, University Forum, Water Environment Association of Texas (WEAT) (1994-2005, 2007-present)

• Publications

  • Ma, J., Luo, H., DeVaull, G.E., Rixey, W.G., and Alvarez, P.J.J. (2014), Numerical Model Investigation for Potential Methane Explosion and Benzene Vapor Intrusion Associated with High-Ethanol Blend Releases. Environ. Sci. Technol., 48: 474-481.
  • Ma, J., Nossa, C.W., Xiu, Z., Rixey, W.G., and Alvarez, P.J.J. (2013), Adaptive microbial population shifts in response to a continuous ethanol blend release increases natural attenuation potential. Environmental Pollution, 178: 419-425.
  • Ma, J., Rixey, W.G., and Alvarez, P.J.J. (2013), Microbial processes influencing the transport, fate and groundwater impacts of fuel ethanol releases. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 24: 457-466.
  • Ma, J., Rixey, W.G., DeVaull, G.E, Stafford, B.P., and Alvarez, P.J.J. (2012), Methane Bioattenuation and Implications for Explosion Risk Reduction along the Groundwater to Soil Surface Pathway above a Plume of Dissolved Ethanol. Environ. Sci. Technol., 46: 6013-6019.
  • He, X., Stafford, B. P. and Rixey, W. G. (2011), Ethanol-Enhanced Dissolution of a Residually Trapped Synthetic Gasoline Source, Ground Water Monitoring & Remediation, 31: 61–68.
  • Stafford, B. P. and Rixey, W. G. (2011), Distribution of Fuel-Grade Ethanol near a Dynamic Water Table, Ground Water Monitoring & Remediation, 31: 55–60.
  • Ma, J., Xiu, Z., Monier, A. L., Mamonkina, I., Zhang, Y., He, Y., Stafford, B. P., Rixey, W. G. and Alvarez, P. J. (2011), Aesthetic Groundwater Quality Impacts from a Continuous Pilot-Scale Release of an Ethanol Blend. Ground Water Monitoring & Remediation, 31: 47–54.
  • Stafford, B. P., Cápiro, N.L., Alvarez, P.J.J., and Rixey, W.G. (2009), Pore Water Characteristics Following the Release of Neat Ethanol onto Pre-existing NAPL, Ground Water Monitoring and Remediation, 29, 93-104.
  • Cápiro, N. L., Da Silva, M.L.B., Stafford, B.P., Rixey, W.G., and Alvarez, P.J.J. (2008), Microbial community response to a release of neat ethanol onto residual hydrocarbons in a pilot-scale aquifer tank, Environmental Microbiology, 10, 2236-2244.

  More publications in faculty website above or CV below.

• Patents

  • None available.

• Grants and Funded Research

  • New Researcher Grant Award Recipient (2015,2016)
  • Pilot-scale Aquifer Investigation of Physical/Chemical and Microbial Impacts for Various Ethanol Fuel Blends, American Petroleum Institute, Principal Investigator, co-PI: P. Alvarez, Rice Univ. (2013-2015).
  • Physical/Chemical Behavior of Methanol Fuels, Shell Global Solutions, Principal Investigator (2013-2015).
  • Biodiesel Fuels and Groundwater Quality, Texas Hazardous Waste Research Center, Principal Investigator (2013-2015).
  • Isobutanol Fuel Blend 2D Physical Model Experiments, Butamax, Principal Investigator (2014-2015).
  • In Situ Remediation of Heavy Hydrocarbons in Vadose Zone Soils, Arizona State University/Chevron, co-PI (2013-2014)

• Curriculum Vitae

  • Bill Rixey CV

• Contact information