Xiumei Jian Named 2025 ACS Graduate Student Awardee in Environmental Chemistry

Tuesday, February 24, 2026 - The Center for Clean Water Technology is pleased to announce that Xiumei Jian has been selected as a 2025 Graduate Student Awardee in Environmental Chemistry by the Division of Environmental Chemistry (ENVR) of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

This highly competitive award recognizes graduate students who demonstrate outstanding achievement, strong research potential, and exceptional promise in the early stages of their careers in environmental chemistry and engineering.

Xiumei Jian is a Ph.D. candidate in Dr. Xinwei Mao’s laboratory, where her research focuses on developing a systematic approach to engineer biowaste and converting them to calcium-rich granular biochar for phosphate removal and recovery from wastewater. Supported by the New York State Center for Clean Water Technology (CCWT) her work advances a scalable, bio-based granular filtration platform designed for sustainable nutrient management.

Notably, Xiumei has successfully implemented this technology in a pilot-scale polishing unit at the Wastewater Research and Innovation Facility (WRIF) treating real domestic wastewater. The innovation has resulted in a patent-pending technology, highlighting its potential for real-world application. Her research contributes directly to mitigating eutrophication and promoting sustainable wastewater treatment solutions.

The ACS Environmental Chemistry Division confers this honor on graduate students who exhibit academic excellence and make meaningful contributions to the field. Xiumei’s selection reflects her dedication, innovation, and impact in environmental chemistry and engineering.

Please join us in congratulating Xiumei Jian on this well-deserved recognition. We look forward to her continued success and contributions to advancing sustainable water treatment technologies.

Novel bio-based granular filter media for nutrients removal and recovery from wastewater. Figure credit (Xiumei Jian)