Illinois Directory

Elizabeth Meschewski joined the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) in April 2011 as a Research Assistant in the Applied Research on Industrial and Environmental Systems (ARIES) group and is now a Senior Scientific Specialist in the Administration group. Beth communicates ISTC’s research and technical assistance activities by creating displays, posters, and website content. She also coordinates the Hazardous Waste Research Fund - a special fund from the State of Illinios dedicated to the reduction of hazardous waste and the protection of groundwater. She co-coordinates the annual emerging contaminants conference with the IL-IN Sea Grant. She is also serves as the outreach specialist on a number of grants focusing on emerging contaminants in the environment.

How to pronounce Meschewski: Me (Meh; like the meh emoji) - schew (shess; like chess but with 'sh' sound) - ski (ski; like down hill skiing) Meh-shess-ski

• M.S. in Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2010)
• B.S. in Geology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2008)

• Fate, transport, and remediation of emerging contaminants in the environment
  • Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs)
  • Per- and Polyfluoralalkyl Substances (PFASs)
  • microplastics
• Reduction of hazardous materials and waste

• Cobalt-catalyzed Defluorination of Branched Perfluorinated Compounds (September 2017 - August 2020; funded by NSF)
• Coastal Management Program project (October 2018 - September 2020; funded by IDNR)

• Meschewski, E.L., N. Holm, B. K. Sharma, K. Spokas, N. Minalt, J. J. Kelly. 2019. Pyrolysis biochar has negligible effects on soil greenhouse gas production, microbial communities, plant germination, and initial seedling growth. Chemosphere, 228:565-576. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.04.031.
• Allender, M.C, M.J. Dreslik, B. Patel, E.L. Luber, J. Byrd, C.A. Phillips, and J.W. Scott. 2015. Select metal and metalloid surveillance of free-ranging Eastern box turtles from Illinois and Tennessee (Terrapene carolina carolina). Ecotoxicology, 24(6):1269-1278. DOI: 10.1007/s10646-015-1498-5.