Illinois Sustainable Technology Center

Elizabeth Meschewski joined the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) in April 2011. Beth is the Community Engagement and Outreach Lead for ISTC. As lead, she coordinates the community benefits plans for US Department of Energy and other federal grants. In addition, she oversees the general outreach activities for ISTC including maintaining the research section of the website, ISTC gallery showcasing ISTC's research and technical assistance projects, and coordinating outreach events such as  the annual emerging contaminants conference co-lead with the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant. Beth also oversees the Hazardous Waste Research Fund - a special fund from the State of Illinois dedicated to the reduction of hazardous waste and the protection of groundwater. 

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)

• Center for Scientific Collaboration and Community Engagement
  • Scientific Community Engagement Fundamentals - In Progress (Oct 2023)
• University of Illinois       
  • Illinois Supervisory Skills Program - In Progress (Dec 2023)
  • Supervisor and Management Course (Jun 2018)
• University of South Florida           
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace (May 2021)
• Parkland College
  • Project Management Certificate - Best in Class (Aug 2020)
  • Leading EDGE (2019)
• Purdue Cooperative Extension
  • Facilitative Leadership Workshop (June 2017)

• Community Engagement
• Environmental Justice
• Equitable energy development for disadvantaged and rural communities
• 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

• Meschewski, E., Barnes, L. L., Dugard, C. 2020. Contaminants of Emerging Concern Report.
• 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.
• Esarey, D., N. Holm, L. Keefer, E. Meschewski, A. Phillips, J. Stein, R. Winkel, D. Abrams, E. Bauer, J. Beardsley, T.J. Benson, T. Beveroth, N. Bhowmik, A. Casper, Y. Cao, K. Cummings, D. Davisson, M. Dreslik, E. Getahun, L. Hinz, V. Knapp, S. McConkey, M. Markus, J. Marlin, B. Metzke, C. Phillips, J. Tiemann, M. Ward, B. Wilm, A. Yetter. 2017. Assessing Progress on the 1997 Integrated Management Plan for the Illinois River Watershed. Prairie Research Institute Technical Report.
• 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.