Dr. Hongxu Zhou joined the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) in 2024 as a postdoc research associate. He is dedicated to providing practical engineering solutions to address water quality issues in the agricultural context. His research focuses on water quality management, the treatment of both traditional and emerging contaminants, and advancing circular economy. Through innovative eco-treatment and natural-based systems, such as engineered biochar application and denitrifying woodchip bioreactor systems, Dr. Hongxu Zhou conducts lab-scale studies, field-scale demonstrations, and sustainability analysis to understand how these technologies not only help improve water quality but also promote sustainable practices, addressing the critical balance between pollution mitigation and resource reuse. At ISTC, his current research focused on the utilization of biochar systems for Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) destruction.

Ph.D. in Soil and Water Resource Engineering  (2024), University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign (U.S.)

• Travel Award - 2025 Global Young Scientist Summit in Singapore (GYSS) (Singapore’ National Research Foundation & Graduate College, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2024)
• First Place in Boyd-Scott Graduate Research Award, 2024 American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) Annual International Meeting (2024)
• Ben and Georgeann Jones Graduate Student Award for Research Excellence, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2024)
• First Place in Soils and Environmental Quality Oral Presentation Student Competition, ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual International Conference (2023)
• Conference Presentation Award. Graduate College Conference Presentation Award Program (2023)
• Safe Water Scholarship.Illinois Section American Water Works Association (2023-2024)
• Waste Management Research Scholarship (Round II award). Air & Waste Management Association (2023-2024)
• Mavis Future Faculty Fellow. The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2023-2024)
• Mentor Award. Illinois Scholars Undergraduate Research Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2023-2024)
• NCR-SARE Graduate Student Grant Award. NCR-SARE USDA (2022-2024)
• Waste Management Research Scholarship. Air & Waste Management Association (2022-2023)
• Student-led Project. Student Sustainability Committee. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2022-2024)
• Honorable Mention. Graduate Student Image of Research Competition. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2022)

• Hongxu Zhou, Haribansha Timalsina, Peng Chen, Sophie Circenis, Richard Cooke, Olawale Oladeji, Guanglong Tian, Romulo P. Lollato, Rabin Bhattarai, Wei Zheng. 2024. Exploring the engineering-scale potential of designer biochar pellets for phosphorus loss reduction from tile-drained agroecosystems. Water Research. 267. 122500.
• Hongxu Zhou, Haribansha Timalsina, Shuai Tang, Sophie Circenis, Jason Kandume, Richard Cooke, Buchun Si, Rabin Bhattarai. Wei Zheng. 2024.Simultaneous removal of nutrients and pharmaceuticals and personal care products using two-stage woodchip bioreactor - biochar treatment systems. Journal of Hazardous Materials.480.135882.
• Hongxu Zhou, Wei Zheng, Richard Cooke, Olawale Oladeji, Guanglong Tian, Rabin Bhattarai. 2024. Sorption materials for phosphorus reduction in drained agricultural fields: Gaps from results between laboratory and field-scale evaluation. Ecological Engineering. 207. 107351.
• Hongxu Zhou, Andrew J. Margenot, Wei Zheng, Chloe B. Wardropper, Roland D. Cusick, Rabin Bhattarai. 2023. Advancing circular nutrient economy to achieve benefits beyond nutrient loss reduction in the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin.Journal of Soil and Water Conservation.78 (4) 82A-84A.
• Hongxu Zhou, Andrew J. Margenot, Yunkai Li, Buchun Si, Tengfei Wang, Yanyan Zhang, Shiyang Li, Rabin Bhattarai. 2022. Phosphorus pollution control using waste-based adsorbents: Material synthesis, modification, and sustainability. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology. 52:12, 2023-2059.
• Hongxu Zhou, Rabin Bhattarai, Yunkai Li, Buchun Si, Xinxin Dong, Tengfei Wang, Zhitong Yao. 2022.Towards sustainable coal industry: Turning coal combustion by-products into wealth. Science of The Total Environment. 804, 149985.
• Hongxu Zhou, Rabin Bhattarai, Yunkai Li, Shiyang Li, Youheng Fan. 2019. Utilization of coal fly and bottom ash pellet for phosphorus adsorption: sustainable management and evaluation. Resources, Conservation & Recycling.149: 372-380.