Greg Lefevre Email & Phone Number

My research focus has been biotransformation--microbial, fungal, and plants--of trace organic contaminants. The fundamental science is novel products and pathways discovery. The practical outcomes of my research is the improvement of natural and engineered systems to mitigate the effects of non-point source pollutants, with a specific focus on nature-based solutions for emerging contaminants in stormwater. My goal is to study and develop systems to rapidly capture trace organic contaminants and use biological processes to subsequently treat them to improve water. My long-term vision is to transform stormwater from a waste product to a resource by enabling beneficial reuse opportunities. I also study new-market pesticide fate and transformation in engineered and natural systems; complex contaminant exposure mixture dynamics, and contaminant fate; and plant uptake and metabolism of emerging contaminants during water recycling and phytoremediation. We use techniques from engineering and analytical chemistry (e.g., high-res mass spec for products discovery). Each of these research thrusts has received large external federal funding for which I was sole or lead PI. My proudest accomplishments relate to mentoring the graduate students who have helped to realize this vision. I have advised 5 completed PhD students, 2 MS students, and currently advise 5 PhD students. In less than a decade, I went from receiving the AEESP Outstanding Dissertation Award as a PhD student to having an advisee student receive the award. Other selected recognition includes the NSF CAREER award, the UIowa Early Career Scholar of the Year, ES&T Best Paper award, etc.

Listed skills include Water Quality, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Awareness, Water Resources, and 6 others.