Alan Bowers

Alan R. Bowers serves as Associate Professor of the Practice and Director of Graduate Studies in Environmental Engineering within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Vanderbilt University School of Engineering. He holds a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Delaware, awarded in 1982. Having been on the Vanderbilt faculty for over 28 years, Bowers teaches core courses in the Engineering discipline, including Introduction to Environmental Engineering, Environmental Chemistry, Biological Unit Processes, and Physical/Chemical Unit Processes. His academic career emphasizes practical applications in environmental engineering, supported by extensive consulting work for federal agencies such as the Department of Energy, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Navy, alongside state, local entities, and industries.

Bowers' research specializations include environmental chemistry, adsorption processes, and heavy metals, with focused investigations into modeling and operation of biological wastewater treatment processes, transport of metals in soils and groundwater, dehalogenation of chlorinated organics, and chemical oxidation of toxic and refractory organic compounds. Additional interests encompass kinetics, reaction kinetics, kinetic modeling, wastewater treatment, surface adsorption, oxidation, and chemical reaction engineering. His scholarly output features numerous publications, including edited books, book chapters, conference proceedings, and refereed journal articles. Key publications comprise 'Adsorption characteristics of metal-EDTA complexes onto hydrous oxides' (Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 1986), 'Treatment of toxic or refractory wastewaters with hydrogen peroxide' (Water Pollution Research and Control, 1988), 'Soluble microbial product formation in biological systems' (Water Science and Technology, 1991), 'Metal speciation and contamination of soil' (CRC Press, 1994), and 'Kinetics of hydrogen peroxide decomposition with complexed and “free” iron catalysts' (International Journal of Chemical Kinetics, 2000). These contributions have garnered over 260 citations, influencing advancements in environmental remediation and water treatment technologies.

Professional Email: alan.bowers@vanderbilt.edu