Jeannie Darby

Jeannie L. Darby is Professor Emerita in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Davis. She earned her B.S. in Civil Engineering from Rice University in 1978, M.S. in Civil Engineering from Tufts University in 1982, and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 1988. Prior to academia, she held engineering positions including Associate Engineer at Fluor Ocean Services, Inc. (1978-1979), Engineer at the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Council (1979-1981), Consultant at the Conservation Law Foundation (1981-1982), and Project Engineer at Weston & Sampson Engineers, Inc. (1982-1984). She joined UC Davis in 1989 as Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, serving as Department Chair from 2004 to 2009, Vice Chair from 2015 to present, and Associate Dean for Academic Personnel and Planning effective September 13, 2022. She also held the Gerald T. and Lillian P. Orlob Professorship in Water Resources Engineering from 2005 to 2010 and was a Registered Professional Engineer in New Hampshire.

Darby's research specializes in water and wastewater treatment processes, including ultraviolet light disinfection, depth filtration, and innovative solutions for small water systems addressing nitrate, arsenic, and hexavalent chromium contamination. She served as Principal Investigator for over $7.5 million in external research grants, advised over 75 graduate students, and directed the Center for Affordable Technology for Small Water Systems from 2006 to 2014. Key publications include 'Ultraviolet Light Disinfection of Wastewater: Effect of Dose on Subsequent Photoreactivation' (Water Research, 1994), 'UV Disinfection of Wastewater: A Probabilistic Approach to Design' (ASCE Journal of Environmental Engineering, 1996), and works on particle-associated coliform inactivation and ripening in depth filtration (1990-2002). Her contributions earned awards such as the UC Davis Academic Senate Distinguished Scholarly Public Service Award (2018), Water Environment Federation William W. Edgar Pioneer Award for UV Disinfection (2011), National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award (1990-1995), and College of Engineering Outstanding Teaching Award (2004). She co-authored the Nitrate in Groundwater Report to the California Legislature.

Professional Email: jdarby@ucdavis.edu