
Personal Links:
• Partners in Pollution Prevention Program (Summer program providing practical env. sustainability assistance for businesses)• Nebraska Industrial Assessment Center
• Low-cost Biological Odor Treatment Using an Adsorption/ Desorption Concentrator Unit for Reducing Sulfur Emission in Nebraska
• Nebraska Board of Engineers and Architects
• American Water Works Association (Dvorak served on the Board of Directors)
Academic Degrees
- Ph.D., Civil Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 1994
- M.S., Environmental Health Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 1990
- B.S., Civil Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1987
Certifications
Appointment
- 25% Extension
- 75% Teaching/Research/Service for Civil Engineering
Areas of Research and Professional Interest
- Environmental Engineering
- Physical-chemical treatment processes
- Life Cycle Assessment
- Pollution prevention/environmental sustainability for industry
Research Profiles:
Courses Taught
- CIVE 326 - Introduction to Environmental Engineering
- CIVE 823 - Physical and Chemical Treatment Processes in Environmental Engineering
- EnvE 990 - Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Seminar
- View the Undergraduate Course Catalog
- View the Graduate Course Catalog
Honors and Awards
- Tau Beta Pi Teaching Award (2019), College-wide award selected by students.
- George Warren Fuller Award (distinguished service to the water supply field), American Water Works Association, 2013
- Fulbright Scholar Fellowship, Czech Fulbright Commission, 2010
- Samuel Arnold Greeley Award, American Society of Civil Engineers, 2009
- Environmental Education Award, Lincoln and Lancaster County Environmental Awards, 2009
- Hollings Teaching/Advising/Mentoring Award, University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Engineering, 2009
- Recognition Award for Contributions to Students, UNL Parents Association, 2008
- Olsson Associates Faculty Teaching Excellence Award, UNL Dept. of Civil Engineering, 2007, 2003, 1999
Funding
Dr. Dvorak has current grants from the US Department of Energy, US Environmental Protection Agency, and Nebraska Department of Environmental and Energy.
Selected Publications
[1]. Pham, A., Moussavi, S.; Thompson, M.; Dvorak, B. (2022) “Reducing LCA impacts of water resource recovery facilities: design recommendations for small communities,” Water Research, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2021.117758.
[2]. Dvorak, B. (2021) “Pollution Prevention for Industry,” Environments,8(9), 91; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments8090091
[3]. Cohen, G.; Kreutzer, N.; Mowat, K.; Hassan, A.A.; and Dvorak, B. (2021) “Compliance with Hand Sanitizer Quality During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Assessing the Impurities in an Ethanol Plant,” Journal of Environmental Management, 297, 113329, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113329
[4]. Li, S.; Thompson, M., Moussavi, S. and Dvorak , B. (2021) “Life cycle and economic assessment of corn production management practices in the Western US Corn Belt” for possible publication in Sustainable Production and Consumption, 27 July, 1762-1774, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.04.021.
[5]. Moussavi, S.; Thompson, M., Li, S. and Dvorak , B. (2021) “Assessment of Small Mechanical Wastewater Treatment Plants: Relative Life Cycle Environmental Impacts of Construction and Operations,” Journal of Environmental Management, 292 August, 112802, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112802
[6]. Thompson, M., Dahab, M., Williams, R., and Dvorak, B. (2021) Closure of “Improving Energy Efficiency of Small Water-Resource Recovery Facilities: Opportunities and Barriers” Journal of Environmental Engineering, ASCE, 147(4): 07031002 https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0001723.
[7]. Ghormley, S., Williams, R., Dvorak, B. (2020) “Foundry Sand Source Reduction Options: Life Cycle Assessment Evaluation,” Environments, 7(9), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments7090066
[8]. Li, S., Qin, Y., Subbiah, J., and Dvorak, B. (2020) “Life cycle assessment of the U.S. beef processing through integrated hybrid approach,” Journal of Cleaner Production, 265 (20) 121813, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121813
[9]. Li, J.; Ziara, R.; Li, S.; Subbiah, J.; and Dvorak , B. (2020) “Understanding the Sustainability Niche of Continuous Flow Tubular Microbial Fuel Cells on Beef Packing Wastewater Treatment,” Journal of Cleaner Production. 257 June, 120555, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120555
[10]. Thompson, M.; Dahab, M.; Williams, R.; and Dvorak, B. (2020) “Opportunities and Barriers to Improving the Energy Efficiency of Small Water Resource Recovery Facilities: Case Studies within Nebraska,” Journal of Environmental Engineering, ASCE, 146 (7) 05020005, 10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0001723.
[11]. Duerschner, C.; Aly Hassan; A., Dvorak, B. (2020) “Biofiltration of acetaldehyde resulting from ethanol manufacturing facilities,” Chemosphere, 146 (2) 124982, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.124982
[12]. S. Li; Subbiah, J.; B. Dvorak (2019) “Environmental and occupational impacts from US beef slaughtering are of same magnitude of beef foodborne illnesses on human health,” Environment International 129, 507-516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.05.051.
[13]. S. Li1 S. Zhilyaev; D. Gallagher;, J. Subbiah;, B. Dvorak (2019) “Sustainability of safe foods: Joint environmental, economic and microbial load reduction assessment of antimicrobial systems in US beef processing,” Science of The Total Environment, 691, 252-262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.064.
[14]. D’Alessio, M.; Dvorak, B. ; and Ray, C. (2018) “Riverbank Filtration Impacts on Post Disinfection Water Quality in Small Systems—A Case Study from Auburn and Nebraska City, Nebraska,” Water, 10, 1865, doi:10.3390/w10121865.
[15]. Li, S.; Ziara, R. ; Kinser, C.; Subbiah, J.; Dvorak. B. (2018) “Environmental and economic implications of food safety interventions: life cycle and operating cost assessment of antimicrobial systems in U.S. beef packing industry,” Journal of Cleaner Production. doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.07.020
[16]. Baral, D.; Speicher, A.; Dvorak, B.; Admiraal, D.; Li, X. (2018) “Quantifying the relative contributions of environmental sources to the microbial community in an urban stream under dry and wet weather conditions,”Appl Environ Microbiol 84:e00896-18. doi .org/10.1128/AEM.00896-18.
[17]. Ziara, R. ; Li, S. ; Subbiah, J.; and Dvorak, B. (2018) “Characterization of Wastewater in Two US Cattle Slaughterhouses,” Water Environment Research, (90) 9, 851-863. https://doi.org/10.2175/106143017X15131012187971.
[18]. Hanna, S. ; Thompson, M.; Williams, R.; Dahab, M. ; and Dvorak, B.; (2018) Benchmarking the Electric Intensity of Small Nebraska Wastewater Treatment Facilities, Water Environment Research, 90(8) 738-747. doi:10.2175/106143017X15131012153176
[19]. Ringenberg, D. ; Kranz, W.; Irmak, S. ; and Dvorak, B. (2018) “Extending Extension’s Outreach: Impact of Irrigation Recommendations Provided by Student Interns,” Journal of Extension, 56(4) 4TOT8. https://www.joe.org/joe/2018august/tt8.php
[20]. Baral, D. P.; Fisher, J.R. 1; Florek, M.J.1; Dvorak, B.; Snow, D. and Admiraal, D. (2018) Atmospheric Contributions of Nitrate to Stormwater Runoff from Two Urban Watersheds. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 144 (2) DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0001323.
[21]. Ringenberg, D. ; Wilson, S.; and Dvorak, B. (2017) “State Barriers to Approval of Drinking Water Technologies for Small Systems,” Journal of the American Water Works Association, 109 (8) E343-E352, August, https://doi.org/10.5942/jawwa.2017.109.0096.
[22]. Kuppig, V.; Cook, Y.; Carter, D.; Larson, N.; Williams, R.; and Dvorak, B. (2016) “Implementation of sustainability improvements at the facility level: motivations and barriers,” Journal of Cleaner Production, 139 (1529-1538) http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.08.167.
[23]. Bausk, A.; and Dvorak, B.I. (2016) “Selecting the Column Configuration with Lowest Media Replacement Cost for Small Adsorption Systems,” Water Research, 3(93) 38-47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2016.01.015