Bruce Dvorak

Bruce Dvorak

Contact Information:

City Campus (Lincoln)
NH W150C
(402) 472-3431
bdvorak1@unl.edu

Personal Links:

• Partners in Pollution Prevention Program (Summer program providing practical env. sustainability assistance for businesses)
• Nebraska Industrial Assessment Center
• Nebraska Board of Engineers and Architects
• American Water Works Association (Dvorak served on the Board of Directors)

Ray Fauss Professor

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

  • Ph.D., P.E., BCEE

Appointment

  • 10% Extension
  • 90% 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:

In the News: Powered by the Nebraska Engineering News

Courses Taught

Honors and Awards

  • US DOE Industrial Assessment Center of the Year (2023), Selected from the Centers located in 37 different US Universities.  
  • WATER FOR FOOD GLOBAL INSTITUTE FACULTY FELLOW
  • 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, Nebraska Environmental Trust, and Nebraska Department of Environmental and Energy.

Selected Publications

[1]. Moussavi, S. , Barutha, P., and Dvorak., B. (2023) Environmental life cycle assessment of a novel offshore wind energy design project: a US based case study, Accepted for publication in Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews.

[2]. Hansen, A. , Moussavi, S. , and Dvorak., B. (2023) Reducing Infiltration and Inflow in Small Collection Systems: Environmental, Economic, and Additional Impacts, Accepted for publication in ASCE Journal of Environmental Engineering. 

[3]. Sherief, M., Asad, J.M., Bunker, B. , Dvorak, B., Maraqa, M., and  Aly Hassan, A. (2023) In-Situ Desorption of Hydrogen Sulphide from Activated Carbon: Effect of Temperature, pH and Flowrate, International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology.

[4]. Bunker, B. , and Dvorak, B., and Aly Hassan, A. (2023) Thermal Regeneration of Activated Carbon used as an Adsorbent for Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S), Sustainability, 15(8), 6435; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086435. 

[5]. Thompson, M.; Moussavi, S.; Li, S.; Barutha, P.; and Dvorak, B. (2022) “Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of small water resource recovery facilities: Comparison of mechanical and lagoon System,” 215(15 May) 118234, Water Research, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.118234.

[6]. Al-Faliti, M., Hassan, A.A., Dvorak, B. (2022) “Biodegradation of a mixture of formaldehyde and methanol vapors in a biotrickling filters at mesophilic and thermophilic conditions: Potential application at the ethanol production industry Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2022.2056262.

[7]. 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.

[8]. Dvorak, B. (2021) “Pollution Prevention for Industry,” Environments,8(9), 91; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments8090091

[9]. 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

[10]. 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” Sustainable Production and Consumption, 27 July, 1762-1774, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.04.021.

[11]. 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

[12]. 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.

[13]. 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

[14]. 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

[15]. 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

[16]. 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.

[17]. 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

[18]. 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.

[19]. 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.