Damian E. Helbling

Damian E. Helbling is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University. His research focuses on the inextricable link between human social mobility and technological development and the quality of freshwater resources. He is particularly interested in the occurrence and fate of organic chemicals in natural and engineered water systems. The emerging paradigm of sustainable human development recognizes that the distribution of novel chemical entities in the environment is a critical area of study.

Damian E. Helbling is a professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University, specializing in water, environmental engineering, environmental chemistry, and environmental microbiology. His research focuses on the removal of organic micropollutants from water using advanced materials like β-cyclodextrin polymers and covalent organic frameworks. He also investigates biotransformation processes of contaminants in wastewater treatment systems, emphasizing microbial community dynamics and their impact on micropollutant degradation. His work addresses emerging contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and explores their environmental fate and transport. Helbling's research integrates analytical chemistry, environmental microbiology, and water treatment engineering to develop sustainable solutions for contaminant management.