Concurrent University Appointments

• Associate Director for Research, the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment (ACEE)
• Associated Faculty, High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI)
• Associated Faculty, Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials (PRISM)
• Executive Committee, Program in Engineering Biology (PEB)
• Executive Committee, Program in Sustainable Energy

Honors, Awards, DISTINCTIONS

• 2021 Paul L. Busch Award, The Water Research Foundation
• 2021 Super Reviewer Award, Environmental Science & Technology
• 2021 First Place Prize, Intelligent Water Systems Challenge
• 2020 Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize, American Society of Civil Engineers
• 2017 Nanova/CAPEES Frontier in Research Award
• 2015 New Inventor of the Year Award
• 2012 University Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Work

Research Interests

Prof. Ren and the WET (Water & Energy Technologies) lab members work on Water-Energy Nexus especially in areas of water sector decarbonization and resource recovery during environmental and chemical processes such as water and CO2 electrolysis, wastewater treatment and reuse, water desalination, remediation, and carbon capture and utilization. They use electrochemistry, microbiology, AI/machining learning and system engineering tools to understand the fundamental determinant factors of the systems so as to enhance design, operation, and monitoring in concert with traditional approaches. Prof. Ren collaborates with colleagues from different disciplines. The group has been funded by federal and state agencies as well as private sponsors and published papers in Nature Sustainability, Nature Climate Change, Nature Energy, Science Advances, Energy & Environmental Science, Environmental Science & Technology, Water Research, and other journals. Prof. Ren co-founded 2 companies with students to translate research findings into real-world applications.

COURSES

ENE 321 / CEE 321 / ENV 371: Resource Recovery for a Circular Economy
CEE 477 / ENE 477: Engineering Design for Sustainable Development
CEE 564 / ENE 564: Biology, Electrochemistry and Technology