As WPI’s Director of Sustainability and a professor of environmental engineering, Paul Mathisen studies and works to promote sustainability, especially in the areas of water, energy, transportation, and waste management. His research focuses on climate adaptation, protection of water quality, and water resources. He studies the environmental effects of wastewater, stormwater pollution mitigation, urban water infrastructure, flood mitigation, and green infrastructure. He is part of a team at WPI that developed a soft robot, similar to a lizard, that can access areas of buildings that may be impossible or difficult for people to access, behind walls, for example, to make inspections easier and better assess things such as energy loss.