Affiliated Department or Office
Office of Sustainability
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Community Climate Adaptation
Education
BS University of Massachusetts at Amherst
MS Massachusetts Institute of Technology
PhD Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Professor Mathisen is the Director of Sustainability at WPI and is also a faculty member in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Department.  As Director of Sustainability, Professor Mathisen works to promote sustainability and engage the community in WPI’s academic programs, research, operations and facilities, with consideration to areas such as water, energy, transportation, and waste management. His research emphasizes the analysis and modeling of environmental systems, with an emphasis on areas such as water resources protection, resilience and climate change adaptation, infrastructure, and the food-water-energy nexus.  Recent research areas include adaptation to climate change, water quality protection for groundwater and surface water, water resources management, and transportation systems.

Email
mathisen@wpi.edu
Affiliated Department or Office
Office of Sustainability
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Community Climate Adaptation
Education
BS University of Massachusetts at Amherst
MS Massachusetts Institute of Technology
PhD Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Professor Mathisen is the Director of Sustainability at WPI and is also a faculty member in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Department.  As Director of Sustainability, Professor Mathisen works to promote sustainability and engage the community in WPI’s academic programs, research, operations and facilities, with consideration to areas such as water, energy, transportation, and waste management. His research emphasizes the analysis and modeling of environmental systems, with an emphasis on areas such as water resources protection, resilience and climate change adaptation, infrastructure, and the food-water-energy nexus.  Recent research areas include adaptation to climate change, water quality protection for groundwater and surface water, water resources management, and transportation systems.

Office
Kaven Hall 209E
Phone
+1 (508) 8315000 x5343
Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

SDG 2: Zero Hunger - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

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SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

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SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

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SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

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SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

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SDG 13: Climate Action

SDG 13: Climate Action - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

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SDG 14: Life Below Water

SDG 14: Life Below Water - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

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Scholarly Work

Considerations Regarding Geochemical Transformations Downstream of Subsurface Wastewater Effluent Disposal Facilities 2010

Mathisen, P., D. Pellegrino, and H. Wen. “Considerations Regarding Nutrient Pathways and Loads into Surface-Water Resulting From Subsurface Discharges of Wastewater Effluent,” Proceedings of the 2007 World Environmental and Water Resources Conference, May 15-19, 2007, Tampa, Florida.

Kirshen, P., Caputo, L., Vogel, R., Mathisen, P., Rosner, A., and Renaud, T. Adapting Urban Infrastructure to Climate Change: A Drainage Case Study. J. Water Resour. Plann. Management., 10.1061/(ASCE)WR.1943-5452.0000443, 04014064, 2014 2014

News

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The Worcester Guardian
WPI profs earn state honor for decade of clean‑water projects

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has given its Educator Award to Corey Denenberg Dehner, associate professor of teaching in The Global School, and Paul Mathisen, associate professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering and WPI’s director of sustainability. The award recognizes Dehner and Mathisen's work as co-directors of the Massachusetts Water Resource Outreach Center. The project center allows WPI student teams to partner with municipalities, local government agencies, and watershed organizations to work on water resource challenges. 

Focus Magazine
Project-based approach offers real-world learning — the world over

For an issue on learning that happens outside of classrooms, Focus Magazine, produced by Lumina Foundation, provided an in-depth look at the opportunities available to WPI students through our unique approach to project-based learning through projects conducted off-campus and in partnership with communities. This magazine article follows a recent Interactive Qualifying Project done through the Boston Project Center and includes interviews with students, a project sponsor, an alum, and leaders in the Global Projects Program.