Harold Walker is the Schwaber Professor of Environmental Engineering in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at WPI. Prior to his appointment at WPI, Professor Walker was the Founding Chair of the Department of Civil Engineering at Stony Brook University. Professor Walker also served as the co-Director of the New York State Center for Clean Water Technology at Stony Brook and was appointed by Governor Andrew Cuomo to the New York State Drinking Water Quality Council. Prior to Stony Brook, Dr. Walker was a Professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geodetic Engineering at The Ohio State University and served as the Director of the Ohio Water Resources Center. Dr. Walker is registered Professor Engineer in the state of Ohio.

Dr. Walker’s research focuses on understanding surface chemical processes in natural and engineered systems, with an emphasis on clean water. Current areas of research include: predicting the fate and transport of manufactured nanomaterials, cyanotoxins, and other “emerging” contaminants in groundwater, lakes, oceans, and water treatment plants; developing novel membrane treatment systems and membrane cleaning approaches; and the research and development of innovative, on-site wastewater treatment systems for removal of nitrogen. Dr. Walker has been funded by the National Science Foundation, US Environmental Protection Agency, United States Geological Survey, Department of Energy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (through Sea Grant), and a variety of state agencies, industries, and other sources.