Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering
University of Southern California
Environmental engineering researcher
Haotian Cai
Environmental engineering researcher working across water treatment, analytical chemistry, and disinfection byproducts.
Education
M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering
Northwestern University
B.S. in Environmental Health
Colorado State University
B.S. in Environmental Science
Anhui University
Appointments
Graduate Research Assistant
Teaching Assistant
Publications
Payne, E. M.; McKeown, R. P.; Cai, H.; Yang, X.; Straub, A. P.; McCurry, D. L.; Linden, K. G. Native Nitrate in Wastewater Enhances 222 nm UV Advanced Oxidation of Micropollutants. Environmental Science & Technology 2026, 60 (5), 4418–4429.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c14396 ↗Fu, H.; Cai, H.; Gray, K. A. Metal Oxide Encapsulated by 3D Graphene Oxide Creates a Nanocomposite with Enhanced Organic Adsorption in Aqueous Solution. Journal of Hazardous Materials 2023, 444, 130340.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130340 ↗Manuscripts in preparation
Cai, H.; Yang, X.; Payne, E. M.; Linden, K. G.; McCurry, D. L. Non-target study of disinfection byproduct formation from 222 nm UV advanced oxidation processes in potable reuse waters.
Cai, H.; Yang, X.; Payne, E. M.; Linden, K. G.; McCurry, D. L. Comparison of 222 nm and 254 nm UV advanced oxidation processes for disinfection byproduct formation in potable reuse waters.
Presentations
National Alliance for Water Innovation 2026 Quarterly Review Meeting, Tempe, Arizona, March 2026. Poster: 222 nm KrCl* Driven Advanced Oxidation for Reverse Osmosis Pretreatment: Fouling Control and Chemical/Pathogen Abatement.
American Chemical Society Spring 2025, San Diego, California, March 2025. Poster: Direct amine chlorination to nitroalkanes.
Methods & skills
Analytical method development; GC-MS, LC-IM-QTOF, LC-MS, HPLC, ion chromatography, and TOC.
Data analysis and programming: C, Python, and R.
Teaching Assistantships
Statistical Data Analysis in Engineering (2024)
Environmental Fluid Mechanics (2024)
Probability Concepts and Civil Engineering (2023)
Computer Methods in Engineering (2023)
Water Quality Science and Engineering (2022)
Selected activities
Environmental Defense Fund China Office — environmental policy research internship, 2021.
Water Environment Federation Student Design Competition — third place, 2020.
Illinois Water Environment Association Student Design Competition — first place, 2020.
Contact
Hobby
Outside the lab, I make digital and film photographs.
Explore photography