Kathy Banks

Dr. Kathy Banks is a professor of Civil Engineering at Purdue University. She received her BS in Environmental Engineering from the University of Florida in 1982. After working briefly in consulting, she completed her MS in Environmental Engineering from the University of North Carolina, and her PhD in Environmental Engineering from Duke University. After graduation, Dr. Banks served on the faculty at Kansas State University for eight years. She moved to Purdue in 1997.

Dr. Banks is an internationally recognized expert in the area of biological treatment systems for pollution remediation. She has published extensively in the areas of phytoremediation, bioremediation, and attached microbial treatment systems. Dr. Banks' research program has been supported by NSF, EPA, NASA, DOD, DOE, DOT, USDA, and private industry. She currently is the director of the EPA Midwest Hazardous Substance Research Center, and serves as the associate director of the NASA Specialized Center for Research and Training for Advanced Life Support, both headquartered at Purdue University. Dr. Banks also is involved with the development of the new Intelligent Infrastructure initiative at Purdue.

Email address: kbanks@ecn.purdue.edu