Dr. Lokesh Padhye

Dr. Lokesh Padhye is the Associate Director of Emerging Contaminants Research at the New York State Center for Clean Water Technology. Dr. Padhye's research group is dedicated to enhancing water quality in both natural and built environments across Long Island and tackling water quality challenges throughout the State of New York. His research addresses issues related to trace contaminants in water, with a focus on their identification, fate, and treatment. The group's research interests encompass contaminant classes such as PFAS, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, tire chemicals, and additives in consumer products. Additionally, Dr. Padhye’s group researches synthesizing and optimizing novel photochemical and electrochemical catalysts and adsorbents for contaminant remediation, alongside enhancing existing water treatment processes.

Before joining the Center, Dr. Padhye served as an Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. He earned his Master's and Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech, Atlanta). He is also a registered professional engineer with the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Engineering New Zealand. Prior to his tenure at the University of Auckland, he worked as an environmental engineer with Geosyntec Consultants in Atlanta and served as an Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. Dr. Padhye was also a Visiting Scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 2016 to 2019. Dr. Padhye has received numerous awards from organizations worldwide, including the American Chemical Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry, Georgia Tech, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, and the University of Auckland.