Although many come to find their passions early in childhood, Kung-Hui “Bella” Chu, Ph.D. found her career path in environmental studies during her undergraduate studies.
Now a professor in the Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Texas A&M University, Chu is an accomplished researcher studying biodegradation of environmental contaminants.
The path to discovery
As a student at the National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan, Chu enrolled in the Department of Environmental Engineering, a newly established department at that time, and was inspired to pursue further education in the United States after graduation.
“My advisor back in Taiwan was the one who encouraged me to pursue advanced education in the U.S.,” explained Chu.
She then received her master’s degree in agricultural and biological engineering from Cornell University and later earned her Ph.D. in civil and environmental engineering from the University of California - Berkley.
Following her doctoral studies on biodegradation of priority contaminants, Chu extended her research passions to new and emerging contaminants, such as endocrine destructive chemicals (EDC), pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Current research themes
Chu’s current research focuses on understanding how these environmental contaminants are biodegraded and using the knowledge to predict the fate of these contaminants in the environment and to reduce the risk associated with these contaminants. She also works on other challenging issues such as plastic biodegradation, biofuel and biodegradable plastics production from organic wastes, as well as bioconcrete and biomining.
PFAS is an acronym referring to more than 12,000 chemical substances, and this number continues to grow as new knowledge emerges, Chu noted.
“Current research primarily focuses on perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), particularly long-chain PFAAs, due to their toxicity,” she said. “Many PFAS classes, often known as precursors, can degrade into PFAAs. Therefore, to effectively mitigate the risk associated with PFAS, it is critical to obtain a deeper understanding of the biodegradation of these precursors across various engineered systems and natural environments.”
Guiding the future of environmental science
As a professor at Texas A&M, Chu said she is dedicated to inspiring and mentoring civil and environmental engineering students.
“I incorporate real-life examples and case studies to demonstrate how classroom knowledge can be applied to assess the biodegradation of toxic chemicals in water, soil, and groundwater; to predict the fate and transport of the contaminants in the environment; and to develop cost-effective treatment strategies,” she said.
Chu also prioritizes keeping students actively engaged in class discussions on emerging and current environmental challenges related to water, food, energy and climate.
“By imparting knowledge and skills, I strive to cultivate future environmental scientists and engineers who will advance sustainability for a better tomorrow,” she said.
