Ph.D. Applicants
Opportunities for PhD Study and Research in Vehicle Air Pollution Emissions and Exposure with Dr. Frey at NC State
I am seeking PhD students to join my research group in the air pollution concentration of the environmental engineering program of the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering (CCEE) at North Carolina State University (NC State). If you are interested, please read this carefully, as there are very specific requirements.
Our research will focus on measurement and modeling of onroad and nonroad vehicle activity, energy use, and emissions and/or measurement and modeling of human exposure to air pollution, including via transportation microenvironments. This research identifies and evaluates actions that can mitigate energy use, air pollution emissions, and air pollution exposure to protect human health and the environment. Thus, this research is applied and policy relevant. Learn more about me and the research of my group by visiting my home page and publications.
Applicants should have interest in and expectations for research involving field experiment study design, field deployment of instruments, field data collection, data reduction and analysis, physical- and statistical-based model development, benchmarking with machine learning/AI, statistical analysis, geospatial analysis and GIS, and related areas. Undergraduate and master’s level preparation in an engineering field is required, with a required background in either environmental, chemical, or mechanical engineering. Thermodynamics and chemistry are emphasized, along with statistics, physics, fluid mechanics or hydraulics, computing, geospatial analysis, systems thinking, critical thinking, curiosity, and self-motivation. Written and oral communication skills are essential: students are expected to prepare reports and journal manuscripts, to prepare and deliver presentations at international conferences, to be able to communicate effectively with collaborators, stakeholders, and the public.
In my approximately 30 years at NC State, I have worked with over 50 graduate students including 27 completed PhD students. Graduates have gone into academia as faculty and senior researchers, and into consulting, industry, national laboratories, nonprofit organizations and local, state and national level government. The PhD Plan of Work, which includes the set of courses you would take, can be tailored to your educational, research, and career goals.
Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs) are available for highly qualified CCEE applicants. These assistantships provide support for tuition, health benefits, and stipend. NC State is a highly active Research I university with strengths in engineering and other STEM disciplines, and is a comprehensive broad-based university with ten colleges spanning a wide range of disciplines. You’ll find many resources at NC State to support your educational and research experience here. And, if you don’t find it on campus, you can usually find it in the local area…
NC State is located in the state capital of Raleigh and is part of the Research Triangle along with Duke University (Durham) and University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill). The area is known for its high quality of life, natural beauty, access to museums, the arts, cultural events, greenways, parks, and more, and a growing population of people from different parts of the U.S. and the world. Raleigh is in the heart of central North Carolina. The Research Triangle Park includes the largest U.S. Environmental Protection Agency facility outside of Washington, DC that specializes in science and policy especially related to air pollution. Served by RDU airport, the interstate road system, and Amtrak, Raleigh is driving distance to the beach, mountains, and major cities such as Washington, DC, Charlotte, NC, and Atlanta, GA as well as accessible to national and international destinations.
If you would like feedback on whether you would be a good candidate for this opportunity, please contact me with a concise email or letter of interest that conveys your relevant academic background, skills, and experiences, why you are interested in this opportunity, your career goals, and an example of a policy-relevant problem or topic you might like to address including a brief explanation of the problem, approach, expected types of results, and why they would be significant. Also include a 2-page resume and unofficial transcript.
If you are ready to apply, visit the CCEE Department graduate admissions page.
Updated 2/17/2025