Bio

B.S. ​Chemical Engineering, Howard University, 1983M.S. ​Chemical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1985Ph.D. ​Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, 1996Post-Doc ​Green Design Institute, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, 1996-1997

"Poverty is the incapacity to achieve one’s human potential within the era and society in which one lives. My research seeks to build capacity for sustained access to essential human services, with special focus on people in marginalized communities.” I define sustainability as “the ability to provide sustained access to services at the required quantity and quality over the required planning horizon at minimal economic, environmental, and social cost to present and future generations. "

Garrick Louis, Associate Professor

Garrick Louis is Associate Professor of Systems and Information Engineering and Engineering and Society at the University of Virginia. He is director of the Small Infrastructure and Development Center and director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Department of Systems and Information Engineering. His research seeks to build capacity for sustained access to essential human services, including water sanitation and hygiene, in marginalized communities. He holds BSc. and MSc. degrees in Chemical Engineering and Ph.D. in Engineering and Public Policy. His honors include; the 2000 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers from the National Science Foundation, 2006-7 AAAS Energy Environment and Natural Resources Fellow, 2014 Design and Health Faculty Fellow at the University of Virginia. A 2015-16 Jefferson Science Fellow in the Office of Global Food Security at the US Department of State and is a Fulbright Specialist for the US Department of State.

Research Interests

  • Sustainability and Human Needs
  • Engineering and Social Justice
  • Equity in Access to Infrastructure Services
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEM Higher Education

Selected Publications

  • Sustainability and Human Needs, Book manuscript in preparation for Wiley, New York, NY. December 2022 Louis, G.
  • Modeling The Health Impact of Water and Sanitation Service Deficits on Waterborne Disease Transmission. Adv Differ Equ 2021, 405 (2021) ABS Chaysiri, R., Louis, G.E. & Chinviriyasit, W
  • “A Decision Support System for Selection of Appropriate Water Supply and Sanitation Technologies in Developing Countries,” Journal of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene for Development, V. 11., N. 2. ABS Bouabid, A., and G. Louis
  • “Divergent Water Governance Scenarios for Addressing Critical Uncertainty in Agricultural Water Demand Management in The MENA Region: A Case Study of Zayanderud Basin, Iran.” Agricultural Water Management. V. 229. (2020) ABS Nazemi, N., Foley, R. W., Louis, G., & Keeler, L. W
  • “Innovation for Development: Africa,” in What Do Science, Technology, and Innovation Mean from Africa, C. Mahvunga, Ed., MIT Press, June 2017. 151-167 LOUIS, G, N. NAZEMI, S. REMER
  • “Capacity Factor Analysis for Evaluating Water and Sanitation Infrastructure Choices for Developing Communities,” J Environ Management. 2015 Sep 15;161:335-43. Epub 2015 Jul 20. ABS BOUABID, A., AND G. LOUIS

Courses Taught

  • SYS 2620/STS 2620, Science & Technology Public Policy
  • SYS 3021, Deterministic Decision Models
  • SYS 3046/SYS 6046, Sustainability & Human Needs
  • SYS 6041, Ethics in Science & Engineering Research and Practice
  • SYS 6070, Unit Processes of Water and Sanitation Systems