Bio

B.S. ​Biological Engineering, Cornell University, 2003M.S. ​Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, 2004Ph.D. ​Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, 2007

"I strive to make water and energy systems more sustainable and less impactful on each other - and less impactful on the climate."

Lisa Colosi Peterson, Associate Professor

Lisa Colosi Peterson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Systems & Environment and co-director of the UVA Life Cycle Assessment Lab. Her work focuses on elucidating synergistic means of delivering clean water and clean energy, with an emphasis on harmonizing energy, water and climate sustainability objectives. Her group uses a combination of bench-scale experiments and systems modeling to provide meaningful, policy-relevant results. She has produced more than 40 peer-reviewed publications, accounting for more than 2100 citations (h-index = 19). She serves as Director of Graduate Studies for Civl Engineering and is an Associate Editor for the ASCE Journal of Environmental Engineering. She holds an MS and PhD in Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan and a BS in Biological Engineering from Cornell University. 

Research Interests

  • Climate Change
  • Energy Sustainability
  • Life Cycle Assessment
  • Water and Wastewater Treatment

Selected Publications

  • Water–energy sustainability synergies and health benefits as means to motivate potable reuse of coalbed methane-produced waters. Ambio, 1-17; ABS U Singh, LM Colosi (2018)
  • Evaluating the water quality impacts of hydrothermal liquefaction: Assessment of carbon, nitrogen, and energy recovery. Bioresource Technology Reports 2, 115-120; ABS SK Bauer, CF Reynolds, S Peng, LM Colosi (2018)
  • Assessing the energy and environmental performance of algae-mediated tertiary treatment of estrogenic compounds. Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts 17 (2), 421-428; ABS LM Colosi, EP Resurreccion, Y Zhang (2015)
  • Evaluating removal of steroid estrogens by a model alga as a possible sustainability benefit of hypothetical integrated algae cultivation and wastewater treatment systems. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 2 (11), 2544-2553; ABS Y Zhang, MY Habteselassie, EP Resurreccion, V Mantripragada, S Peng, S Bauer, LM Colosi (2014)
  • Environmental impacts of algae-derived biodiesel and bioelectricity for transportation. Environmental science & technology 45 (17), 7554-7560 ABS AF Clarens, H Nassau, EP Resurreccion, MA White, LM Colosi (2011)
  • Environmental life cycle comparison of algae to other bioenergy feedstocks. Environmental science & technology. 44 (5), 1813-1819; ABS AF Clarens, EP Resurreccion, MA White, LM Colosi (2010)
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