Peter

Jaffe

William L. Knapp ’47 Professor of Civil Engineering
Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Research interests: Novel mechanisms of ammonium oxidation under iron reducing conditions and its applications to water treatment; optimization of nitrification/denitrification in waste treatment systems; transport and transformation of pollutants in the environment; remediation of contaminated systems; numerical simulation of denitrification in soils as a function of rainfall and soil properties; climate change models; biogeochemically mediated dynamics of trace metals in sediments, wetland soils, and groundwater; biological reduction of uranium in groundwater; long-term stability of the reduced uranium phases; nitrogen processing in urban settings coupled to urban hydrology; effects of carbon dioxide sequestration in deep aquifers on shallow soils due to potential leaks.

A person (face not visible) wearing a white lab coat and blue disposable gloves holds a square lab plate in their left hand. Their right hand holds a pair of tweezers which they are using to pick up one of several small green plants on the plate. — Jonathan Conway, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering, received an innovation grant for the project “Engineering symbiotic plant-microbe interactions for sustainable agriculture.” Photo by Sameer A. Khan/Fotobuddy

Since 2008, innovation funds have fostered research in AI fairness, sustainable agriculture, drug discovery and more

Photo of a city from afar, with grass in foreground. This is the Meadowlands. — Mario Gandelsonas, Princeton’s Class of 1913 Lecturer in Architecture, professor of architecture, and director of the Program in Urban Studies, has been leading an assessment of the New Jersey Meadowlands (pictured) as a potential national climate park that would mitigate the effects of climate change.

Princeton research is pursuing a sustainable future for New Jersey and the world

In online testimony, Jaffé called for federal leadership in research into chemicals called PFAS. Photo by Princeton University

Jaffé briefs Congress on “forever chemicals”

photo of eric wood — Eric Wood was an international leader in drought monitoring.

Eric Wood, leader in hydrology, dies at 74

Prismatic graphic with words "Commendation for Outstanding Teaching"

Faculty commended for outstanding teaching

Matrix of fluorescent particles with pores that open and close — Sujit Datta’s research group received funding to develop leaf-inspired soft materials that someday could allow robots to efficiently transfer water and heat. Shown here are microscopic slices at different depths through a mesoporous thermo-responsive hydrogel that will form the basis of artificial leaf stomata that are programmed to dynamically open and close in response to sunlight or heat. Black circles show large voids in the hydrogel structure; white shows fluorescent particles embedded in the hydrogel matrix.

Artificial leaves, floating breakwaters and musical memories are among recipients of 2021 innovation grants

Three students look closely at a model of an architectural structure.

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Fundamental insights into the built and natural environments, and interactions between the two

Peter Jaffe

William L. Knapp ’47 Professor of Civil EngineeringProfessor of Civil and Environmental Engineering