Dr. Linda Y. Tseng. joined CCNY as Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at the City College of the City University of New York and joined the CREST institute as its faculty member in Fall 2024 She teaches CE 31500 Computer Methods in Civil Engineering (current), CE H7900 Water Reuse and Reclamation (Fall 2025).
Dr. Tseng’s research interests include microplastic, plastic additives, contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), wastewater treatment, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). She said, “Currently I have projects on quantifying plastic additives, microplastic generation, microplastic detection on land, and a National Science Foundation (NSF)- funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) microplastic in the Finger Lakes.”
Dr. Tseng is excited to be part of the CCNY. She commented, “My motivation to come to the City College of New York has to do with its value in educating students, regardless of their financial status and ethnicity. Having the privilege to interact with the students is the best part of my job, helping them think about what they can do to help protect the environment, even just a little, is what I hope to achieve.”
Reflecting on some crucial parts of her journey, Dr. Tseng said, “My mother instilled in me that our natural environment is important. Then, my first undergraduate course in Civil and Environmental engineering presented me with current environmental issues, particularly the injustice resulting from the Colorado River water distribution in the Southwest. Eventually, my undergraduate research experience in the Earth System Science Department was instrumental in me believing that I could do research and contribute to improve and protect our environment.”
Students integrating gas chromatography results on the lab computer (Zoe You, Andrew Pratt). Credit: Linda Y. Tseng
Dr. Tseng has made significant contributions to the science community. The most well-known so far is the study that she had the opportunity to be a part of to quantify the fossil portion of the carbon emissions from wastewater treatment plants (https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b02731). She said, “This study has been cited and used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to recommend wastewater treatment plants to consider monitoring their fossil carbon outputs (Chapter 6 Wastewater Treatment and Discharge, https://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2019rf/vol5.html).”
Piece of microplastic polystyrene under scanning electron microscope (SEM). Credit: Linda Y. Tseng
Dr. Tseng received her Bachelor of Science in Earth and Environmental Science as well as in Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Irvine and Masters in Science in Environmental Engineering and Science from Stanford University. Further, she received a Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Irvine.
Dr. Tseng looks forward to learning about CREST activities and finding points of collaboration.
If you’d like to discuss any research topics or apply for the NSF REU program, Dr. Tseng may be reached in the 160 Convent Avenue, Steinman Hall, Room 116.
