Akram N. Alshawabkeh
· George A. Snell Professor of Engineering and University Distinguished ProfessorNortheastern University · Environmental Engineering
Active 1992–2026
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About
Akram N. Alshawabkeh is the George A. Snell Professor of Engineering and a University Distinguished Professor at Northeastern University College of Engineering. His research focuses on geoenvironmental engineering, soil and groundwater remediation, electrokinetic and electrochemical processes, and contaminant fate and transport in environmental restoration. He is involved in projects such as the Puerto Rico Testsite for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT), supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ Superfund Research Program, which studies exposure to environmental contamination and its impact on adverse pregnancy outcomes. Alshawabkeh has made significant contributions to environmental engineering, particularly in the development of innovative methods for treating contaminated water and soil. He has been recognized with numerous awards, including the 2022 Dean’s Award for Meritorious Service, the 2014 ASCE Thomas A. Middlebrooks Award, and the NSF CAREER Award in 2001. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers. His work bridges scientific research and practical applications, aiming to improve environmental health and safety through advanced remediation technologies.
Research topics
- Medicine
- Internal medicine
- Biology
- Environmental health
- Demography
- Genetics
- Physiology
- Pathology
- Gerontology
- Computer Science
Selected publications
The Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO)-Wide Cohort
American Journal of Epidemiology · 2023 · 177 citations
The Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO)-Wide Cohort Study (EWC), a collaborative research design comprising 69 cohorts in 31 consortia, was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2016 to improve children's health in the United States. The EWC harmonizes extant data and collects new data using a standardized protocol, the ECHO-Wide Cohort Data Collection Protocol (EWCP). EWCP visits occur at least once per life stage, but the frequency and timing of the visits v…
Environment International · 2020 · 112 citations
BACKGROUND: In previous studies, exposures to heavy metals such as Pb and Cd have been associated with adverse birth outcomes; however, knowledge on effects at low levels of exposure and of other elements remain limited. METHOD: We examined individual and mixture effects of metals and metalloids on birth outcomes among 812 pregnant women in the Puerto Rico Testsite for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT) cohort. We measured 16 essential and non-essential metal(loid)s in maternal blood coll…
JAMA Network Open · 2022 · 106 citations
Importance: Physical and social neighborhood attributes may have implications for children's growth and development patterns. The extent to which these attributes are associated with body mass index (BMI) trajectories and obesity risk from childhood to adolescence remains understudied. Objective: To examine associations of neighborhood-level measures of opportunity and social vulnerability with trajectories of BMI and obesity risk from birth to adolescence. Design, Setting, and Participants: Thi…
Associations Between Prenatal Urinary Biomarkers of Phthalate Exposure and Preterm Birth
JAMA Pediatrics · 2022 · 85 citations
Importance: Phthalate exposure is widespread among pregnant women and may be a risk factor for preterm birth. Objective: To investigate the prospective association between urinary biomarkers of phthalates in pregnancy and preterm birth among individuals living in the US. Design, Setting, and Participants: Individual-level data were pooled from 16 preconception and pregnancy studies conducted in the US. Pregnant individuals who delivered between 1983 and 2018 and provided 1 or more urine samples…
Impact of Hurricane Maria on Drinking Water Quality in Puerto Rico
Environmental Science & Technology · 2020 · 55 citations
< 0.05) higher levels in the post-HM than in the pre-HM samples. Thirteen micropollutants, including four pesticides, were only detected in posthurricane samples. Spatial comparison showed higher pollutant and toxicity levels in the samples from northern PR (where eight Superfund sites are located) than in those from southern PR. Distinctive pathway-specific molecular toxicity fingerprints for water extracts before and after HM and at different locations revealed changes in toxicity nature that…
Recent grants
ECHO-PROTECT Cohort Study Site in Puerto Rico
NIH · $19.1M · 2016–2030
NIH · $13.7M · 2010–2026
ECHO-PROTECT Cohort Study Site in Puerto Rico
NIH · $13.0M · 2016–2025
Frequent coauthors
- 175 shared
José F. Cordero
University of Georgia
- 159 shared
John D. Meeker
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
- 93 shared
Carmen M. Vélez-Vega
University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus
- 92 shared
Deborah J. Watkins
- 70 shared
Zaira Rosario
University of Puerto Rico System
- 52 shared
Carlos A. Camargo
Harvard University
- 51 shared
Dana Dabelea
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
- 51 shared
Anne L. Dunlop
Emory University
Education
- 1991
Ph.D., Environmental Engineering
University of Texas at Austin
- 1987
M.S., Environmental Engineering
University of Texas at Austin
- 1983
B.S., Civil Engineering
University of Jordan
Awards & honors
- 2022 Dean’s Award for Meritorious Service
- 2014 ASCE Thomas A. Middlebrooks Award
- 2009 Transportation Research Board, Certificate of Appreciat…
- 2005-2006 Fulbright Scholar – Jordan
- 2004 College of Engineering Outstanding Researcher Award, NU
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