Energy Initiative Faculty Database
Energy Initiative
Office of the Provost
Duke University

 HOME > Provost > Energy Initiative > Faculty    Search Help Login pdf version printable version 

Claudia Gunsch, Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Energy Initiative

Claudia Gunsch

Dr. Claudia Gunsch began her academic career at Purdue University where she earned her B.S. in Civil Engineering in 1998. She then matriculated to Clemson University where she earned her M.S. in 2000 and immediately entered the doctoral program at the University of Texas at Austin.

Gunsch comes to Duke with a wide range of research experiences in microbial engineering systems. Gunsch’s research has primarily focused on pollutant degradation as applied to groundwater and air pollution treatment. During the early stages of her graduate studies, her work focused on chlorinated compound degradation by bacteria in groundwater. During her doctoral work, she investigated the fungal degradation of aromatic compounds in biofiltration. As part of her innovative research, she incorporates quantitative molecular biological techniques into her research to link macroscale vapor-phase bioreactor performance to phenomena occurring at the microscale in the biofilm.

At Duke, Gunsch plans to continue her research with projects that further link biotechnology to environmental engineering applications. Some of the projects which she is incorporating into her research program include: 1) identifying genetic adaptation mechanisms resulting from anthropogenic contaminant exposure, 2) developing biosensors capable of pathogen and contaminant detection in water and air, 3) studying the impact of emerging contaminants on aquatic microbial ecology and 4) the development of novel techniques for controlling pathogen proliferation. In addition to her research interests, she teaches basic and advanced classes in environmental engineering such as such as environmental molecular biotechnology, environmental microbiology and biological processes in environmental engineering.

Contact Info:
Office Location:  127 Hudson Hall
Office Phone:  +1 919 660 5208
Email Address: send me a message
Web Pages:  http://gunsch.pratt.duke.edu/
http://www.ceint.duke.edu

Teaching (Spring 2024):

  • CEE 690.05, ADVANCED TOPICS IN CEE Synopsis
    Fitzpatrk 1411, M 01:25 PM-03:55 PM
Teaching (Fall 2024):

  • CEE 690.05, ADVANCED TOPICS IN CEE Synopsis
    Hudson 218, M 01:25 PM-03:55 PM
Education:

PhDUniversity of Texas2004
MSClemson University2000
BSPurdue University1998
Specialties:

Microbial Engineering, biological remediation
Environmental Impacts
Environmental Engineering
Research Interests:

Identifying genetic adaptation mechanisms resulting from anthropogenic contaminant exposure; developing biosensors capable of pathogen and contaminant detection in water and air; studying the impact of emerging contaminants on aquatic microbial ecology; and the development of novel techniques for controlling pathogen proliferation

Recent Publications

  1. S. Wang, R. Holzem and C.K. Gunsch, Effects of Pharmaceutically Active Compounds on a Mixed Microbial Community Originating from a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant, Environmental Science & Technology, vol. 42 no. 4 (2008), pp. 1091-1095 [html]
  2. C.K. Gunsch, K.A. Kinney, P.J. Szaniszlo and C.P. Whitman, Relative gene expression quantification in a fungal gas-phase biofilter., Bioengineering and Biotechnology, vol. 98 no. 1 (2007), pp. 101-111  [abs]
  3. C.K. Gunsch, K.A. Kinney, P.J. Szaniszlo and C.P. Whitman, Quantification of homogentisate-1,2-dioxygenase expression in a fungus degrading ethylbenzene., Journal of Microbiological Methods, vol. 67 no. 2 (2006), pp. 257-265.  [abs]
  4. Gunsch, Claudia K. and Cheng, Qiang and Kinney, Kerry A. and Szaniszlo, Paul J. and Whitman, Christian P., Identification of a homogentisate-1,2-dioxygenase gene in the fungus Exophiala lecanii-corni: Analysis and implications, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, vol. 68 no. 3 (2005), pp. 405 - 411 [s00253-005-1899-0]  [abs]
  5. Verce, Matthew F. and Gunsch, Claudia K. and Danko, Anthony S. and Freedman, David L., Cometabolism of cis-1,2-dichloroethene by aerobic cultures grown on vinyl chloride as the primary substrate, Environmental Science and Technology, vol. 36 no. 10 (2002), pp. 2171 - 2177 [es011220v]  [abs]

Honors and Awards

  • University of Texas Graduate Engineering Council Travel Award (2001, 2002 and 2003)
  • University of Texas THRUST 2000 Fellowship (2000-2004)
  • University of Texas Bruton Fellowship (2000-2004)
  • University of Texas Environmental Engineering Departmental Fellowship (2001)
  • National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship (1999-2004)
  • 1999 EPA STAR Masters Student Graduate Fellowship (Declined, Accepted the NSF Fellowship)
  • Clemson University Environmental Engineering and Science Departmental Fellowship (1999)
  • Clemson University Alumni Fellowship (1998)
  • General Motors Scholarship (1998)
  • Purdue Engineering Student Council Scholarship (1996 and 1997)
  • Society of Women in Engineering Scholarship (1995)
Professional and Service Activities
  • Chi Epsilon
  • Phi Sigma Pi
  • Phi Eta Sigma
  • Alpha Lambda Delta
  • American Society of Microbiology (1999-Current)
  • American Chemical Society (1999-Current)
  • Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (1999-Current)
  • American Society for Engineering Education (2001-Current)

Duke University * Faculty * Staff * Reload * Login