Cindy Weng

Cindy Weng is a Ph.D. candidate in the civil and environmental engineering department at Stanford University. Her work in the Mitch Group focuses on developing electrochemical water treatment technologies to develop decentralized water systems and reduce the environmental impacts of water treatment. Her current research works on developing a novel electrochemical dechlorination technology for wastewater treatment to protect aquatic life, enabling effective disinfection while lowering chemical usage and carbon footprints. In her previous research, Cindy focused on developing an electrochemical advanced oxidation process for potable reuse applications to provide a cost- and energy-efficient alternative to the industry standard. At Stanford, she volunteers weekly at College Track and founded the student organization, Engineering Students for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Broadly, she is interested in policy issues surrounding clean water, environmental justice, education equity and socioeconomic mobility.

Cindy is from Oakland, where she grew up in her family restaurant and spent her time thinking about socioeconomic inequities and the intersection of water access and education. She received a B.S. in civil engineering from Carnegie Mellon University with college and university honors. While at Carnegie Mellon, her research included kinetic modelling of pesticide degradation via an oxidation catalyst, flood frequency modelling of the Paraguay River and environmental remediation via a sulfide-modified nanomaterial. Cindy is currently a Gates Millennium Scholar and Emerson Collective Scholar. She is also the recipient of the Stanford JEDI Award, the inaugural Dr. Philip C. Singer Fellowship from the American Water Works Association and the H. A. Thomas Sr. Distinguished Service Award from Carnegie Mellon.