Michael Nalbandian, Ph.D.

Dr. Michael J. Nalbandian received his B.S. in Environmental Engineering and Ph.D. in Chemical and Environmental Engineering from the University of California,
Riverside (UCR) in 2010 and 2014, respectively.

In the fall of 2015, Dr. Nalbandian joined the College of Engineering at California Baptist University (CBU) as a visiting professor and is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering. Prior to joining, he was an adjunct professor in Chemistry for the Department of Natural and Mathematical Sciences at CBU while working as a postdoctoral researcher in the Innovation Economy Corporation Laboratory in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at UCR. He teaches
courses in the area of environmental engineering including water, air and soil quality, as well as chemical and general engineering.

In terms of research, Dr. Nalbandian’s interests focus on the general topics of environmental chemistry, water and wastewater treatment, fate and effects of emerging pollutant classes, semiconductor nanomaterial fabrication and characterization, and environmental applications of nanotechnology. As an undergraduate researcher, he was involved in the analysis of catalytic ozonation for the degradation of emerging organic contaminants in aquatic systems using multifunctionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which was published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science and Technology (ES&T). While earning his doctorate degree, he carried out research funded through a U.S. EPA grant in 2011 on the synthesis, characterization and performance analysis of chemically-active electrospun nanofibers for the treatment of impaired water sources, which led to 7 peer-reviewed publications. This work was also recognized in ACS’s top ten sustainable chemistry papers in 2016 and referenced by the Nanotechnology Signature Initiative (NSI) in a white paper on water sustainability through nanotechnology. His most recent publications involves the synthesis and characterization of lead telluride hollow nanofibers for thermoelectric devices. He is currently working on an extensive review of electrospun nanomaterials used toward environmental remediation.

Dr. Nalbandian is a member of the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), as well as honor societies, including Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society, Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society and Golden Key International Honor Society. He also serves as a reviewer for several international journals, including Materials and Deign, Processes, Applied Sciences, and Water. He is passionate about engaging and encouraging students in STEM and its connection to God’s creation and character.

Dr. Nalbandian was born in Créteil, France and raised in Alfortville, France before moving to Burbank, California with his immediate family at an early age. He is married to Dr. Jenifer N. Nalbandian, assistant professor in Chemistry at CBU. Outside of the classroom, he enjoys spending time with his wife, working on arts and crafts, watching and playing sports, singing and playing music, and playing video games. He serves at Generations Church in Moreno Valley as a worship singer.

Engineer-in-Training (EIT), December 2011
Board of Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists

EGR 101 - Christian Engineering Worldview
EGR 102 - Introduction to Engineering Design
EGR 122 - Visualization Language I
EGR 181 - Elementary Mathematics for Engineering Applications, Lab
EGR 182 - Introductory Mathematics for Engineering Applications, Lab
EGR 256 - Principles of Environmental Science and Engineering
EGR 342 - Fluid Mechanics, Lab
EGR 356 - Hydrology
EGR 400 - Air Pollution Engineering
EGR 453 - Environmental Engineering I
CHE 102 - Fundamentals of Chemistry
CHE 351 - Organic Chemistry I, Lab
CHE 352 - Organic Chemistry II, Lab

Water/waste water quality and treatment
Environmental chemistry
Advanced oxidation processes
Fate and transport of organic micropollutants
Environmental nanotechnology
Nanofabrication
Semiconductors
Photocatalysis

Teaching Assistant/ Guest Lecturer
University of California, Riverside 2011 – 2014

Journal Publications
Nalbandian, M. J.; Kim, S.; Gonzalez, H.; Myung, N. V.; Cwiertny, D. M. “Recent Advances and Remaining Barriers to the Development of Electrospun Nanofibers and Nanofiber Composites for Point of Use and Point of Entry Water Treatment Systems.” Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 2022, 8, 100204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hazadv.2022.100204

Zhang, M.; Park, S.-D.; Kim, J.; Nalbandian, M. J.; Kim, S.; Choa, Y. H.; Lim, J.; Myung, N. V. “Synthesis and Thermoelectric Characterization of Lead Telluride Hollow Nanofibers.” Frontiers in Chemistry, 2018, 6, 436.

Nalbandian, M. J.; Zhang, M.; Sanchez, J.; Nam, J.; Cwiertny, D. M.; Myung, N. V. “θ-Alumina/Hematite (θ-Al2O3/Fe2O3) Composite Nanofibers for Heavy Metal Removal.” Science of Advanced Materials, 2017, 9, 22-29.

Nalbandian, M. J.; Greenstein, K. E.; Shuai, D.; Zhang, M.; Choa, Y. H.; Parkin, G. F.; Myung, N. V.; Cwiertny, D. M “Tailored Synthesis of Photoactive TiO2 Nanofibers and Au/TiO2 Nanofiber Composites: Structure and Reactivity Optimization for Water Treatment Applications.” Environmental Science and Technology 2015, 49, 1654-1663. (*In ACS Chemistry & Engineering News Top Ten Sustainable Chemistry Papers for 2016) https://doi.org/10.1021/es502963t

Nalbandian, M. J.; Zhang, M.; Sanchez, J.; Choa, Y. H.; Cwiertny, D. M.; Myung, N. V. “Synthesis and Optimization of Fe2O3 Nanofibers for Chromate Adsorption from Contaminated Water Sources.” Chemosphere 2016, 144, 945-981.

Oulton, R. L.; Haase, J.; Kaalberg, S.; Nalbandian, M. J.; Cwiertny, D. M. “Hydroxyl Radical Formation during Ozonation of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes: Performance Optimization and Demonstration of a Reactive CNT Filter.” Environmental Science and Technology 2015, 49, 3687-3697.

Nalbandian, M. J.; Zhang, M.; Sanchez, J.; Choa, Y. H.; Cwiertny, D. M.; Myung, N. V. “Synthesis and Optimization of BiVO4 and Co-catalyzed BiVO4 Nanofibers for Visible light-activated Photocatalytic Degradation of Aquatic Micropollutants.” Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical 2015, 404, 18-26.

Nalbandian, M. J.; Zhang, M.; Sanchez, J.; Kim, S.I.; Choa, Y. H.; Cwiertny, D. M.; Myung, N. V. “Synthesis and Optimization of Ag-TiO2 Composite Nanofibers for Photocatalytic Treatment of Impaired Water Sources.” Journal of Hazardous Materials 2015, 299, 141-148.

Presentations
Farmer, M.; Morales, S.; Calderon, B.; Dransfeldt, D., Nalbandian, M. J.; “Synthesis and characterization of electrospun silica-based nanofibers for Cu(II) removal of contaminated water.” ACS Fall 2022 National Meeting & Exposition, Aug. 2022, Chicago, Il.

Nalbandian, M. J.; Ico, G.; Nam, J.; Myung, N. V. “Electrospun Ceramic Nanofibers as High Performance Photoactive and Piezoelectric Materials.” 40th International Conference and Exposition on Advanced Ceramics and Composites, Jan. 2016, Daytona Beach, FL.

Nalbandian, M. J.; Cwiertny, D. M.; Myung, N. V. “Tailored Synthesis of Semiconductor Nanofibers for Photocatalytic Treatment of Emerging Organic Contaminants.” 2014 Materials Research Society Spring Meeting and Exhibit, Apr. 2014, San Francisco, CA.

Shuai, D.; Nalbandian, M. J.; Choa, Y. H.; Myung, N. V.; Cwiertny, D. M., “Optimizing photocatalytic performance of electrospun TiO2 nanofibers for removal of emerging organic contaminants.” 245th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, Apr. 2013, New Orleans, LA.

Nalbandian, M. J.; Cwiertny, D. M.; Myung, N. V. “Synthesis and Optimization of Photocatalytic TiO2 Nanofibers for Treatment of Impaired Water Supplies.” 244th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, Aug. 2012, Philadelphia, PA.

Nalbandian, M. J.; Cwiertny, D. M.; Myung, N. V. “Synthesis and Optimization of Photoactive Electrospun TiO2 Nanofibers for use in Water and Wastewater Treatment.” UCR Water Research Symposium, Apr. 2012, Riverside, CA.

Oulton, R. L.; Nalbandian, M. J.; Fairbrother, H.; Cwiertny, D. M. “Production of hydroxyl radical during ozonation of carbonaceous nanomaterials.” Gordon Research Conference Environmental Sciences: Water, Jul. 2012, Holderness, NH.

Oulton, R. L.; Nalbandian, M. J.; Fairbrother, H.; Wepasnick, K.; Cwiertny, D. M. “Advanced oxidation processes with carbon nanotubes: surface-promoted formation of hydroxyl radical during ozonation.” 2011 AiChE Annual Meeting, Oct. 2011, Minneapolis, MN.

Oulton, R. L.; Nalbandian, M. J.; Wepasnick, K.; Fairbrother, H.; Cwiertny, D. M. “Influence of multi-wall carbon nanotube surface oxidation on hydroxyl radical formation during ozonation.” 241st ACS National Meeting & Exposition, Mar. 2011, Anaheim, CA.

Oulton, R. L.; Nalbandian, M. J.; Cwiertny, D. M. “Carbon nanotubes promote hydroxyl radical formation during ozonation.” 240th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, Aug. 2010, Boston, MA.


Dissertation
"Development and Optimization of Chemically-Active Electrospun Nanofibers for Treatment of Impaired Water Sources" Dec. 2014

Church Membership
Discovery Christian Church, Moreno Valley, CA

Ministries
Worship ministry

Spending time with my wife, singing and playing music, interactive electronic software

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
-James 1:5