People

Dr. Keisuke Ikehata, Principal Investigator

Dr. Keisuke Ikehata is an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering in the Ingram School of Engineering, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.  Dr. Ikehata received his Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 2003.  In July 2019, he joined Texas State University as one of four founding members of the new Civil Engineering Program.  Prior to joining Texas State University, Dr. Ikehata worked for more than eight years as a technical specialist/R&D manager at a water resources engineering firm in Orange County, California and eight years in academia in California, Alberta, and Kansas.  Dr. Ikehata is a registered professional engineer (Environmental Engineer) in Arizona (PE) and Alberta (PEng) for more than 8 years.

Dr. Ikehata is an expert in advanced water and wastewater treatment and sustainable water resources management, including water reuse, desalination, and stormwater management.  He has led or been involved in more than 130 engineering, research, and R&D projects in the United States to develop, design, and evaluate novel sustainable solutions for emerging water resources challenges, as well as contaminated site remediation, agricultural and industrial water management in the past 20 years.  Dr. Ikehata’s areas of expertise include: (1) advanced water and wastewater treatment technologies, (2) novel biological/biochemical/chemical treatment technology development, (3) water reuse and desalination, (4) water quality management, (5) industrial and agricultural water management, and (6) stormwater management and beneficial use.  He published more than 150 technical publications, including peer reviewed journal articles, invited book chapters, conference papers, and technical articles.

Dr. Ikehata enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and skiing, as well as long distance running and swimming.  He has completed four full marathons so far.  In addition to purified recycled water and desalinated water, he loves coffee and donuts.  Sometimes, you may find him at Dunkin’ Donuts in Jones Dining Center, Shipley Do-Nuts on Hopkins, Jo’s Cafe on Mary, or Mochas & Javas in San Marcos Center.

Current Graduate Students

• Jacob A. Palmer (PhD in Materials Science, Engineering and Commercialization, Fall 2020-)
  • 2020 AMTA/Reclamation Fellow
• Lokandera Acharya (PhD in Aquatic Resources and Integrative Biology, Fall 2021-)
  • 2023 Graduate College Scholarship Recipient
• Daniel (Danny) A. Leontieff (MS in Engineering, Spring 2022-)
  • 2022 NWRI Member Agency Fellow
• Carlos A. Espindola (MS in Engineering, Fall 2022-)
  • 2023-2024 Texas AWWA Scholarship Recipient
  • 2023-2024 Capital Area Chapter-Texas AWWA Scholarship Recipient
  • 2nd Place, Student Research Poster Competition, WateReuse Texas Conference 2023, September 20-21, 2023, Frisco, TX
  • 2021 SURE Scholar
• Emma M. Clow (MS in Aquatic Resources, Fall 2022-)
• Khan Md. Rabbani Rasha (MS in Engineering, Fall 2023-)

Current Undergraduate Students

• Saul Gonzalez (BS in Civil Engineering, Spring 2020-)
  • 2020 College of Science & Engineering Undergraduate Research Fellow
• Rachel Mondy (BS in Civil Engineering, Summer 2022-)
• Kyle J. Grevsmuehl (BS in Civil Engineering, Summer 2023-)
• Peyton H. Torkelson (BS in Biochemistry, Fall 2023-)

Current High School Student Volunteer

• Colette Ingram (Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, Spring 2023-)

Completed Graduate Students

• Mr. Emon Roy (MS in Engineering, Fall 2022)
  • Thesis Title: Lifecycle Cost Analysis of a New Reverse Osmosis Concentrate Management System Using Brackish Diatoms for Enhanced Freshwater Recovery
  • Currently with Marketech International Corp., Phoenix, AZ as Water Treatment Engineer

• Ms. Han Gao (MS in Engineering, Summer 2021)
  • Thesis Title: Optimizing Photobiological Treatment of Reverse Osmosis Concentrate
  • Currently with SCIMEE, Cheng Du, Sichuan, China

• Mr. Imokhai T. Tenebe (MS in Engineering, Summer 2020), Primary Advisor: Dr. Jason Julian, Department of Geography
  • Thesis Title: Multivariate Analyses of the Effects of Land Use Change on River Water Quality: Case Study of the Manawatu River Watershed, New Zealand
  • Currently with the Dam Safety Program, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) as a General Engineering Specialist II

Completed Bachelor’s Student

• Mr. Mason S. Underwood (BS in Biology, Summer 2023)
  • Involved in multiple projects funded by the US Bureau of Reclamation DWPR Program.

• Mr. Carlos A. Espindola (BS in Environmental Engineering Technology, Spring 2022)
  • SURE Scholar, Summer 2021
  • Involved in multiple projects funded by Texas State University REP, US Bureau of Reclamation DWPR and Pitch-to-Pilot Programs
  • Currently, in the MS in Engineering Program, Texas State University

Other Past Students

• Dustin A. Walker (BS in Civil Engineering, Fall 2022-Spring 2023)
• Kamaya D. Bonds (BS in Environmental Engineering Technology, Fall 2022-Spring 2023)
  • 2022 ASPIRE Undergraduate Research Fellow
• Sara N. Roden (BS in Chemistry, Summer 2022)
  • SURE Scholar, Summer 2021
• Elena M. Forrister (BS in Chemistry, Spring 2021)
• Dennis Davila (BS in Microbiology, Spring 2020-Fall 2020)
• Dustin M. Walker (BS in Civil Engineering, Summer 2020-Fall 2020)
• Paola A. Huynh (BS in Civil Engineering, Fall 2020)
• Cindy D. Rojas Annicchiarico (MS in Technology Management, Spring 2020-Fall 2020)

Positions Available

• Volunteer undergraduate research assistant (any time)
• Paid undergraduate research assistant (after 3+ months of volunteering or equivalent experience in our lab)
• One or two MS students (Fall 2024-), subject to funding availability
• One PhD student (Spring 2024-)

See this page for more information.