Morton Barlaz
Bio
Dr. Morton A. Barlaz is a Distinguished University Professor of the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University. He received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Wisconsin.
Dr. Barlaz is the author of more than 150 peer-reviewed publications and hundreds of presentations at conferences throughout the world. In 1992, he was awarded a Presidential Faculty Fellowship from the National Science Foundation. In 2022, Dr. Barlaz was named an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow for his “distinguished contributions to the field of environmental engineering, particularly for advancing understanding of solid waste engineering and related fundamental biological and chemical processes.”
Dr. Barlaz has been active in service throughout his career. He is an associate editor for two journals (Waste Management and Journal of Environmental Engineering) and serves as co-chair of the bi-annual Intercontinental Landfill Research Symposium. He has served as chair of the Government Affairs Committee and the Lectures Committee for the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors. He also serves on the Science Advisory Committee for the International Waste Working Group.
Education
Ph. D. Civil and Environmental Engineering University of Wisconsin 1988
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering University of Wisconsin 1985
B.S. Chemical Engineering University of Michigan 1978
Area(s) of Expertise
Dr. Barlaz has been involved in research on various aspects of solid waste since 1983. Over this time, he has conducted research on biological refuse decomposition, methane production, and the biodegradation of hazardous wastes in landfills. He has participated in two state-of-the-practice reviews of bioreactor landfills. His research forms the basis for much of the work done to assess the impact of landfills on methane emissions inventories. Dr. Barlaz is also recognized for his research on the use of life-cycle analysis to evaluate environmental emissions associated with alternate solid waste management strategies. Most recently, he has been working on the processes that contribute to heat accumulation in landfills.