Dr. Characklis is the Philip C. Singer Distinguished Professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also serves as director of the Center on Financial Risk in Environmental Systems.
His primary research interests involve developing solutions to environmental challenges through systems-based approaches that integrate consideration of both engineering and economic principles. Specific areas of interest include the development of improved strategies for managing water supply and treatment systems, exploration of the economic and environmental trade-offs associated with energy production (e.g., hydropower, biofuels) and the management of environmental financial risks.
Dr. Characklis also has directed a number of laboratory and field studies that explore the role particles play in microbial transport, research with particular relevance in the development of water quality models used to evaluate the location and severity of microbial contamination.