UND civil engineering student wins national water quality scholarship
Faisal Ahmed, UND Civil Engineering graduate student, recognized by Water Quality Research Foundation for PFAS removal research
For the second year in a row, a UND Department of Civil Engineering student has been named the David Loveday Scholarship winner by the Water Quality Research Foundation.
Faisal Ahmed, a UND civil engineering student, earned the 2026 scholarship for his poster, “Upscaling Soybean Hulls into Activated Carbon for Effective Removal of PFAS in Water Treatment.” The research was completed with Dr. Mahmut S. Ersan, assistant professor of civil engineering at UND.
The annual WQRF poster contest gives students a platform to engage with real-world issues and contribute to conversations about water treatment and public health. Ahmed’s recognition follows UND student Tihitna G. Mulugeta’s 2025 David Loveday Scholarship win, also for PFAS-related water treatment research with Ersan.
Ahmed’s research explores a practical and sustainable approach to one of today’s most pressing drinking water challenges: how to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, from water. Often referred to as “forever chemicals,” PFAS are persistent contaminants that can accumulate in the environment and raise concerns for drinking water systems.
His project focuses on converting soybean hulls — an agricultural byproduct sometimes used as animal feed — into activated carbon that can help remove PFAS from water. According to the poster, the United States produces 10 billion to 15 billion pounds of soybean hulls annually, creating a potential opportunity to turn a low-value waste product into a useful water treatment material.
“This approach not only addresses a critical environmental challenge but also contributes to waste valorization, circular economy, and sustainable water treatment technologies,” said Ahmed. “I would like to sincerely thank my advisor, Dr. Mahmut Selim Ersan, for his continuous mentorship, encouragement, and support, and for inspiring me to actively engage in professional and research communities. I would like to sincerely thank the North Dakota Soybean Council for their generous funding and support, which made this research project possible. I’m looking forward to continuing this work toward sustainable and scalable solutions for water quality challenges.”
For Ersan, the award reflects both Ahmed’s careful work and UND’s growing strength in water quality research.
“Faisal Ahmed’s research addresses one of today’s most pressing water quality challenges: the removal of persistent PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ from drinking water,” explained Ersan. “His work focuses on synthesizing activated carbon from soybean hull waste in North Dakota as a sustainable approach. This approach advances sustainable treatment technologies and waste valorization while highlighting UND’s growing leadership in preparing students to develop practical, scalable solutions to real-world environmental problems.”
The David Loveday Scholarship honors David Loveday, a longtime governmental advocate for the Water Quality Association who passed in 2021. WQRF describes Loveday as someone with a passion for education, and the scholarship program encourages continued research and education in drinking water quality.
Ahmed’s recognition adds to a growing record of UND student success in water treatment research and highlights the Department of Civil Engineering’s focus on applied research that addresses real-world environmental challenges.
Written by Paige Prekker // UND College of Engineering & Mines
