headshot of David Sanchez

David Sanchez

Associate Professor
dps22@pitt.edu
david.sanchez@pitt.edu
(412) 624-9793
My Research Website Civil & Environmental Engr

overview

David V.P. Sanchez is an Assistant Professor in the University of Pittsburgh’s Civil & Environmental Engineering department and serves as the Associate Director for the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation. He coordinates the Design EXPO that showcases 90+ projects from ~400 students every semester and serves as the Director for the Manufacturing Assistant Center’s Makerspace, Constellation Energy’s Inventor Labs, the Series Workshops and some engineering collaborations in the community of Homewood.

His research is focused on identifying sustainable designs that address the Water and Energy grand challenges in the natural and built environment on a local/regional scale. Current projects include engineering electrode morphology for bio-electrochemical systems, designing sensors to identify water quality trends in real-time and, developing hydroponic systems for the phytoremediation of PFAS, removing off-flavors from Recirculating Aquaponic systems, and enhancing community agricultural systems.

Dr. Sanchez is the recipient of several awards including a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, IGERT Traineeship, Alfred P. Sloan Scholarship, Pittsburgh Business Time Energy Award, Best Mentor Award for Pitt’s Excel program, Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award, and the Soska Wilds Outreach and Engagement Leadership award. David actively leads international engineering trips on behalf of the Swanson School of Engineering.

Dr. Sanchez is responsible for building research and scholarly initiatives around Sustainable Water, Sustainable Food, Sustainable Innovation, and Global Engagement. Dr. Sanchez is also responsible for managing and directing MCSI’s Faculty, Education, and Community Engagement programs, which include the John C. Mascaro Faculty program, the Len Peters Faculty Fellows, the Community Education Fellows, the Master’s in Sustainable Engineering, the university-wide undergraduate certificate in sustainability and the Student Sustainable Innovation Fund. Dr. Sanchez continues to expand our network of positive working relationships with faculty, administration, students, and external partners (e.g. NGOs, Government agencies, Startups, and Fortune 500 companies) that support our broad education and research agenda. He also oversees the undergraduate and graduate sustainability curriculum and our K-12 programming.

about

Liu, P., Huang, J., Sanchez, D.V.P., Schwartzman, D., Lee, S.H., & Yun, M. (2016). High yield two-dimensional (2-D) polyaniline layer and its application in detection of B-type natriuretic peptide in human serum. SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL, 230, 184-190.Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.snb.2016.02.051.

Sanchez, D.V.P., Jacobs, D., Gregory, K., Huang, J., Hu, Y., Vidic, R., & Yun, M. (2015). Changes in Carbon Electrode Morphology Affect Microbial Fuel Cell Performance with Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. In Amidon, T.E. (Ed.). ENERGIES, 8(3), 1817-1829.MDPI. doi: 10.3390/en8031817.

Sanchez, D.V.P., Huynh, P., Kozlov, M.E., Baughman, R.H., Vidic, R.D., & Yun, M. (2010). Carbon Nanotube/Platinum (Pt) Sheet as an Improved Cathode for Microbial Fuel Cells. ENERGY & FUELS, 24(11), 5897-5902.American Chemical Society (ACS). doi: 10.1021/ef100825h.

Xuyen, N.T., Sanchez, D.P.V., Kim, T.H., Park, H.I., Yun, M., & Lee, Y.H. (2010). Diffusion-limited reduction of organometallic compound on carbon nanofiber mat for catalytic applications. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY, 20(26), 5468-5473.Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). doi: 10.1039/c000654h.

Park, H.I., Sanchez, D., Cho, S.K., & Yun, M. (2008). Bacterial communities on electron-beam Pt-deposited electrodes in a mediator-less microbial fuel cell. Environ Sci Technol, 42(16), 6243-6249.American Chemical Society (ACS). doi: 10.1021/es8006468.

Kerzmann, T., Sanchez, D., & Chouinard, C. (2021). Understanding Key Student Perspectives in an Interdisciplinary Flex-model Sustainability Course as Compared to a Traditional In-person Course. In 2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access Proceedings.American Society for Engineering Education.Virtual Conference. doi: 10.18260/1-2--37960.

Sanchez, D., Kerzmann, T., Chouinard, C., & Kotchey, G. (2021). Assessing the Effectiveness of a Flex Model for a Sustainability Course in the COVID-19 Learning Environment. In 2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access Proceedings.American Society for Engineering Education. doi: 10.18260/1-2--36712.

Mahboobin, A., & Sanchez, D.V.P. (2020). Incorporating sustainability into a bioethics course - A case study. In ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings, 2020-June.

Greene, M.L., Nguyen, C., & Sanchez, D.V.P. (2019). Identifying phenomena and developing educational modules that integrate engineering, sustainability and next generation science standards for middle school science teachers (resource exchange). In ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings.

Mena, I.B., & Sanchez, D.V.P. (2017). Perceptions of academic integrity of students in a first-year engineering program. In ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings, 2017-June.

Schmidt, D.E., Sanchez, D.V.P., & Dickerson, S.J. (2017). Increasing student engagement and motivation by replacing homework with assignment-quizzes. In ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings, 2017-June.

Budny, D., Arjmand, S., & Sanchez, D.V.P. (2016). Comparison of students' outcome to different types of project based service learning experiences for CEE senior design. In ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings, 2016-June.

Dickerson, S.J., Jacobs, S.P., Garcia, A.M., & Sanchez, D.V.P. (2016). Joint assessment and evaluation of senior design projects by faculty and industry. In 2016 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), 2016-November, (pp. 1-7).Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi: 10.1109/fie.2016.7757395.

Kerzmann, T., Walker, J., & Sanchez, D. (2016). Evaluation of an Energy and Engineering Outreach Program for High School and Middle School Students. In 2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings, 2016-June.American Society for Engineering Education. doi: 10.18260/p.26775.

Budny, D., Arjmand, S., & Sanchez, D.V.P. (2015). Adding an international senior design component into the civil curriculum. In ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings, 122nd ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition: Making Value for Society(122nd ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition: Making Value for Society).