Dr. Shakira Hobbs is an assistant professor in the Civil & Environmental Engineering Department and Samueli Faculty Development Endowed Chair. Dr. Hobbs’ scholarship explores system approaches to environmental engineering, international development, and life cycle thinking applied to the food, energy, and water nexus. Her current research ranges from the development of waste management techniques and energy recovery from bioplastics and food wastes; development of analytical methods for detecting and modeling transport of glyphosate in water systems; and investigating early adoption of sustainable technologies in intentionally underserved communities. She has been the Principal Investigator or co-PI on 18 award-winning projects, totaling over $1.8M. She is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American Chemical Society, the Association of Environmental & Science Professors and the National Society of Black Engineers. Dr. Hobbs is also the founder of BioGals, an international non-profit corporation that empowers women of color and engage communities to co-create dynamic solutions for a more sustainable world.

Previously, she was an assistant professor at the University of Kentucky where she spearheaded the new sub-discipline, Sustainable and Humanitarian Engineering. Dr. Hobbs began her career as a postdoctoral researcher at University of Virginia after earning her PhD in 2017 from Clemson University under the supervision of Dr. Amy Landis. Dr. Hobbs has developed a research program centered on food-energy-water nexus sustainability and will continue to make novel and timely contributions to the field and literature. Most notably, Dr. Hobbs has engaged communities for technology integration through co-creation of a pilot scale biodigester in a rural village in Belize. Through BioGals, Dr. Hobbs continues to broaden the participation of women of color in engineering.

She earned her B.S. degree from University of Maryland, College Park and M.S. from Arizona State University. Hobbs is dedicated to disseminating engineering, sustainability concepts to the public, and creating diverse collaborations that investigate holistic management techniques to challenging problems.