Mahlet Kebede

Dr. Mahlet Kebede

Assistant Professor of Mechanical & Civil Engineering

812-488-2661
mk486@evansville.edu

Mahlet Kebede, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Evansville and holds her Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from The University of Alabama. Her research focuses on water quality modeling, emerging contaminants in water, and application of data driven models to address environmental challenges. Her teaching interest includes water resources and environmental engineering.

Education

  • PhD in Civil Engineering, The University of Alabama (2021-2026)
  • M.Sc. in Civil Engineering, Addis Ababa Institute of Technology (2015- 2017)
  • B.Sc. in Civil Engineering, Addis Ababa Institute of Technology (2010- 2015)

Certification and additional training

  • Diploma in Higher Education from Addis Ababa University (2018)
  • Summer School on Working in the context of NeXus Water-Food-Energy, Technical University of Munich (2017)
  • Exchange student at the Water Resource Centre of Khartoum University (2016)

Awards and Achievements

  • Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency Female Researchers Grant (2019)
  • Masters study full scholarship (2015)
  • Class Valedictorian (2010)

Skills and Interests

  • Laboratory skills: Experienced in sampling and analytical method development for quantifying PFAS, PAHs, and other organic contaminants in various environmental matrices. Proficient in the operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of HPLC, LC-MS/MS, GC-MS/MS, and CIC instruments. Skilled in method development, source cleaning procedures
  • Computer skills: Proficient in Python for data analysis (pandas, numpy, seaborn), geospatial analysis (arcpy), and machine learning applications (keras, scikit-learn).
  • Research interests: Water quality modelling, detection and remediation of emerging contaminants, PFAS fate and transport

Manuscript Under Review

  • Netzelman, M., Dooley, M., Agbesi, B., Kebede, M. M., Terry, L. G., Clement, T. P., Chtarbanova, S., & Ramonell, K. (2025). Effect of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) on Drosophila melanogaster lifespan and growth and development in Arabidopsis thaliana and Cucumis sativus. Micropublication Biology

Published Journal Articles

  • Kebede, M. M., M. M., Terry, L. G., Clement, T. P. (2026). Modeling PFAS sorption characteristic patterns across the conterminous United States and utilizing these data for groundwater vulnerability assessment. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology
  • Kebede, M. M., ,Masud, M.A.A., Ortbal, S, Shin, W.S., Mekonnen, M. M., Clement, T. P., Terry, L. G., (2025). Adsorptive Removal of PFAS from Aqueous Solutions Using GAC, PAC and Ball-Milled Colloidal Activated Carbon: Characterizing Efficiency, Kinetics, and Mechanisms. ACS ES&T Water 
  • Masud, M.A.A., Kebede, M. M., Ortbal, S, S, Shin, Terry, L. G. (2025). Effective PFAS degradation in aquatic systems: Performance evaluation and mechanistic drivers of peroxydisulfate activation by thermal energy. Water Research X
  • Kasula, M, Ortbal, S, Kebede, M. M., Terry, L. G., Esfahani, M. R. (2025). Evaluating Biofiltration Pretreatment and NOM-PFAS Dynamics in PFAS Removal by Nanofiltration Membranes. ACS ES&T Water
  • Kebede, M. M., Terry, L. G., Clement, T. P., & Mekonnen, M. M. (2025). Impact of Climate Change and Land Management on Nitrate Pollution in the High Plains Aquifer. Journal of Environmental Management
  • Nam, B., Poudyal, B., Kebede, M. M., Srinivasan, V., & Clement, T. P. (2025). Development of a Novel Evaporation-Imbibition Method to Characterize the Hysteresis Properties of Unsaturated Soils. Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
  • Kebede, M. M., Kumar, M., Mekonnen, M. M., & Clement, T. P. (2024). Enhancing Groundwater Recharge Through Nature-Based Solutions: Benefits and Barriers. Hydrology, 11(11), 195.
  • Mekonnen, M. M., Kebede, M. M., Demeke, B. W., Carr, J. A., Chapagain, A., Dalin, C., ... & Zhuo, L. (2024). Trends and environmental impacts of virtual water trade. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment
  • Kebede, M. M., Terry, L. G., Clement, T. P., & Mekonnen, M. M. (2024). Mapping Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Footprint from Cosmetics and Carpets across the Continental United States. ACS ES&T Water

Conference Presentations

  • Kebede, M., Clement, T. P. Mekonnen, M. M. (2023, December). Groundwater Nitrate Pollution in the High Plains Aquifer under Changing Climate. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting: H43D-2112, San Francisco, CA.
  • Kebede, M., Clement, T. P. Mekonnen, M. M. (2022, September) Assessment of a modified evaporation method used for evaluating unsaturated soil properties. Alabama Water Resources Conference, Perdido Beach, AL