Fond Farewell to Belinda Sturm
Starting July 25, Belinda Sturm became the department head of the Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech. As she launches this new chapter in her career, we take this moment to celebrate her extraordinary contributions to the Kansas NSF EPSCoR community and offer a fond farewell.
Dr. Sturm has been a guiding force for the Kansas NSF EPSCoR Office, serving as director and principal investigator of the ARISE project since 2022. Her leadership has been instrumental in shaping the vision, momentum, and success of this investment in Kansas' infrastructure by the U.S. National Science Foundation, setting the stage for continued collaboration that will endure well beyond her tenure.
Dr. Sturm served in several roles for Kansas NSF EPSCoR and the University of Kansas. Before becoming Director, she contributed to the scientific research of two prior five-year EPSCoR Track-1 projects, including the Climate and Energy Initiative (launched in 2009) and the Microbiomes of Aquatic, Plant, and Soil Systems project (launched in 2017). She also served as a mentor and leader for the ARISE Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. In addition, she played a key role in shaping the state’s science and technology ecosystem.
During this time, she held the position of KU’s associate vice chancellor for research. In 2024, she served as interim vice chancellor for research, leading the university’s research enterprise.
At the national level, Dr. Sturm played an active role in advocating for EPSCoR and related programs for continued investment in building research capacity across the country.
As a former professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering at KU, Dr. Sturm's research focused on wastewater treatment technologies. She never missed an opportunity to talk about granular sludge research, among other innovative approaches to improving water quality. She also maintained a long-standing partnership with the city of Lawrence's municipal water agency, and she teamed up with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment on an experiment to determine whether the COVID-19 virus could be detected in local wastewater systems.
Her new appointment at Virginia Tech reflects her outstanding record of leadership and her well-earned reputation as a builder of complex, high-performing teams. In this new role, she will continue to advance interdisciplinary research and education at the intersection of public health, infrastructure, and environmental stewardship.
While we are excited to see her take on this prestigious opportunity, her departure from the University of Kansas leaves a meaningful legacy for the state.
On behalf of the entire Kansas NSF EPSCoR community, we extend our deepest gratitude to Dr. Sturm for her years of service, vision, and leadership. Her impact will continue to shape our programs and partnerships for years to come. You will be greatly missed!