Maeen Md Khairul Akter, a PhD candidate in the Department of Technology, AI and Society and a research assistant at the Waste Data and Analysis Center (WDAC), has been selected as a recipient of the 2026 Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) Scholarship Award. This highly competitive scholarship provides $16,000 a year to support promising graduate students pursuing research in sustainable waste management studies.
Maeen’s research focuses on municipal solid waste (MSW) characterization and the development of quantitative methods for comparing waste composition across jurisdictions to support data-driven waste management and policy decisions. His earlier research addresses sustainable industrial transformation in the textile-apparel industry in Bangladesh through material circularity, responsible production and consumption.
Maeen says, “I am extremely delighted for this recognition as a solid waste and sustainability researcher from EREF. I would like to take this opportunity to connect with fellow scholars and the EREF community to advance my knowledge and practice in solid waste research.”
The award recognizes his ongoing contributions to solid waste research and his commitment to advancing more sustainable and evidence-based approaches to waste management. EREF is a leading organization that funds scientific research and educational programs to advance sustainable waste management practices.
Congratulations on this achievement, Maeen!