David Sabatini

David Sabatini is David Ross Boyd Professor emeritus of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science at the University of Oklahoma.  He joined OU in 1989 and is founding Director of the Water Technologies for Emerging Regions (WaTER) Center and Associate Director of the Institute for Applied Surfactant Reseach and held the Sun Oil Company Endowed Chair from 2002 until his retirement in 2022.

Sabatini's research focused on sustainable drinking water systems for developing countries, surfactant-based environmental and biofuel technologies, and understanding / characterizing contaminant transport and remediation in the subsurface.

He is former Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, Associate Editor of Journal of Surfactants and Detergents and Editorial Board member of the Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development.  He has coauthored or coedited five books and 232 refereed journal publications.  His work has been cited 13,728 times with h-index of 67, an i-100 index of 34, and an i-10 index of 202 (Google Scholar Citations: December 30, 2024).  His research funding has totaled $12.8 M (individual credit of $4.3 M) and has included funding from agencies such as NSF, EPA, DoE, DOD, DoEd. 

His awards include the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame - Oklahoma Higher Education Heritage Society (2020), the Journal of Surfactants and Detergents Outstanding Paper of the Year Award (2018), International Service Award from U.S. National Chapter of International Association of Hydrogeologists (2017), Steven K. Dentel Award for Global Outreach from Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP) (2016), OU David L. Boren Award for Outstanding Global Engagement (2015), Inaugural Winner of the Pursuit of Excellence Faculty Award, OU Gallogly College of Engineering (2015), Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Illinois Civil and Environmental Engineering (2012), Award of Merit for Work in Developing Countries from the Water Environment Federation (2011), the Oklahoma Medal for Excellence in Teaching from the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence (2010), the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professor’s Wiley Outstanding Educator Award:  Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Engineering and Science Education (2008), Japanese Oil Chemist Society Lectureship Award (2006) and National Ground Water Association Ground Water Remediation Project Award (2006).  In 1997-1998 he was a senior Fulbright Scholar at the Universitaet Tuebingen, Germany. He received his BSCE from the University of Illinois, his MSCE from Memphis State University and his PhD from Iowa State University.