Employer Treks: Visit UCity Square
Take a trip to UCity Square to learn more about career options in sustainable technology and environmental consulting. Hear from the founder/CEO of SusMaX and environmental consultants from Exponent about the companies’ missions, job functions, and how you can prepare to work in these sectors.
SusMaX, founded in 2021, is a company pioneering the recycling of landfilled coal ash into high-performance lightweight aggregate, a critical material for lightweight concrete. Leveraging a patented thermochemical technology, SusMaX addresses the challenge of more than 2 billion tons of coal ash deposited across 750+ U.S. landfills.
Exponent, Inc. is a multinational engineering and scientific consulting firm that uses advanced analysis and research to solve complex technical problems for corporations, government agencies, and law firms. Founded in 1967 as Failure Analysis Associates, the company's work often involves investigating high-profile accidents and product failures. It’s environmental and health services provides expertise in areas like toxicology, epidemiology, environmental risk assessment, and habitat restoration.
Speakers
Mo Balapour, Ph.D
Mo Balapour founded SusMaX in 2021 after earning his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering–Materials from Drexel University, the company builds on his research into transforming hard-to-recycle waste into value-added products. Today, SusMaX is developing its first commercial-scale facility in Pennsylvania to meet two pressing needs: reducing environmental burdens from landfilled ash and supplying the construction industry with sustainable, locally sourced aggregate. The company recently completed a continuous, tonnage-scale pilot demonstration in Whitehall, PA, in collaboration with three major utilities. Before launching SusMaX, Mo conducted infrastructure materials research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Aaron Stoler, Ph.D
Aaron Stoler, Ph.D. is a Managing Scientist in the Ecological and Biological Sciences practice at Exponent, and is based in Philadelphia. With over 20 years of research experience, Dr. Stoler is an applied ecologist who integrates foundational ecological theory, traditional knowledge, and innovative technologies to deliver sustainable solutions across industry, government, and academia. His expertise spans biodiversity monitoring, restoration ecology, life cycle analysis, wetland and forest ecology, and multivariate analysis of complex experimental designs. Dr. Stoler holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Pittsburgh and is a Certified Senior Ecologist. He has previously worked as an associate professor at Stockton University (NJ), as a research scientist for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and as applied ecologist with ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences, Inc.
Craig Davis, Ph.D
Craig Davis, Ph.D. specializes in modeling the distribution, fate, transport, and ecotoxicity of complex environmental pollutants. Dr. Davis has over 7 years of experience in ecological risk assessments for complex substances including petroleum streams and products (UVCBs), industrial process chemicals, per- and polyfluorinated (PFAS) substances, polymers, plastic additives, and microplastics. He supports products, companies, and industry trade associations in chemical management, including regulatory compliance, research program development, and technical advocacy at local, national, and regional levels. He works at the intersection of science, regulation, and policy, developing solutions to complex problems and constructively engaging diverse groups of stakeholders. Dr. Davis holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Delaware where he continues to train the next generation of scientists and engineers as an adjunct faculty member in the department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering.