Case Summary:

In October of 2020, an expert in the field of environmental engineering with a Ph.D. in civil engineering came to us seeking help with his NIW (National Interest Waiver) approval. We at NAILG have a lot of experience in dealing with clients who apply under the I-140 category. This is why we were able to aid him and find out that his proposed endeavor is to continue investigating chemical and biological wastewater treatment and resource recovery from wastewater and sewage sludge in order to improve sustainability. It was evident that his research is of great importance because it contributes to advancements in wastewater treatment and management technology.

This was the reason that he was able to obtain letters of recommendation from experts in his field, some of which are quoted below:

“[The client’s] research is representative of a larger shift in the study of wastewater treatment policy in the field of environmental engineering, particularly regarding the perception of the byproducts of wastewater treatment processes. Such research pushes the field in a far more sustainable and economic direction. Due to the myriad benefits of [client’s] work, it is imperative that he be granted a platform on which to continue his pioneering work in wastewater treatment and management.”

“[Client’s] research proposes a method which defrays the costs of such a system by decentralizing it. When applied to real-world contexts, such research results in substantial cost savings for urban centers. As a number of cities are still in the process of implementing major wastewater treatment systems, [client’s] research has clear global implications.”

“[The client’s] anaerobic treatment method thus completely eliminates this portion of the process, leading to considerable energy savings, as well as reducing the environmental liabilities [sic] associated with sludge disposal. Such research thus has clear economical and environmental benefits, effectively establishing the necessity of [client’s] continued work in this area.”

At the same time, his research has resulted in 9 peer-reviewed journal articles (7 of them first-authored) and 1 first-authored peer-reviewed conference paper. Moreover, these papers have been published in the top journals in his field, reflecting his peers’ recognition of the value of this research. His publications have also been cited a total of 78 times according to Google Scholar. He is also known to have completed at least 23 peer reviews to date. Since only the most highly esteemed researchers in the field are invited to evaluate the work of their peers, especially in authoritative journals like these, it is clear that he is seen as very knowledgeable in the field and an expert in topics related to his proposed endeavor. Also due to its clear national importance, his research has in fact been supported with funding from the National Science Foundation.

We are thankful to him for trusting us throughout the process, and it gives us pleasure to know that despite the delay, his NIW approval came through. We wish him the very best in life.