Damian E. Helbling did his undergraduate work at The Pennsylvania State University where he received a BS in civil engineering with a minor in environmental engineering. During his years as an undergrad, Helbling also held a position as a National Science Foundation REU fellow at the Center for Biofilm Engineering in Bozeman, Montana. Following graduation, Helbling worked for several years as an environmental engineering consultant before turning to graduate school. He received his MS and PhD in civil and environmental engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. His graduate research focused on the use of sensor networks within drinking water distribution systems to monitor and control post-treatment water quality. Helbling did his postdoctoral work at the Swiss Federal Institute for Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag) in Dübendorf, Switzerland where he explored the fate and transport of trace organic contaminants with a particular focus on biological transformation processes.