Dr Carlos Domingo-Félez he/him

I specialize on biochemical processes in water systems for environmental engineering. My main research field focuses on solving a climate problem, greenhouse-gas emissions from water treatment, in a bottom-to-top systematic approach covering a wide range of disciplines, from microbial metabolism to models for wastewater treatment plants. The main activities are:

a) understanding the metabolism of a number of microorganisms for environmental biotechnologies,

b) formulating novel mechanistic models to predict their metabolism,

c) operating bioreactors,

d) developing calibration procedures for mechanistic models,

e) understanding the carbon footprint of wastewater treatment for achieving net zero targets.

My goal is to transfer knowledge from other scientific areas into water technologies. For example, by developing an analogy of how current flows in electric circuits to the flow of electrons inside bacteria. Also, by working with a membrane-less technology to separate cells from the liquid phase by applying an acoustic field. Hence, combining basic concepts from other scientific areas such as electricity, magnetism, acoustic forces, can yield surprising results for water engineering, which links to other division of the College of Science & Engineering. GHG emissions from water systems are not taxed (yet), and will be key to achieve net-zero technologies, which offers a good opportunity to address sustainability of water systems, which links to the School of Social & Environmental Sustainability.

I am also interested in digitalization and developing protocols (statistical methods and data treatment pipelines) for in-house engineered and natural systems, which would benefit significantly from collaboration with the School of Mathematics & Statistics.

Finally, GHG emissions from water systems are not taxed (yet), and are key to achieve net-zero technologies, and a huge gap exists to accurately describe sustainability from water systems, which links to the School of Social & Environmental Sustainability.

I joined the JWSE two years ago (ECR), and currently supervise one PhD student, looking forward to contributing to projects that can benefit from sustainable bioprocesses.