Decentralised water technologies
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Glasgow
Department Name: School of Engineering
Abstract
This Programme Grant will accelerate the delivery of decentralised water technologies by bringing the most up-to-date bioscience and energy engineering to bear. It will re-write emerging design rules for engineering biology to ensure that off-grid environmental biotechnologies can be configured with confidence. Bespoke microbial treatment communities will be evolved using a new suite of high-throughput synthetic-biology inspired, experimental platforms. For rural populations and UK Islands and in the developing world, from sub-urban Bangkok to the Amazon and Arctic Canada, we will develop site-specific off-grid integrated heat/water technologies. We will develop low-cost sensors, real-time monitoring and adaptive control for remote distributed water infrastructure. With water technology companies, we will analyse how suites of technologies can be configured and controlled to shape new models for decentralised provision. Scottish Water will invest significantly in co-creating rural demonstrators and a mobile technology-demonstration platform for sustainable communities and with Northumbrian, Welsh Water and other utilities and stakeholders we will build momentum for a radically new low-carbon decentralised future for the water industry. Working with stakeholders, from communities to legislators, we seek to incentivise community-led infrastructure solutions and to modify regulation in ways that balance local stakeholder needs and global goals for decarbonising infrastructure. Working with professional bodies and innovation centres we will create a global centre of excellence in off-grid water provision, with the drive and passion to deliver transformational change; helping to deliver 2050 net-zero carbon and Sustainable Development Goal 6.
Organisations
- University of Glasgow (Lead Research Organisation)
- Asian Institute of Technology (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Isle Utilities (Collaboration)
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (Project Partner)
- Barra and Vatersay Community (Project Partner)
- Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Project Partner)
- Dwr Cymru Welsh Water (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- University of Victoria (Project Partner)
- Scottish Water (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Arran Eco Savvy (Project Partner)
- Jura Development Trust (Project Partner)
- Drinking Water Quality Regulator (Project Partner)
Publications
Allen B
(2023)
Diversity and metabolic energy in bacteria
in FEMS Microbiology Letters
Ameer A
(2023)
Temporal stability and community assembly mechanisms in healthy broiler cecum
in Frontiers in Microbiology
Angelucci S
(2024)
Structured light enhanced machine learning for fiber bend sensing
in Optics Express
Aqueel R
(2023)
Cotton microbiome profiling and Cotton Leaf Curl Disease (CLCuD) suppression through microbial consortia associated with Gossypium arboreum.
in NPJ biofilms and microbiomes
Ascher S
(2022)
Machine learning methods for modelling the gasification and pyrolysis of biomass and waste
in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
Ascher S
(2022)
Interpretable machine learning to model biomass and waste gasification.
in Bioresource technology
Ascher S
(2022)
A comprehensive artificial neural network model for gasification process prediction
in Applied Energy
Aziz I
(2023)
A prospective study on linking diarrheagenic E. coli with stunted childhood growth in relation to gut microbiome
in Scientific Reports
| Title | Raw figures from manuscript "Surface passivation with a perfluoroalkane brush improves the precision of single-molecule measurements" |
| Description | Raw data from mass photometer regarding the interaction of different biomolecules with new fluorous surfaces. The data showed that these surfaces almost completely avoid non-specific interactions and therefore could be ideal for single-molecule experiments. The file format is dictated by the supplier of Mass Photometer (Refeyn), and can be opened by Discover MP software. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| URL | https://leicester.figshare.com/articles/figure/Raw_figures_from_manuscript_Surface_passivation_with_... |
| Title | Raw figures from manuscript "Surface passivation with a perfluoroalkane brush improves the precision of single-molecule measurements" |
| Description | Raw data from mass photometer regarding the interaction of different biomolecules with new fluorous surfaces. The data showed that these surfaces almost completely avoid non-specific interactions and therefore could be ideal for single-molecule experiments. The file format is dictated by the supplier of Mass Photometer (Refeyn), and can be opened by Discover MP software. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| URL | https://leicester.figshare.com/articles/figure/Raw_figures_from_manuscript_Surface_passivation_with_... |
| Description | Using computer modelling, life cycle analysis and the most detailed empirical data, that the wastewater and water treatment on Island Communities have 8 and 2 times the global warming potential of that for mainland communities. For wastewater the emission of methane from rural septic tanks is a particular problems. Thus we have measure methane emissions and shown them to be highly temperature dependent. To combat these emissions we have developed a novel household-scale wastewater reactor that harvests the methane and generates heat, which we can exchange with a heat pump and reduce heating costs by 10%. For drinking water we have studied the function and diversity of bacteria in model biofilters which has allowed us to optimise design of a point of entry drinking water filter. This is being implemented for rainwater harvesting ion the university campus. We have developed a sensor that can give a fingerprint of the organic molecules in water, which is being commercialised. We have developed a novel coating for filtration membrane that by reacting to changes in visible light removes biofouling. We have mapped out the history of rural water provision in Scotland and shown the reasons why it has been neglected. |
| Exploitation Route | We are trying to implement out wastewater technology in a real house and will seek to commercialise. The water quality sensor is being deployed at Scottish Water treatment works and we are working with Nepalise scientist to deploy it in rural Nepal. We have fed our policy and social science findings into Scottish Government Consultations. |
| Sectors | Energy Environment Other |
| Description | Citation in Carbon Neutral Islands Barra & Vatersay Energy and Transport Carbon Audit Report. |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Description | Dr Jill Robbie appointed to NatureScot Board |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | NatureScot is the lead public body responsible for advising Scottish Ministers on all matters relating to the natural heritage. Their purpose is to: - promote, care for and improve our natural heritage - help people to enjoy nature responsibly - enable greater understanding and awareness of nature - promote the sustainable use of Scotland's natural heritage NatureScot also advise local authorities and work with the Scottish Parliament and public, private and voluntary organisations towards shared aims. Working efficiently like this is part of their commitment to delivering a high-quality public service. Their work contributes to the Scottish Government's purpose of "creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth." Scotland's natural capital plays an important role in: - supporting economic growth - improving health and well-being - reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping us to adapt to climate change - strengthening communities |
| URL | https://www.nature.scot/ |
| Description | Response to consultation on the Review of the Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement in Scotland |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://consult.gov.scot/agriculture-and-rural-economy/review-of-the-land-rights-and-resp-statement/... |
| Description | Response to the Draft Workplan for Energy, Post and Water 2022-23 for Consumer Scotland. |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://consult.gov.scot/energy-and-climate-change-directorate/draft-workplan-energy-post-water-2022... |
| Description | ACCESS "Taps Aff!" Voicing experiences of water scarcity in rural Scotland |
| Amount | £30,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2023 |
| End | 08/2024 |
| Description | An Adsorption-Compression Cold Thermal Energy Storage System (ACCESS) |
| Amount | £1,022,621 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/W027593/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2023 |
| End | 01/2025 |
| Description | An Adsorption-Compression Cold Thermal Energy Storage System (ACCESS) |
| Amount | £1,022,621 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/W027593/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2023 |
| End | 01/2025 |
| Description | Assessing the Sensitivity of Flow Cytometric Fingerprints in Monitoring Biofilters |
| Amount | £4,504 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | RISAH-121 |
| Organisation | Royal Academy of Engineering |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2023 |
| End | 08/2023 |
| Description | Bio-engineering of water biofilter communities for enhanced degradation of DOM |
| Amount | £50,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | POC202106 |
| Organisation | UK Environmental Biotechnology Network |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| Description | Carbon Offsetting and Communities: co-developing alternative place-based voluntary offsets in Scotland |
| Amount | £19,860 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Scottish Universities Insight Institute |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2022 |
| End | 04/2023 |
| Description | EPSRC IAA |
| Amount | £20,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/X5257161/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2024 |
| End | 03/2025 |
| Description | EPSRC IAA - Visible light responsive self-cleaning surface |
| Amount | £2,500 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EPSRC IAA PV132 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 08/2024 |
| Description | Fluorescent Microbiofilter Assay for Rapid Real-time Monitoring of Organic Micropollutants Biodegradation |
| Amount | £50,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | POC202113 |
| Organisation | UK Environmental Biotechnology Network |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| Description | Impact Acceleration Account / Biofilter Build - building a sustainable drinking water treatment future |
| Amount | £50,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2022 |
| End | 06/2023 |
| Description | Investigating representation amongst evidence-givers in participatory decision-making for environmental solutions |
| Amount | £13,457 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2022 |
| End | 03/2022 |
| Description | MVLS/CoSE Engineering Biology Workshop |
| Amount | £10,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Glasgow |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2022 |
| Description | Microwave-based nanofiltration |
| Amount | £12,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | The Royal Society |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| Description | TO CHLORINATE, OR NOT TO CHLORINATE? |
| Amount | £862,045 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/W037475/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2023 |
| End | 06/2026 |
| Description | To chlorinate, or not to chlorinate? |
| Amount | £862,045 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/W037475/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2023 |
| End | 06/2026 |
| Title | A nanoplasmonic sensor array for optical inline drinking water assessment: a pilot study with rural Scottish water treatment works |
| Description | This dataset contains raw data associated with the aforementioned paper. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Publication pending |
| URL | http://researchdata.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/1482 |
| Title | Fluorous Directed Assembly of DNA Origami Nanostructures |
| Description | Data associated with the results shown in the paper Fluorous Directed Assembly of DNA Origami Nanostructures. Data includes HPLC info, AFM and AGE images, CanDo simulations, and DNA sequence information. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | http://researchdata.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/1353 |
| Description | Asian Institute of Technology. Thailand |
| Organisation | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Country | Thailand |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We provide molecular microbiology expertise |
| Collaborator Contribution | AIT are field surveying septic tanks in Thailand and Cambodia to characterise the microbiology |
| Impact | paper in press co-hosting a workshop in japan |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Isle Utilities |
| Organisation | Isle Utilities |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Regular meetings between the University of Glasgow and Isle will be held to ensure there is alignment on scope of work and timeline and opportunity to ensure the Isle project team understand who the key contacts are and the wider context and purpose of the project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Isle Utilities will deliver a tailored horizon scan which, using Isle's technical expertise and global networks combined with the University of Glasgow's understanding and insight of the needs and challenges, will develop a prioritised list of technologies and process improvements for decentralized water and wastewater treatment. The scope of the technology scouting will predominantly focus on proven and established technologies (TRL 8-9) which can be implemented quickly, however a number of lower TRL (6-7) solutions will be included to provide a more comprehensive analysis and for future development of the programme. |
| Impact | Isle Utilities will produce a desktop study for the identification and high level due diligence of available technologies for decentralised water and wastewater technologies suitable for a net zero carbon future. A selection of lower TRL solutions will be included to provide a comprehensive analysis and for future development. Isle Utilities will develop a scoring criteria to shortlist the available technologies and gather additional information on their suitability for implementation by the programme. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Abstract accepted for oral presentation: Visible Light Guided Cleaning Of Membranes To Mitigate Fouling In Water And Wastewater Treatmen, IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition Programme Committee for a platform presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Abstract accepted for oral presentation in International Water Association (IWA) world congress, Toronto, Canada (11-15 August 2024).. Paper Title: Visible Light Guided Cleaning Of Membranes To Mitigate Fouling In Water And Wastewater Treatment The IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition brings together stakeholders and key contacts within the conventional water sector and beyond. It brings approx. 9k people over 100 countries every 2 years interval. Caetano Dorea, Blanca Antizar and Thammarat Koottatep, from our International Advisory Board, aremembers of the conference programme committee. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://worldwatercongress.org/ |
| Description | Abstract: Visible light responsive nanofiltration membranes development to mitigate biofouling in water and wastewater treatment. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Pritam Das presented his work on developing sustainable membrane cleaning process to remove bacterial fouling using visible light as renewable energy sources, at the International Congress on Membrane and Membrane Processes (#ICOM2023), Makuhari Messe, Chiba, Japan on July 9-14, 2023. This is a well known conference in membrane process and technology and is held every 3 years. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://icom2023.jp/history.html |
| Description | Academic Seminar: Microplastics as Vectors for Emerging Contaminant transport in Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystem, Professor Meththika Vithanges |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | As part of the Programme Grant, Professor Meththika Suharshini Vithanage presented a seminar on 27th September 2023 at the University of Glasgow. Professor Vithanage discussed the aspects of emerging micro-plastic contaminants in environmental systems, such as medications, personal care products, insecticides, and industrial chemicals. Professor Meththika Suharshini Vithanage is a Professor in Natural Resources and the founding director at the Ecosphere Resilience Research Centre, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka. She is now serving as an Adjunct Professor in the Institute of Agriculture, University of Western Australia and National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Annual Report |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Project summary and background, financial status, COVID-19 impact, highlights of the previous year's research, update on WP progress, Meet-the-team / spotlight on Research Team members, publications etc. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023,2024 |
| URL | https://www.offgridwater.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/EPSRC-Decentralised-Water-Technologies-An... |
| Description | Article in newspaper: Why the right to water is an issue for us today |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | 30th December 2023. The "Herald" published an article by Prof William Sloan on 'Why the right to water is an issue for us today' under their 'Agenda' section. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/viewpoint/24013310.right-water-issue-us-today/ |
| Description | Barra and Vatersay Science Festival |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | The Research Group participated in the Barra and Vatersay Science Festival held on the 6th and 7th July 2023. Our Researchers thoroughly enjoyed met with the community and prepared an exciting, fun and educational programme that brought water science and technology to the children and young people living on the Isles of Barra and Vatersay. Our involvement in the science festival was as a result of our engagements activity with Community Groups on Barra and Vatersay who are partners on this grant. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.offgridwater.org.uk/2023/07/06/barra-and-vatersay-science-festival/ |
| Description | Community and Policy Impact Group (CPIG) / Plenary Meetings |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A forum for broad ranging discussion on overcoming the barriers to implementing and routes to market. Agendas reflect the stage of the research programme (e.g. technical innovation, policy reform). To establish stakeholder, community and user preferences. Contribute to the pathways to impact. Regular members: Project Partners / Stakeholders (Policy, Community, Industry) / Members of the IAB. Specific discussions: Citizens Advice / Local Authorities / Innovation Centres and Catapults. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
| Description | Curated session on Water and Wastewater at the Scottish Rural and Islands Parliament |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Dr Elizabeth Lawson curated the first ever session on 'Water and Wastewater' at the 2023 Scottish Rural and Islands Parliament in Fort William. The session was well attended, with participants keen to engage on discussions around how to improve the management of existing decentralised technologies in rural Scotland (private water supplies and septic tanks) as well as required changes to governance structures before any new technologies could be implemented. Dr Jill Robbie, Dr Jen Roberts, Dr Laura Major and Prof Bill Sloan were all also in attendance. Curators will compile outcomes from all sessions into a final report that will be presented to the Scottish Parliament. 500 participants, 60+ curator organisations. Held across 20 thematics under the overarching theme of "village halls & community spaces". |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://srip.scot/scottish-rural-parliaments/scottish-rural-islands-parliament-23/#:~:text=The%20Sco... |
| Description | Curated session: Water and Wastewater, Scottish Rural and Islands Parliament (SRIP) online programme. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | On the 30th January 2024 Dr Elizabeth Lawson curated an online session on Water and Wastewater as part of the Scottish Rural and Islands Parliament (SRIP) online programme. The event was attended by over 40 individuals and organisations from across Scotland, and included a presentation from the Tighnabruaich Primary School and a Q&A session from the Scottish Government Water Policy team. Points raised in the discussion section of the session will be used to inform the SRIP's response to the current Water, Wastewater and Drainage consultation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.offgridwater.org.uk/2024/01/30/scottish-rural-and-islands-parliament-online-workshop/ |
| Description | DWT Quarterly Newsletter |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A quarterly themed online newsletter distributed to stakeholders and communities in English and Scottish Gaelic. The purpose is to disseminate project information and news, also to engage with project stakeholders. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023,2024 |
| URL | https://sway.office.com/lXuU3DfqMMfFuObR?ref=Link |
| Description | DWT website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dissemination, engagement, promote the project. Project updates / progress / news / publications. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022,2023,2024 |
| URL | https://www.offgridwater.org.uk/ |
| Description | EBNet Webinar: Using Big Data Approaches to Understand Microbial Communities |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Umer Ijaz gave an invited talk "Understanding microbial communities through in situ omics data synthesis" at the EBNet Webinar: Using Big Data Approaches to Understand Microbial Communities. EBNet host a series of specialist webinars to support knowledge exchange amongst members. "Using Big Data Approaches to Understand Microbial Communities". Members were able to hear the latest developments from top speakers and participate in the online chat to engage with questions. Environmental Biotechnology Network (EBNet) is one of 6 Phase II Networks in Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy funded primarily by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) with additional funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and builds on the successful Anaerobic Digestion Network, one of 13 Phase I NIBB. EBNet's community of academics and industry are dedicated to engineering microbial systems for environmental protection, bioremediation and resource recovery. These include, for example, microbes in anaerobic digestion, waste water treatment and those that bio-degrade plastics, oil or other emerging pollutants. Their remit includes terrestrial environmental biotechnology (EB), aquatic EB, organic resources and life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) approaches to EB. Click on the video below to find out more about what we do. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://ebnet.ac.uk/ebnet-rc22-bigdata/ |
| Description | Faroe Islands Water Policy Field Trip |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Dr Jill Robbie travelled to the Faroe Islands between 1-4 May to meet with water policy makers and other stakeholders. Her visit included meeting with Torbjørn Bæk, one of the water managers for the Tórshavnar Municipality, and a tour around the drinking water system. Jill is a member of the International Scientific Committee for the 1st Islands Water Congress which is being held in the Faroe Islands between 4-6 September 2024. The theme of the congress will be "Freshwater and Islands: Administration, Collaboration, and Innovation." The Islands Water Congress aims to create a forum for island-specific responses to water opportunities and challenges. It will be a celebration of freshwater within an island context, and will be policy-relevant and useful for water professionals working in islands. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.offgridwater.org.uk/2023/05/04/faroe-islands-water-policy-field-trip/ |
| Description | Film: Net Zero Future: Water |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Prof. Bill Sloan and Prof. Zhibin Yu explain the research taking place in the James Watt School of Engineering looking at bringing the water industry into the 21st Century. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.offgridwater.org.uk/2022/06/17/net-zero-future-water-by-prof-bill-sloan-and-prof-zhibin-... |
| Description | Film: Spotlight on Research: Marta Vignola, Water Treatment Technologies |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A broadcast exploring the pioneering work of Research Fellow Marta Vignola, as she harnesses sustainable, biology-based techniques to purify drinking water. Her mission is to advance these technologies to ensure safe drinking water is accessible to all. Join us in discovering the future of clean water solutions and the impact it can have on communities worldwide. The 'Spotlight on Research' series focuses on the world-changing researchers and their fantastic work at the University of Glasgow. The series showcases how researchers at different stages in their career contribute to the University's mission to transform lives through ideas and action. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjNJbosr8ak |
| Description | Guest lecture on MSc Water Resource Management module: 'Governing water resources in 21st century Scotland'. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Dr Lawson was invited to give a Guest lecture on MSc Water Resource Management module: 'Governing water resources in 21st century Scotland'. 13th February 2024, Joseph Black Building, The University of Edinburgh. Dr Lawson presented her research on water governance in Scotland and how the system has evolved into its current state. The lecture was 2.5 hours long, so was split into multiple shorter presentation and interactive group work sessions. Students took part in a number of lively discussions ranging from 'what the role of the state should be in water and wastewater management' to 'should anyone be required by law to connect to mains water or wastewater services'. The lecture was attended in person by approximately 25 students and recorded for any who couldn't attend on the day. The aim of the lecture was to introduce the students to the current day Scottish Water sector and discuss the realities of centralised vs decentralised infrastructure. The last activity of the session was centred around the current Scottish Government water, wastewater and drainage consultation. Students analysed the form of the questions themselves and came up with alternative future management practices for the Scottish context. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.offgridwater.org.uk/2024/02/13/guest-lecture-on-msc-water-resource-management-module/ |
| Description | Hosting a delegation of Vice-Chancellors from Pakistan / Feb 2023 / Dr Umer Ijaz |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Under Pakistan-UK education gateway, a high profile delegate of 20+ Vice Chancellors (VCs) of numerous universities from Pakistan, British Council and Higher Education Commission, Pakistan visited University of Glasgow (February 13th-14th, 2023): https://twitter.com/UofGGovRel/status/1625193454358740992 Three of the VCs: Lt Gen Wasim Alamgir, National University of Medical Sciences (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_University_of_Medical_Sciences); Professor Habib Bokhari, Kohsar University Murree (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohsar_University_Murree); and Professor Qaisar Abbas, University of Sargodha (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Sargodha) further visited Dr Ijaz's lab in Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre (ARC), and were briefed about the ongoing research activities in the Water & Environment Group including the Decentralised Water Technologies Programme Grant in a talk entitled "Understanding microbial communities through in situ omics data synthesis - New developments". Amongst other things, student projects of visiting PGRs from Pakistan in Dr Ijaz's lab, and further collaborative opportunities were discussed. The event was covered by local news media in Pakistan. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://twitter.com/UofGGovRel/status/1625193454358740992 |
| Description | International Advisory Board |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A biannual event to gain guidance and strategic input from a panel made up of international experts in research into off-grid water technology. The International Advisory Board (IAB) provide formal monitoring of project plans and progress. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023,2024 |
| Description | Invited Talk: Environmental Footprints of Bioenergy Production/Waste Managementand Application of Machine Learning Methods |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Siming You delivered an invited talk at 2023 GLOBAL ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) FORUM in SINGAPORE between June 26 ~ June 29, 2023. The aim of the Global ESG Forum is to establish a global knowledge network comprising ESG scholars and practitioners. It aims to provide a platform for collective intelligence on the current and future landscape of ESG management for companies in the ESG era. In 2022, the IESGA hosted the Global ESG Forum in Singapore, where they examined corporate ESG trends and expand their global network. They engaged in in-depth discussions on the future of ESG management for companies in the ESG era. They brought together participants not only from Singapore and Korea but also representatives and scholars from global companies, embassies, major universities, and corporate research institutes worldwide. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.globalesgforum.org/en/ |
| Description | Invited lecture: Arthur T. Kornblut Memorial Lecture to the School of Architecture at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | On 8th November 2023, Dr Jill Robbie gave the Arthur T. Kornblut Memorial Lecture to the School of Architecture at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, based in Troy, New York. RPI is America's oldest technological research university. Dr Robbie shared her perspective on de-centralised water technologies and the importance of the governance of these technologies for the built environment. She took questions from the audience on the role of architecture and design on the management of scarce natural resources. The annual Arthur T. Kornblut '63 Memorial Lecture helps to ensure that RPI students are informed of the legal complexities of their professional futures. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.arch.rpi.edu/2023/11/63936/ |
| Description | Invited presentation at The Royal Society Scientific Meeting / Microbial ecology for engineering biology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Professor William Sloan presented "Engineering biology is a broad church that is united by the need for predictive population biology models" at The Royal Society, Theo Murphy scientific meeting organised by Professor Thomas Curtis and Dr Jane Fowler. Professor Sloan's paper demonstrates the vulnerability of synthetic organisms and the potential for even the most parsimonious of population biology models to yield insights on designing resilient systems. This meeting united disciplines by integrating ecological theory with microbial ecology and engineering aims. The meeting spanned the scales from genome to the systems. The organisers of this meeting believe that engineering across these scales will accelerate progress in the many systems where researchers' engineering aspirations can be met by exploiting the power of microbial communities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://royalsociety.org/science-events-and-lectures/2022/03/microbial-ecology/ |
| Description | Invited talk / Understanding microbial communities through in situ omics data synthesis. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | On 8 December 2022, Dr Ijaz gave an invited talk at the MicroSoc External Seminar, Ryan Institute, University of Galway, Ireland. He presented his research and discussed recent analytical approaches is using to understand ecological assembly of microbial communities, whether they are driven by chance or by biotic or abiotic influences. He will also discuss important topics such as microbiome stability and complexity. Some of these are discussed in his recent review paper: Trego et al. 2022. DOI:10.3390/microorganisms10101961. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://socs.nuigalway.ie/calendar.php?object=Q2FsZW5kYXI=&method=ZXZlbnRSZWFkVmlldw==&action=Ng==&e... |
| Description | Invited talk at Microbiome Research Symposium Oct 22 / Dr Umer Ijaz |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | October 13, 2022, Invited Talk, 1st GUMI Symposium, University of Glasgow / Understanding microbial communities through in situ omics data synthesis |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://twitter.com/GUMIGlasgow/status/1568225612787073025?cxt=HHwWgoC-ndq4usMrAAAA |
| Description | Invited talk: Cindy Smith / Microbiome Research Symposium October 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk by Prof Cindy Smith, 'Engineering biology to direct sustainable water treatment', at the 1st GUMI Symposium, University of Glasgow. The symposium brought together microbiome researchers from across the University, the NHS and beyond. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Invited talk: Closing the cycle: Proposal for a decentralised integrated system for domestic wastewater treatment |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Tania Gomez Borraz , gave an invited to talk at the first International Seminar in Natural Resources and Environmental Education towards Climate Change and National Security. The hybrid event was held on the 21st September 2023 and organised by the Pontificia Bolivariana University in Bucaramanga, Colombia. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.offgridwater.org.uk/2023/09/21/dr-tania-gomez-borraz-invited-talk-closing-the-cycle-prop... |
| Description | Invited talk: Dr. Sperling presented results at Photonics West 2024 and helped host a networking event on environmental sensing. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Dr. Justin Sperling gave an invited talk entitled 'Plasmonic tastebuds for the optical assessment of drinking water' as part of the Optical Fibers and Sensors for Medical Diagnostics, Treatment, and Environmental Applications during SPIE BiOS 2024 in San Francisco (27-28 January 2024). The talk focused on his most recent publication as part of the Decentralise Water Technologies project. After his presentation, Justin was then invited to join the 2025 selection committee and serve as a session chair for 2025 conference. During the conference, Justin also worked with the organisation OPTICA, of which he serves as the Events Chair on the Environmental Sensing Technical Group, to host a networking event for industry, academia, and researchers working in environmental sensing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://spie.org/conferences-and-exhibitions/photonics-west/exhibitions/bios-expo#_=_ |
| Description | Invited talk: Life cycle assessment of waste management and our recent research about the design of decentralised integrated anaerobic digestion and heat pump system |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Siming You gave an invited talk at the 2023 IFT-EFFoST International Nonthermal Processing Workshop & Short Course, October 15-17, 2023, at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, USA. Dr You presented the life cycle assessment of waste management in Glasgow and our recent research about the design of decentralised integrated anaerobic digestion and heat pump system to co-treat sewage sludge from wastewater treatment and food waste. This annual event brought together ~80 experts from around the world to discuss the latest developments, innovations, and challenges in the field of non-thermal processing of food. The workshop and short course aimed to address the challenges facing the food industry by focusing on the application of sustainable circular economy concepts through innovative nonthermal processing technologies. The workshop and short course brought together participants from academia, equipment providers, food processors and regulators together for sharing research progress and discuss how various nonthermal processing technologies help to conserve natural resources (energy, water, reduce waste), improve food safety, preserve health, and promote practices to meet sustainable development goals. Additionally, the workshop aimed to identify emerging problems and needs, explore the potential for implementing new technologies specific to food processing, and provide networking and collaboration opportunities. Dr You also visited the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, at the University of Minnesota as hosted by Dr Judy Yang, and learnt about the laboratory's recent research on the modelling and experiments of biofilm systems at different scales. The laboratory located next to Saint Anthony Falls has unique capability to use the hydraulic head from the waterfall for fluid mechanics experiments. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://biorefining.cfans.umn.edu/2023-ift-effost-international-nonthermal-processing-workshop-short... |
| Description | Invited talk: Nutrition, Metabolism and Health Seminar Series / Dr Umer Ijaz |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk at Nutrition, metabolism and health seminar series - Tuesday, 16 August 2022 Jointly organised by the University of Sydney Charles Perkins Centre and the University of Glasgow College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, the series brought together experts across disciplines to showcase recent research into aspects of nutrition, metabolism and health. This seminar was the first in a series of four which aim to strengthen the strategic partnership between the University of Glasgow and the University of Sydney. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.sydney.edu.au/engage/global-engagement/events.html |
| Description | Invited talk: The major challenges facing wastewater treatment |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Professor William Sloan presented an invited talk "The major challenges facing wastewater treatment" at the EBNet ECFP Wastewater Treatment Event, 15/16 November 2022, The University of Edinburgh. This free Edinburgh Complex Fluids Partnership (ECFP) event brought together industry practitioners, interdisciplinary academics and regulatory professionals to discuss sectoral challenges and strategic objectives towards improving efficiency, minimising environmental impacts, and enhancing public perception. Current wastewater treatment research either focusses on the microscale (the microbiology of individual bacteria), or the macroscale (processing megalitres of sewage per day). Often the length scales between these two extremes are not studied, meaning that crucial mechanistic understanding linking the two are missed. Soft matter and biological physics studies the mesoscopic phenomenology bridging these micro- and macro-scales. Examples of this are clustering of individual bacteria to decrease sedimentation time, reduced packing and densification of activated sludge containing elongated bacteria, and the interactions of bacteria and substrates in the formation of biofilms. The day focussed on 5 themes spanning the WWT lifecycle from ingress to discharge and will attempt to identify the key fundamental scientific challenges. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://ebnet.ac.uk/ecfp-2022/#:~:text=ECFP%20Wastewater%20Treatment%20Event%20%E2%80%93%2015,of%20E... |
| Description | Magazine article: How heat pumps of the 1800s are becoming the technology of the future |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A magazine article published on 1st November 2023 in the digital publication, Knowable Magazine. The article featured Dr Zhibin Yu's research and development of a working prototype of a heat pump that stores leftover heat in a small water tank. The article discussed how innovative thinking has done away with problems that long dogged the electric devices - and how both scientists and environmentalists are excited about the possibilities. Knowable Magazine, seeks to make knowledge accessible to all and explores the real-world significance of scholarly work through a journalistic lens. It reports on the current state of play across a wide variety of fields - from agriculture to high-energy physics; biochemistry to water security; the origins of the universe to psychology. Knowable Magazine presents insights from research to a broader audience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/technology/2023/heat-pumps-becoming-technology-future |
| Description | Presentation to Scottish Water's Independent Customer Group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Professor Bill Sloan and Dr Jill Robbie gave a presentation on the progress of the research in the Grant to Scottish Water's Independent Customer Group on 26th May 2022. This Group has been set up to share and advance the needs and expectations of communities and Scottish Water's customers. The Group provided useful feedback on the engagement to be undertaken in the Grant. There will be continued contact with members of the Group to ensure that the research in the Grant is informed by a broad spectrum of expertise on community priorities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.offgridwater.org.uk/2022/05/26/presentation-to-scottish-waters-independent-customer-grou... |
| Description | Presentation: Do biofilms feel and responds to waves? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Prof Bill Sloan was invited to present a paper at a joint meeting between the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Royal Norwegian Society for Science and Letters (DKNVS), held on 30th and 31st October 2023 at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, in Oslo. Traditionally this biannual meeting has focused on the physics of fluid flow. The president of DKNVS, Prof Lise Ovreas, a renowned marine microbial ecologist extended the meeting to include the microbiolgy and the interface with fluid dynamics and invited Prof Sloan, who delivered a paper titled "Do biofilms feel and responds to waves?" The specialist symposium is organised to promote increased collaboration between the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters in Oslo and the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the research communities in their respective countries. The symposium comprised 30 presentations, approx. 60 participants, from Norwegian and Scottish universities, non-university researchers (including those from industry) and leading international experts from other nations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.mn.uio.no/math/english/research/groups/mechanics/events/conferences/norway-scotland-wave... |
| Description | Presentation: Visible light guided coating for sustainable membrane cleaning |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Pritam Das has given an oral presentation "Visible light guided coating for sustainable membrane cleaning" at the international conference 'Euromembrane' on 20 - 24 November 2022, Naples, Italy. It was organised by European Membrane Society. The goal of the Society is to promote education and communication among membrane scientists and technologists at the European and International level. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://euromembrane2022.eu/index.php/home-page |
| Description | Publicity - Flexible Heat Pump / Jambo! Radio Scotland |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interview with Professor Zhibin Yu on his work on flexible heat pumps. Which is Better: Heat Pump or Gas Boiler? / The Science Show with Dr Dada / Jambo! Radio Scotland / 14 December 2022. Jambo! Radio is a local community African-Caribbean Radio Station in Scotland. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.jamboradio.co.uk/ |
| Description | Publicity - Flexible Heat Pump / Physics World of Institute of Physics |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Professor Zhibin Yu's work on flexible heat pumps featured in digital magazine article "Home, green home: scientific solutions for cutting carbon and (maybe) saving money" published 13 October 2022 in Physics World, Institute of Physics. Physics World's mission is to communicate world-class research and innovation to the widest possible audience. The website forms part of the Physics World portfolio, a collection of online, digital and print information services for the global scientific community. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://physicsworld.com/a/home-green-home-scientific-solutions-for-cutting-carbon-and-maybe-saving-... |
| Description | Publicity - Flexible Heat Pump / knowable Magazine |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A media piece "How heat pumps of the 1800s are becoming the technology of the future" published in Knowable Magazine, a digital publication from Annual Reviews, that seeks to make that knowledge accessible to all. Knowable Magazine explores the real-world significance of scholarly work through a journalistic lens. The article presents Professor Zhibin Yu's work on refining the efficiency of heat pumps. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://knowablemagazine.org/article/technology/2023/heat-pumps-becoming-technology-future |
| Description | Research Field Trip to Tighnabruaich, Kyles of Bute |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Drs Jill Robbie, Elizabeth Lawson and Tania Gomez Borraz travelled to Tighnabruaich as part of a research field trip to investigate sewage challenges in the region. The Kyles Coastal Community Group has recently been formed and seeks to raise awareness about the impact of sewage pollution on the local environment. Jill, Elizabeth and Tania met with local community members about their concerns and also visited Tighnabruaich Primary School to discuss the engineering solutions to these challenges. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.offgridwater.org.uk/2024/02/08/research-field-trip-to-tighnabruaich/ |
| Description | SPIE Photonics West 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Dr. Justin Sperling gave an oral presentation entitled 'Optical tastebuds for water quality testing' at SPIE Photonics West 2023 on 30 January 2023 in San Francisco, California (USA). His talk was part of the 'Optical fibers and sensors for medical diagnostics, treatment, and environmental applications' subsection of the conference. The Photonics West Programme is a gathering of conferences, presentations, industry programming, courses, and special events. The optics and photonics community comes together to share and discuss current research, hear the latest breakthroughs, connect with colleagues, and find innovative products. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://spie.org/photonics-west/presentation/Optical-tastebuds-for-water-quality-testing/12372-45?SS... |
| Description | Symposium: Empowering Communities through Decentralised Water Treatment |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | On the 19th of October, the programme grant hosted a mini-symposium at the Advanced Research Centre, University of Glasgow, uniting several collaborators from North and South America working alongside us on several Royal Academy of Engineering-funded research projects in the field of decentralised water treatment technologies. The symposium featured a diverse agenda where researchers from the UK, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico shared their insights, experiences, and the challenges involved in developing and implementing these technologies in regions characterised by varying socio-economic landscapes. In the morning session, Prof. Sloan (UofG) discussed the global significance of decentralised treatment technologies and the need for structural changes in the water sector to address the consequences of climate change in both high and low-income countries. The symposium's discussions took a turn when Dr Jill Robbie (UofG) delved into the intricate policy landscape of decentralised water technologies, drawing lessons from Scotland's own experience. She touched upon the proposal currently under consideration in the Scottish Parliament, examining water as a fundamental human right. This opened the discussion about the consequences of providing water to remote communities in a world where water becomes an inherent human right-will this empower communities? What will be the consequences for the water sector? During the afternoon sessions, our focus expanded beyond Scottish borders. Colleagues from Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico shared successful cases of decentralised water treatment technologies. Their presentations highlighted the key role that research and universities play in starting transformative change at every level, from research and practical application to informing policies and catalysing regulatory shifts. The message from this second session can be succinctly summarised in the quote from Prof. Miguel Peña: "Providing water and sanitation is not solely a technical matter; it is equally a sociological and political concern." We also touched on the importance of monitoring. Advanced and continuous monitoring is essential for controlling the performance of remote technologies. Professor Gauchotte-Lindsay from the University of Glasgow and Dr Rixia Zan from the University of Newcastle explored the use of advanced sensors in monitoring water quality and assessing the performance of wastewater treatment processes. The day concluded with discussion and the realisation that while challenges might differ from country to country, our shared interests and experiences could form the foundation for a network of researchers, to address this pressing global issue and move towards sustainable water treatment globally. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.offgridwater.org.uk/2023/10/19/empowering-communities-through-decentralised-water-treatm... |
| Description | Talk: Environmental Footprints of Bioenergy Production/Waste Management and Application of Machine Learning Methods |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Ezra's Round Table / Systems Seminar series strongly focuses on presenting research in a broader context or as it relates to a larger system or process and communicating the importance of the work to a varied audience interested in research and applications to complex technical and socio-technical systems. Sustainable bioenergy production and waste management play important roles in achieving Climate Action and Sustainable Cities and Communities as part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Environmental footprints of associated energy and environmental systems and developments are one of the key criteria that have been commonly incorporated for their optimal design. The talk covered some of our recent environmental impact assessment studies on bioenergy production and waste management in the UK. Some of the considered technologies include gasification, anaerobic digestion (or co-digestion), transesterification, and related feedstocks, including municipal solid waste, food waste, cow slurry, and rapeseed oil. The aim of the research is to initiate mapping the range of possibilities of bioenergy production/waste management in facilitating the UK's action in achieving clean and low-carbon production. Environmental footprint assessment is often plagued by a lack of reliable data input. Machine learning methods can be used to mitigate the issue/challenge, e.g., by supplying reliable process production prediction. This talk will also cover some of our recent effort of developing machine learning-based models for more accurate, flexible environmental impact assessment. Our models for predicting gasification, pyrolysis, and anaerobic digestion production will be introduced. The application of machine learning modeling for the life cycle assessment of an integrated anaerobic digestion-heat pump development were presented. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.engineering.cornell.edu/events/ezras-round-table-systems-seminar-siming-you-glasgow |
| Description | The Future of Housing: Resilient Property Perspectives and Sustainable Solutions |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Jill Robbie was invited to participate in an international workshop on The Future of Housing with a focus on resilient property perspectives and sustainable solutions. The workshop will be held at the Oñati International Institute for the Sociology of Law between 8-9th June 2023. Dr Robbie has been invited to contribute to the theme of "Housing in the Midst of Environmental Crisis" and will discuss her ongoing research in relation to the governance of de-centralised water services in rural Scotland. The workshop aimed to open up new perspectives on the property problems that underpin affordable housing crises, using the frameworks of Resilient Property theory. The programme included the following sessions: - Housing Economies in the Aftermath of the Housing Crisis - Sustainable Geographies: Ruralism, Urbanism, and Housing Sustainability - Housing Market Eco-system - Housing and Environmental Crisis - Housing and Social Belonging: Home, Identity, and Well-Being - Housing and the Physical Environment: Resources, and Sustainability - Housing and the Rule of Law: Property, Ideology and Conflict Participation provided an opportunity to disseminate the initial findings from the research as part of this grant and learnt about potential comparators for Scotland. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.iisj.net/en/workshops/future-housing-resilient-property-perspectives-and-sustainable-sol... |
| Description | Video: Improving the Sustainability of Septic Tanks: An off-campus experiment |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A video highlighting the experiment being conducted as part of the EPSRC programme grant and in collaboration with Scottish Water Horizons. The septic tanks' experiment is being carried out at a Scottish Water treatment facility in Fife. The aim of the experiment is to study and understand the emissions produced by septic tanks and the subsequent environmental impact. This experiment is the first in a series of experiments where we want to move towards novel septic tank technologies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.offgridwater.org.uk/2023/11/21/improving-the-sustainability-of-septic-tanks-an-off-campu... |
| Description | Water and Value Workshop Series |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Programme Grant is hosting a series of Workshops which aim to bring together researchers from a diverse range of disciplines and relevant stakeholders to gain a greater understanding of the conceptualisation of water from a variety of perspectives. This will allow the co-production of a future interdisciplinary research agenda for living sustainably with water. Each Workshop will be organised under sub-themes which are intentionally interdisciplinary to facilitate exploration and collaboration. The first Workshop was held on 13th May 2022 and explored the process of framing the value and meaning of water. It investigated how different conceptualisations of water feed into the governance of the resource, how this impacts on different social and ecological groups, and how alternative framings of water's economic, environmental, and socio-cultural value might facilitate living sustainably with water. he University of Glasgow, funded by the Programme Grant, is hosting a series of Workshops which aim to bring together researchers from a diverse range of disciplines and relevant stakeholders to gain a greater understanding of the conceptualisation of water from a variety of perspectives. This will allow the co-production of a future interdisciplinary research agenda for living sustainably with water. Each Workshop will be organised under sub-themes which are intentionally interdisciplinary to facilitate exploration and collaboration. The first Workshop was held on 13th May 2022 explored the process of framing the value and meaning of water. It investigated how different conceptualisations of water feed into the governance of the resource, how this impacts on different social and ecological groups, and how alternative framings of water's economic, environmental, and socio-cultural value might facilitate living sustainably with water. The second Workshop held on the 16th February 2023 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
| URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/private-water-supplies-workshop-tickets-488924254607?utm_campaign=pos... |
| Description | Webinar/Panel: Water and Sustainable Development: Scotland's Water Future |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Professor Sloan was an invited panel member at a webinar focussed on Scotland's water future. Scotland may be a small nation, but in terms of water management, it has always punched well above its weight. The webinar will explore how Scottish Water plans to be carbon neutral, what are the Scottish Government's future water plans, its future water research needs, and what types of education, research and innovation are needed in the 2nd quarter of the 21st century. Four very distinguished water experts will discuss Scotland's water future. The webinar was moderated by Professor Cecilia Tortajada of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Glasgow. Professor Fabrice Renaud, Head of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies and Professor in Environmental Risk/Community Resilience of the Dumfries Campus at the University of Glasgow, will introduce the webinar. The panel members are Jon Rathjen, Deputy Director for Water Policy, Scottish Government; Gordon Reid, General Manager, Net Zero, Scottish Water; Rachel Helliwell, senior research scientist, The James Hutton Institute; and Bill Sloan, environmental engineer, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow. Closing remarks will be provided by Cecilia Tortajada, Professor in Practice, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Glasgow, UK. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/water-and-sustainable-development-scotlands-water-future-tickets-5788... |
| Description | Young Professionals In Renewables Networking |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Pritam Das attended the Young Professionals in Renewables reception event at Platform, Glasgow. The event brought together young professionals working in Scotland across the renewable energy industry/academia and speakers who are focused on ensuring that diversity and inclusion are kept at the top of the agenda. Technological advances not only support renewable energy growth, which is evolving rapidly, but also the policies and procedures that underpin every part of project development. During the event, Pritam had the opportunity to discuss the Decentralised Water Technologies project and how he plans to implement visible light as renewable energy in the water treatment sector. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.offgridwater.org.uk/2023/06/28/young-professionals-in-renewables-networking-glasgow/ |