Dr. Yang Liu

Research Interests

The core of Dr. Liu’s research is understanding how to adapt self-organising, microbial-enhanced engineering processes to maximize energy recovery, safe water reuse, along with nitrogen reduction and nutrient recovery. With a large group of students and postdocs, Dr. Liu focuses on the fundamental assessment of key microbiome characteristics and applies omics, engineering controls and machine learning modelling tools to enrich functional microbiomes suited to a wide range of water engineering applications. 

Dr. Liu’s research contributes to the development of more sustainable water services that focus on energy positive treatment, nutrient recovery and water reuse. She works with the water industry, various communities and utilities, as well as governments to demonstrate real-world feasibility of new wastewater management options, alleviate technical concerns, generate confidence in the overall treatment system performance, and help to guide future best management practices for urban water in Canada and internationally. These activities contribute to decarbonizing communities and promote their resilience to climate and demographic changes within the circular economy. 

Dr. Liu's research interests include five key areas:

• Wastewater microbiome research

• Design and optimization of sustainable wastewater bioreactors

• Resource recovery-based municipal waste and wastewater treatment

• Energy efficient wastewater ammonia treatment

• Bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation processes

Research in Progress

• Resources recovery from industrial wastewater and landfill leachate

• Cost-effective treatment for high ammonia wastewater at the side-stream 

• Energy-efficient treatment for source-divereted wastewater, source-separated food waste, organic wastes, and biosoilds

• Phosphorous recovery through struvite precipitation and microbial induced processes

• Biological nutrient removal using granular sludge and biofilm processes 

• Biofilm control in natural and engineering systems

• Foaming control in anaerobic digesters

• Tailings consolidation through microbial-induced calcite precipitation 

Education

• Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering (Minor: Biology); University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2007

• M.Sc. in Environmental Engineering; University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2003

• B.Sc. in Environmental Engineering; Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 2001

Professional Experience

• 2018 - present   Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta

• 2014 - 2018   Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta

• 2008 - 2014   Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta

• 2008  Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University

• 2008  Research Associate, Department of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee