Bing-Jie (Bruce) Ni

Professor Bing-Jie (Bruce) Ni is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) within the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and a full Professor at UNSW Sydney. He is an internationally recognised leader in environmental engineering, wastewater treatment, greenhouse-gas mitigation, microplastics fate, electrocatalysis and sustainable energy systems.

Education

• PhD in Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei (2005–2009)

Research Interests

Professor Ni’s research integrates process engineering, microbial biotechnology, materials science and mathematical modelling to develop sustainable technologies for high-efficiency pollutant removal, minimal carbon footprint and maximal energy recovery from wastewater. He is a global pioneer in:

• Modelling and control of nitrous oxide (N₂O) and methane (CH₄) emissions from wastewater systems,
• Micro- and nano-plastics ecotoxicity and mitigation in anaerobic digestion,
• Transforming sewage sludge into high-value liquid bio-energy (medium-chain fatty acids and long-chain alcohols),
• Designing cost-effective electrocatalysts from natural minerals for green hydrogen production and wastewater electrolysis.

Research Output & Impact

Over the last decade he has published 2 research books, 30 book chapters and >400 refereed journal papers, including 35 in Environmental Science & Technology and 85 in Water Research. His work has influenced global policy: the IPCC adopted his nitrous-oxide-emission model in 2019 to revise national greenhouse-gas inventories for the first time in 13 years.

Awards & Recognition

• ARC Future Fellowship & ARC DECRA Fellowship
• Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher (Web of Science)
• Royal Society of Chemistry Highly Cited Researcher (2020–present)
• Mendeley Data Top 2 % Cited Researchers worldwide
• Listed among “Australia’s Most Innovative Engineers” (Engineers Australia, 2018)
• 50+ additional awards including Scopus Young Researcher Award, South Australian Water Awards, UQ Research Excellence Awards, and Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Awards.

Research Funding & Leadership

He has secured ≈ AUD $10 million in competitive funding (six major ARC grants plus >20 government, university and industry projects). He serves as:

• Lead Guest Editor, Water Research
• Editorial Advisory Board, Environmental Science & Technology
• Associate Editor for Journal of Cleaner Production, Environmental Chemistry Letters, Environmental Research, Journal of Environmental Management
• Editorial Board member for five additional high-impact journals.

Teaching & Supervision

At UTS he teaches Renewable Energy Technologies, Environmental and Sanitation Engineering, Process Dynamics and Control, and Water and Wastewater Treatment. He is available to supervise Masters and PhD students in environmental biotechnology, process modelling and sustainable energy systems.

Laboratory & Commercial Translation

He heads active research teams at both UNSW and UTS and is the inventor of >10 granted patents, some of which are currently being commercialised to deliver real-world impacts in greenhouse-gas-neutral wastewater treatment and renewable energy production.