Ronald Sims

Ronald Sims is the Huntsman Endowed Professor of Biosystems and Environmental Engineering in the Department of Biological Engineering at Utah State University’s College of Engineering. He is actively involved in research, teaching, and leadership, including co-directing the Sustainable Waste-to-Bioproducts Engineering Center (SWBEC). His office is located in ENGR 402T, and he can be contacted at ron.sims@usu.edu.

• PhD, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University, 1982
• MS, Environmental Engineering, Washington State University, 1977
• MS, Environmental Biology & Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1972
• BS, Biology (Chemistry), University of Dayton, 1970
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification, 2024

Dr. Sims' research is centered on bioprocess engineering, sustainable engineering, and converting waste into valuable bioproducts. He specializes in algae biofilm systems for wastewater treatment, nutrient recovery, and bioenergy production. His work integrates biochemical engineering principles with environmental sustainability, focusing on technologies that transform municipal, dairy, swine, and hydraulic fracturing wastewaters into biofuels, bioplastics, and therapeutics like phycocyanin. His research also extends to bioremediation, thermodynamics, and downstream processing.

His recent publications demonstrate a strong trend toward optimizing algae biofilm reactors for wastewater treatment, modeling biofilm growth dynamics, and conducting techno-economic analyses of bioproduct generation. The research spans from laboratory-scale experimentation to pilot implementation, emphasizing scalable and sustainable solutions.

Scientific Awards

• Utah Governor's Medal for Science and Technology (1993)
• Air & Waste Management Association Award (1990)
• Fellow, American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (2018)
• D. Wynne Thorne Career Research Award (2021)
• Huntsman Endowed Professorship (2022)
• Outstanding Undergraduate Mentor (2024)

Dr. Sims has mentored over 30 graduate students in biological engineering, guiding theses and dissertations on topics ranging from algal lipid extraction to methane production. He has led significant research grants, including an Industry Partnership Program with the Central Valley Water Reclamation Facility and WesTech-inc. He is the principal investigator on projects focused on bioenergy and waste reduction from municipal reclaimed water. At SWBEC, he oversees facilities such as the Algae Processing and Products Facility and the Algae Test and Evaluation Facility, fostering collaboration with industry partners and municipal agencies like the Logan City Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Dr. Sims leads the Sustainable Waste-to-Bioproducts Engineering Center (SWBEC), which develops technologies to convert diverse waste streams—municipal wastewater, dairy, swine, and hydraulic fracturing produced water—into biofuels, bioplastics, and therapeutics. The center employs rotating algal biofilm reactors (RABRs), anaerobic digesters, and innovative harvesting techniques like cationic starch flocculation. Research is conducted in collaboration with municipal and industrial partners, ensuring real-world applicability.