Stephen R. Smith

Professor Stephen R. Smith is a Professor of Bioresource Systems in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial College London, within the Faculty of Engineering. He holds affiliations with the Environmental and Water Resource Engineering group, the Industrial Biotechnology Hub, and the Network of Excellence in Air Quality. With over 25 years of expertise, his work focuses on the environmental impacts of organic waste recycling, particularly sewage sludge and biosolids, encompassing nutrient management, pathogen survival, and contaminant behavior. He is a Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) and active in professional bodies such as CIWEM, CIWM, and the Sustainable Organic Resources Partnership (SORP).

Education: BSc in Horticulture (1983) and PhD on biosolids reuse, both from the University of Reading.

Research interests include agronomic value assessment of organic wastes, biowaste valorization through technologies like biodrying and anaerobic digestion, and risk assessment of contaminants in agricultural soils. His work spans international collaborations, including projects in Egypt, Australia, and Cyprus. He has authored over 230 publications and a seminal textbook on biosolids recycling, contributing to UK and EU policy through advisory roles like the Defra review of fertiliser recommendations (RB209).

Key areas of impact include pathogen risk management in biosolids, composting practices, and nonylphenol environmental toxicity studies. He has provided expert testimony on hazardous waste management and organized major international conferences on bioresources and land application.

Grants and funding include EPSRC, Defra, and Water Industry projects. Current collaborations involve RMIT University (Australia) and the University of Cyprus. His work emphasizes sustainable nutrient cycling and bridging agricultural and environmental engineering challenges.