Stephen Smith

Professor Stephen R. Smith holds the position of Professor of Bioresource Systems in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial College London. His affiliations include Environmental and Water Resource Engineering, the Industrial Biotechnology Hub, and the Network of Excellence in Air Quality. He has 25 years of expertise in studying sludge treatment, organic waste recycling, and their environmental impacts, including nutrient management, toxic elements, and pathogen survival.

Education: BSc in Horticulture (University of Reading, 1983) and PhD in agricultural reuse of biosolids (University of Reading). Professional experience includes roles at WRc (1989–1997) as a senior soil scientist and lecturer at Imperial College since 1997.

Research focuses on agronomic benefits of organic wastes, pathogen risk in biosolids, and biowaste biodrying. He has led major projects funded by EPSRC, Defra, and the Water Industry, including studies on sewage sludge disposal in Egypt and Australia. He advises UK and European agencies on biosolids policy and has authored over 230 publications and a seminal textbook on biosolids recycling.

He has presented globally at conferences such as the Sustainable Land Application Conference (Orlando) and organized events like the Bioresources to Land Symposium. Professional memberships include CIWEM, CIWM, and registration as a Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv).