Haoran Duan

Dr. Haoran Duan is a Senior Research Fellow and ARC Industry Fellow at the Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC) within the School of Chemical Engineering at The University of Queensland. He holds an active research position with current projects spanning from 2024-2027, and is available for PhD supervision.

Dr. Duan earned his Doctor of Philosophy from The University of Queensland in 2019, following which he worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the School of Chemical Engineering until June 2021.

His research focuses on developing carbon and energy efficient wastewater treatment technologies, with particular emphasis on greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment processes and excess sludge management. Dr. Duan has pioneered approaches using free nitrous acid (FNA) for improving wastewater management and has made significant contributions to understanding and mitigating nitrous oxide emissions from wastewater systems.

Analysis of Dr. Duan's recent publications reveals a strong trajectory toward integrated solutions for sustainable wastewater management, with increasing emphasis on balancing energy recovery with greenhouse gas emissions, developing decision frameworks for water utilities, and creating novel technologies for sludge management and nutrient recovery. His work consistently bridges fundamental research with practical applications for water utilities.

Among his notable recognitions, Dr. Duan received the Environmental Science & Technology Best Papers award in 2018 and holds an ARC Industry Fellowship. He serves on the editorial board of Water Research X and Frontiers of Environmental Science Engineering, and is an active reviewer for more than 20 international journals.

Dr. Duan currently supervises four PhD students as either Principal or Associate Advisor, focusing on sustainable sewage sludge management and greenhouse gas emissions reduction. His research is supported by multiple grants, including an ARC Linkage Project (2024-2027) on reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions from urban wastewater systems and several other current and past funding initiatives totaling significant research investment.

As a member of the Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, Dr. Duan collaborates with leading researchers across multiple institutions and water utilities, contributing to the center's mission of developing sustainable solutions for global water management challenges. He is also an active member of professional organizations including the International Water Association (IWA), Australia Water Association (AWA), and Engineers Australia (EA).