Jules van Lier

Jules van Lier is a full Professor of Environmental Engineering / Wastewater Treatment at Delft University of Technology's Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Department of Water Management. Previously, he served as a Professor at Wageningen University (2005–2008) and held roles as Director of the Lettinga Associates Foundation (LeAF) (1997–2005) and currently serves on LeAF's Executive Board and Scientific Advisory role. His research focuses on anaerobic wastewater treatment for resource recovery (water, nutrients, biogas), closing industrial water cycles, and advancing anaerobic digestion technologies. He chairs the Anaerobic Digestion Specialist Group of the International Water Association (IWA) and advises organizations like Paques and World-Waternet.

Key research areas include anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBR), sludge digestion optimization, nutrient recovery from wastewater, and sustainable biogas production. His work integrates bioreactor design, microbial community analysis, and process modeling to enhance energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

Publications emphasize innovations like thermal hydrolysis pretreatment, inhibition mitigation in anaerobic systems, and AI-driven emission forecasting. Over 200 peer-reviewed papers since 1988 reflect his contributions to advancing wastewater treatment technologies for global sustainability.