Raffaella Villa

Professor Raffaella Villa is a Professor of Environmental Bioengineering and Associate Dean for Research and Innovation at De Montfort University, UK. She is affiliated with the School of Engineering and Sustainable Development within the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Media. She has previously held academic positions at Cranfield University, University of Stirling, University of Exeter, and the University of Milan.

Her research focuses on microbial bioengineering for environmental applications, particularly in the areas of waste-to-energy, anaerobic digestion, bioremediation, and the circular bioeconomy. She investigates microbial processes to transform waste into valuable resources such as biogas, biohydrogen, and high-value products. Her work integrates environmental protection with resource recovery, emphasizing sustainable engineering solutions.

The recent publications reflect a strong trend in sustainable waste management, inhibition control in anaerobic digestion, valorization of fats, oils and greases (FOG), and energy recovery from unconventional waste streams like menstrual hygiene products. Her interdisciplinary work spans microbiology, process engineering, environmental policy, and data science, contributing to both technological innovation and circular economy strategies.

Scientific awards and recognitions include:

• Marie Curie Post-Doctoral Fellowship (EU FP5), Stirling University, 2000
• MIUR Personal Advancement Fellowship, 1995

She has served as Editor-in-Chief of Environmental Technology Reviews and is a member of the Editorial Board of ICE Water Management. She has supervised numerous research projects and collaborated widely across institutions. While specific students are not listed, her extensive publication record indicates active mentorship and research leadership. She has contributed to major advances in understanding microbial community dynamics in waste treatment systems and the development of novel bioadditions for bioremediation.

She is actively involved in research groups such as the Institute for Sustainable Futures at DMU, where she leads initiatives in environmental bioengineering and sustainable development. Her lab work focuses on pilot-scale and full-scale anaerobic digestion systems, microbial characterization, and process optimization for real-world applications.