Xuan Li

Dr. Xuan Li is a Lecturer and Chancellor's Research Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney's School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, where she conducts research at the Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater (CTWW). She holds an ARC DECRA fellowship and has established herself as a leading researcher in environmental engineering with a focus on sustainable water and wastewater solutions.

Dr. Li earned her PhD from the University of Queensland (2016-2020) and her Bachelor in Engineering from Tianjin University in China (2011-2015).

Her research program focuses on critical environmental challenges including sewer concrete corrosion mitigation, energy recovery from wastewater, microalgae-based carbon-neutral wastewater treatment, and wastewater-based epidemiology for early disease detection. Dr. Li's work bridges fundamental science with practical applications to address sustainability challenges in water infrastructure and public health monitoring, with particular emphasis on developing circular economy approaches for resource recovery from waste streams.

Dr. Li's publication record demonstrates expertise across environmental engineering, with emphasis on wastewater treatment technologies, resource recovery, and environmental monitoring. Her work shows a strong trend toward developing sustainable solutions that integrate engineering principles with biological processes to create circular economy approaches for water management, as evidenced by her numerous high-impact publications in top journals including Nature Communications and Science.

• Ida Browne Early Career Medal from Royal Society of NSW
• WH Gladstones Population and Environment Award from Australian Academy of Science
• Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Environmental Research Finalist (2024)
• Australian Water Association NSW Water Awards for R&D Excellence Award Finalist (2024)

Dr. Li actively mentors PhD candidates and has secured over $2.4 million AUD in research funding from diverse sources including the Australian Research Council, Australian Academy of Science, and industry partners. Her grants portfolio includes an ARC DECRA fellowship, ARC Discovery Project, UTS Chancellor's Research Fellowship, and multiple industry collaborations focused on innovative water technologies, demonstrating her ability to translate research into practical applications.

As a key member of the Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater (CTWW) at UTS, Dr. Li leads research teams investigating novel approaches to wastewater treatment and resource recovery. Her work connects with the Faculty Climate Change & Health Research Collaborative (CCHRC), addressing the intersection of water infrastructure, public health, and climate resilience, with research aligning with multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals including Clean Water and Sanitation, Climate Action, and Good Health and Well-being.