Zhiyao Wang

Dr. Zhiyao Wang is a Research Fellow at the Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology and School of Chemical Engineering, University of Queensland. Her work focuses on

• Innovative nutrient removal and recovery technologies
• Greenhouse gas emission reduction
• Nitrogen conversion processes
• Biosolids management

with a strong emphasis on acid-tolerant microbial systems and wastewater resource recovery.

Education:

• PhD in Environmental Engineering (UQ, 2021)
• B.Eng. in Environmental Engineering (Zhejiang University, 2016)

Her research interests center on transforming wastewater treatment through novel biological processes, particularly acid-tolerant ammonia oxidation and ANAMMOX systems. She investigates mechanisms for

• Sludge stabilization
• Biosolids quality improvement
• Nitrous oxide emission control
• Microbial community dynamics
• Metal bioleaching
• Nitrogen cycling

with applications in municipal and industrial wastewater systems.

Recent publication trends show her focus on

• Acidic activated sludge processes
• Nitrogen removal optimization
• Biosolids valorization
• Greenhouse gas mitigation
• Novel nitrifying bacteria
• Integrated wastewater systems

across environmental engineering and microbiology domains.

Awards & Grants:

• ARC Early Career Industry Fellowship (2025, AUD 850K)
• Early Career Research Excellence Award (2024)
• Theo Murphy Initiative Grant (2024)
• Best Presentation Award (ICoN9 conference, 2025)

Supervision includes mentoring PhD candidates in

• Nitrogen removal
• Novel microbial wastewater processes
• Sludge management
• Biosolids valorization

while collaborating with industry partners like Urban Utilities, Melbourne Water Corporation, and SA Water.

Collaborative Projects span

• Global Net-zero Water Alliance
• UQ-TUM international workshops
• CRC-P sludge management initiatives
• Mathematical modeling of methane emissions

with academic teams across Germany, China, and Australia.