Ángeles Val

Ángeles Val is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC), part of the School of Engineering. She received her Chemical Engineering degree from USC in 2006 and completed her PhD in Environmental Biotechnology there in 2012 under a FPU fellowship. Her research focuses on advanced biological treatments for municipal and industrial wastewater, emphasizing recovery of valuable products like biogas, biopolymers, and reusable water. Key processes studied include aerobic granular sludge, microalgae, anammox, and PHAs production. She has led national research projects, including a 2015 MINECO grant and a 2022 Xunta de Galicia fellowship for international collaborations.

Education:

• Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering (2006), USC
• PhD in Environmental Biotechnology (2012), USC

Research Interests:

Her work integrates sustainable waste management with environmental engineering, addressing challenges in wastewater treatment efficiency and resource recovery. Current projects explore aerobic granular sludge stability, microalgae-bacteria biofilm symbiosis, and PHA production from industrial waste. She emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, combining bioprocess optimization with economic and environmental impact assessments.

Grants & Projects:

• "Integrated biofactory for livestock waste treatment (BIOPIGMA)" (2024, €196,875)
• "Unraveling the symbiosis of microalgae and bacteria in biofilms (ALBA)" (2023, €147,000)
• "Development of a biotechnological process for PHA production (POLYGO1)" (2022, €149,500)

Advising & Training:

She supervises doctoral and master’s students in bioprocess engineering, with recent advisees focusing on lipid-rich waste valorization, granular reactor optimization, and phosphorus recovery techniques. Her team collaborates internationally, including stays at the National University of Ireland and University of Minho.

Labs & Groups:

Core member of the BioGroup (Environmental Biotechnology Group) at USC, specializing in innovative wastewater treatment systems and sustainable bioprocess design.