Stefan Wuertz

Biography

"EDUCATION 2000 Habilitation, Technical University of Munich, College of Engineering, Germany, Dr. rer. nat. habil., Thesis: “In situ analysis of spatial structure and function of biofilms“, 1986 – 1992 Doctoral student, University of Massachusetts at Boston, Environmental Sciences Program. Ph.D. thesis: Tributyltin and tributyltin- resistant bacteria in Boston Harbor (Massachusetts, USA) 1982 - 1986 The National University of Ireland, Galway. B.Sc. in Microbiology (Honors) EMPLOYMENT 2011 – present Visiting Professor at Nanyang Technological University 2001 – present Associate and Full Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UC Davis 1998 – 2001 Administrative Director of Center of Excellence on Fundamental Studies of Aerobic Biological Wastewater Treatment, TU Munich 1995 – 2001 Head of research group ”Biofilm processes/microscopy” at the Institute of Water Quality Control and Waste Management, TUM 1994 - 1995 Research Scientist at VITO, Belgium, in charge of DNA sequencing laboratory 1992 - 1994 European Union Postdoctoral Fellowship to work on ""Gene fusions and the regulation of heavy metal resistance genes"" in host laboratory of Dr. Mergeay, VITO, Mol, Belgium 1986 - 1992 Research and Teaching Assistant, Univ. Massachusetts, (20 hours/week) independent of doctoral dissertation"

Research Interest

"The basic task of an environmental engineer engaged in water quality management is the maintenance of adequate water supplies for the benefit of society. Aspects of both quality and quantity of water are very much at the forefront of today’s challenges in the face of a changing climate and diminishing resources. For example, being able to determine the origins of fecal pollution in urban waterways is becoming increasingly important as we aim to respond to natural and man-made disasters. Knowledge about the sources of microbial and other contaminants can help mitigate their impacts and facilitate risk assessment of exposure to drinking and recreational waters, Similarly, treatment of used water requires increasingly stringent and innovative technologies that build on the discovery and exploitation of microbiological processes, such as those found in the N and P cycle. Through the development of new tools in the life sciences it has become possible to complete whole genome analyses of microorganisms in a short period of time. Bioinformatics tools, while lagging behind in the development of technical solutions to fast and” deep” sequencing technology, are being readied to accommodate the growing need of data compilation, management and interpretation. Across the developed world engineers have begun to interact with their counterparts in the natural sciences in a search for knowledge that can result in new technology for the treatment of water and used water. "