Biography

George A Ekama, PhD, has 40 years of research experience into bioprocess engineering of aerobic and anaerobic wastewater and solids treatment systems at the University of Cape Town, where some of the original biological N and P removal kinetic simulation modelling research was done in the 1980s, which found its way into activated sludge models No1 and 2. Over the years he has been at the forefront of developments in BNR activated sludge systems modelling, filamentous bulking, secondary settling tank design and modelling and anaerobic systems. He has published over 170 research papers on these subjects and he and his research group have been co-authors of 4 of the International Wate Association (IWA) Scientific and Technical Reports (STR) on activated sludge modelling, community analysis and secondary settling tanks. He has been visiting Professor at Virginia Tech, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, University of Padua and the UNESCO-IHE in Delft, teaching graduate courses on wastewater treatment. He regularly
teaches courses for local authorities and industry, both nationally and internationally, such as for the Hong Kong Government in 1999, 2004, 2008 and 2014, and Beijing Water Corporation in 2006. He is one of a few environmental engineering professors listed on Thomson’s 2002-2013 ISI Highly Cited website (www.isihighlycited.com). He is co-author and co-editor of the recently published (2008) internet learning course called “Biological wastewater treatment – Principles, modelling and design” sponsored by the UNESCO-IHE in Delft and the IWA, which includes a book, down-loadable course notes and video-filmed lectures. The companion book of the same title has been translated into Spanish, Chinese and Arabic and has become IWA Publishing 2nd best seller. Professor Ekama is a fellow of several institutions such as the Water Institute of Southern Africa, Royal Society of South Africa and the academies of Science and of Engineering of South Africa. In 2013 we was awarded the Order of Mapungubwe Silver for “his excellent research that as provided innovative solutions to enhancing and improving wastewater treatment. His important work is helping the country to find solutions to water scarcity”.