Sustainable Water for the Future: Water Recycling versus Desalination

Andrea Schäfer is Professor of Water Process Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering as well as Head of Membrane Technology Department, Institute of functional Interfaces (IFG) at the Karlrsruhe Institute of Technology. Previously she was Professor at the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology in Tanzania, East Africa. 2006 to 2013 she was the Chair of Environmental Engineering at the University ofEdinburgh, Scotland, UK following 3 years as a senior lecturer at the University of Wollongong, Australia and 3 years as postdoc then lecturer at the University of New South Wales, Sydney Australia. She holds four engineering degrees in three different languages (English, German & French) including a PhD from the University of New South Wales and has worked in many countries. Passionate about membrane process engineering she has experience with several membrane processes encompassing predominantly water treatment, desalination, water recycling, remote water supplies andinternational development. Her work spans from fundamental research to commercialisation projects. Prof Schäfer has published extensively in high impact journals and authored or edited several books, including ‘Nanofiltration: Principles and Applications’. She collaborates extensively with developing country researchers, industry as well as colleagues in many leading academic institutions.