Dr. Liwen Xiao

Dr. Liwen Xiao received his PhD degree at NUI Galway and worked as a lecturer there before joining the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering at TCD as Assistant Professor in 2013. Since joining TCD, Dr Xiao has continued his research work in the following areas: (1) fuel cell technologies, (2) sustainable treatment of wastewater, (3) emerging contaminants (microplastics, antibiotics) detection and removal and (4) impacts of human activities on water quality and ecology. He currently has 4 PhD students in his research group and is involved in a number of research projects funded by national and international funding agencies. Dr Xiao is a college tutor and a deputy director of the research centre TrinityHaus.

  Agri Environment   Climate Change Impacts on the Environment   ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING   ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT   ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT   FIBRE OPTICAL SENSORS   Fresh water pollution   Freshwater ecology   Ground, surface water hydrology   WASTEWATER TREATMENT   Water Quality   Water Resources, Environmental Impacts   WATER-TREATMENT   Wind Energy, General

(1) Fuel cell technologies (2) Sustainable treatment of wastewater, (3) Emerging contaminants (microplastics, antibiotics) detection and removal and (4) Impacts of human activities on water quality and ecology. Prof Xiao is co-leading a study with two other colleagues to study microplastics (MPs) release from plastics products. The study led to several papers published in journals such as Nature Food and Chemical Engineering Journal, 4 patents (one filed, three pending) and a SFI Plastic Challenge Award. The findings were featured in more than 300 national and international news outlets and media such as CCTV4, Guardian, BBC, NPR. Prof Xiao is leading a multidisciplinary team to develop next generation energy neutral wastewater treatment technologies. The study led to one Trinity College Provost Project Award, an Intel Bursary Award, ESAI Undergraduate of the Year award, one best conference paper award, one best MAI project award, and numeral publications numeral papers published in journals such as Water Research and Chemical Engineering Journal and two patents (one licensed to an international company and another is pending). Prof Xiao designed a show garden in Bloom 2019, Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland in June 2019, which integrated the garden design with the next generation energy neutral wastewater treatment technologies. This award-winning garden was visited by the prime minister of Ireland and more than 100,000 people, and featured in Irish national TV channel RTE and dozens of median. Prof Xiao also developed a wastewater treatment unit for the treatment of wastewater from 300 population and the technology was licensed to an international company. Prof Xiao developed the Burrishoole peatland forest research facility in Co. Mayo, Ireland. The facility includes 4 well equipped catchments for research of impact of peatland forest on soil erosion, water quality and ecology. Mitigation methods and technologies can be tested and validated in a catchment scale using the facility. 4 mitigation methods were successfully tested and validated in the facility by Prof Xiao and his team. Some of the methods were adopted by the stakeholders and decision makers such the Irish Department of Agriculture and Coiltte.