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to the Basics: environmental engineering to safe lives
Dr Andrea Schäfer
Clean water in abundance from the tap is an expected commodity in Australia. After decades of engineering efforts of building distribution systems and wastewater treatment plants, this is taken for granted. Not so in many remote indigenous communities and in developing countries. Limited rainfall, lack of basic infrastructure such as bores or electricity are causing the chronic disease and deaths of millions of people, especially children.
Motivated by this important need and committed to find a workable solution, Andrea Schäfer’s team has, since 2001, worked on the development of a treatment system that uses membrane technology to remove bugs and other contaminants from water. To be entirely independent, the system is powered with solar energy. It started as a small student project and is now on the road to commercialisation and has won two international awards before its completion at the Energy Globe 2003 and Mondialogo 2005.
The project has shown how important it is to combine (com)passion and engineering and hopefully the real awards will come soon: saving people’s lives.
Other research by Dr Schäfer is focused on membrane technology, water recycling and trace contaminants. For example, some of her team are looking at the fate of the contraceptive pill, antibiotics and painkillers through wastewater treatment systems and the environment. She loves her job because it is so varied and flexible and allows her to maintain the intercultural aspects a European is used to – collaboration with teams around the world and lots of travel, a special treat always being to take students along.
Schäfer has written two books “Natural Organics Removal using Membranes” (CRC Press) and “Nanofiltration – Principles & Applications” (Elsevier). In addition to her impressive research achievements, which include bringing substantial research funding into the University, she has two small children. Her main challenge - the constant battle to fit in and survive in engineering and getting the right family-work balance.
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Andrea and her team in the field with their mobile water treatment system |
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