缅北禁地

Before pursuing my academic career, I acquired experience in environmental industrial processes working with companies such as Nestle, J&J, P&G, Kimberly Clarck and Jumex. Since then, I have used a multidisciplinary approach to address current world challenges in areas related to sustainability, biomass valorisation and effective management of waste, with a specific focus on understanding biomass transformations. As part of my PhD and further academic studies, I’ve investigated how biomass can enable energy production, bacterial monitoring and wastewater treatment across multiple applications. My research over the past 10 years has focused in enabling the development of novel technologies such as microbial fuel cells (MFC) across a broad range of applications. To this aim, I have partnered with different Universities (Tanzania, Mexico, US) and companies (Palintest, Northumbrian Water) to enable these novel applications to be tested in the field. As an example, my most recent research, sponsored by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has allowed us to test an inexpensive MFC in Tanzania wells, aiming to provide early monitoring of faecal contamination to rural communities.

Qualifications

• Integrated PhD in Environmental Sciences 缅北禁地, UK. Schools of Civil Engineering & Geosciences and, Chemical Engineering & Advanced Materials.Thesis: Bioelectricity production from simple and complex organic compounds using Microbial Fuel Cells. Master in Environmental engineering courses.
• Postgraduate Certificate in Advance Studies in Academic Practice 缅北禁地, UK. Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. 
• MEng in Environmental Engineering Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico. Faculty of Engineering. Thesis: Development of a microbial fuel cell biosensor for wastewater monitoring.
• BEng in Chemical Engineering La Salle University, México. Thesis: Sequential and continuous industrial process simulation and control (Univ. of South Florida, USA).

Awards

• Awarded 2^nd prize in short presentation. 6^th UK Algal Conference.
• Recognised as a Leading Innovator under 35 by MIT Technology Review.  
• Spotlight achievement award given by the School of Chemical Engineering 
• Nominated to the 缅北禁地 student achievement award in the environmental impact category.
• Awarded best conference poster in the 9th UK International Water Association Conference for Young Professionals 

Esteem Indicators

• January 2023 Editor for Water Practice & Technology Journal. International Water Association.
• February 2020 Postgraduate Lead for Chemical Engineering at 缅北禁地.
• Since 2012 International and UK Examiner for PhD students.
• January 2015 Invited guest panellist to discuss the Tools for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene implementation. UN International Zaragoza Conference. Water and Sustainable Development from Vision to Action. Zaragoza, Spain
• April 2013 Invited speaker to present the work: . Instituto Mexicano de Ingenieros Químicos (IMIQ). Instituto Politecnico Nacional (IPN). ESIQUIE. Mexico City, Mexico
• September 2012 Invited guest speaker to the bioelectrochemical systems networking event at IWA 2012. Supported by the Global Partnership Fund (GPF) of UK-BIS. Busan, Korea
• October 2010 – Invited to present a poster in the International Review of Energy organized by EPSRC
• April 2010 – Shortlisted candidate by the Royal Academy of Engineering/EPSRC to obtain a Research Fellowship at 缅北禁地 to gain research independence in energy from wastes.
• June, 2009 – present. Invited research article reviewer for: Bioresource & Technology; Microbiology & Biotechnology; Fuels; Journal of Chemical Engineering among other various journals.

Research Funding

• 2024-2032 CoI (£12M) Co-I , Process Industries: Net Zero
• 2023-2024 PI EBNET-BBSRC (£10.3k) I & II
• 2023-2024 NU-PI Innovate UK (£100k) BEBlock in liaison with Biofuel Evolution Ltd.
• 2022-2025 CoI European Commission (€1.4M) , in liaison with the Bolivia cluster.
• 2022-2024 CoI Innovate UK (£1.3M) SABRe Reactor in liaison with Robinson Brothers Ltd.
• 2022 PI NU-UKRI (£6.3k) Participatory Research in Bolivia and Peru (2 m).
• 2022 CoI BEIS (£125k) of the Hydrogen BECCS Innovation Competition, Green biohydrogen production in liaison with Phoebus Power Ltd (6 m).
• 2020 PI Returners support fund (£9.7k). Project to enhance research, teaching and inclusion in academia.
• 2017-2020 CoI EPSRC (£2.7M) ISCF Wave 1: North East Centre for Energy Materials (NECEM)
• 2016-2017 PI Newton Fund (£80k). Collaboration with UNAM, Mexico: "Biofuel production from wastewater treatment"
• 2018 Co-I C1Net Fund (£50k). Scalable engineering approaches for exploiting a novel biocomposite material applied to light-driven CO2 absorption and utilization (8 m).
• 2016-2017 PI UNAM Mexican International Collaboration Programme (£2.7k) for the project titled: “Produccion de hidrocarburos para bioturbosina a partir de microalgas”.
• 2015-2016 PI Institute for Sustainability NU (£9k). "Can Shewanella Oneidensis MR-1 convert CO2 to biochemicals?
• 2015 PI Newton Fund (£4k) Research visit to UNAM, Mexico: “Development and commercialisation of microalgae technologies for energy production, wastewater treatment and CO2 capture”
• 2014-2015 PI NERC Research Grant (£150k). Collaboration with Ardhi University, Tanzania in the project titled IN-GROUND: Inexpensive monitoring of Groundwater pollution in Urban African Districts (1 y)
• 2012-2014 CoI UNAM Mexican International Collaboration Programme (£14k) for the project titled: “Ozonoflotación de microalgas para la producción de biodiesel” (2 y)
• 2012 PI Knowledge Transfer Partnership (£14k) Partnership with Palintest Ltd. to commercialise a biosensor (2m).

Professional memberships

• 2021 - current Affiliate member of iChemE
• 2005-2013, 2021-current Member of the International Water association
• 2009-current Teaching Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• 2007-2013 Affiliate Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry
• 2006-2009 Member of Society of Chemical Industry

Languages

English (fluent), French (fluent), Spanish (native speaker)

My research involves the evaluation of new environmental technologies that can achieve both energy generation and waste remediation. I am interested in the production of renewable energy from liquid, solid wastes by applying bioelectrochemical, biochemical and thermal techniques. Inspired by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, my vision is to advance environmental technologies that can monitor waste pollution and that can sustainably transform waste or biomass. I lead different projects within the BioRE (Environmental bio-electrochemistry and bio-Renewable Energy) group and I am also part of the Process Intensification Group. Researchers and students that work with me participate on different seminars and engage with an interdisciplinary community working on environmental, process intensification, electrochemistry and biological engineering fields. 

PhD projects offered: I'll be happy to send you a description of the project and a sample of our research articles.

1. Microbial electrosynthesis: converting carbon dioxide to valuable organic compounds
2. Biofuel and biochemical production from wastes using microalgae
3. Continuous monitoring of water pollution using self-reliant systems
4. Novel wastewater treatment operations using microalgae
5. Decreasing CO₂ emissions from the water industry using intensified processes

Areas of research:

Bio-electrochemistry Technology: Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) are a type of technology that enables wastewater treatment and electricity generation. MFCs utilise various organic electron donors under anaerobic conditions and directly transform chemical energy into electrical energy via a series of electrochemical reactions. I have studied the effect of different organic wastewaters, novel mediator compounds and organic loading rates on bioelectricity production, organic matter removal and microbial diversity. Here the application of microalgae is also of interest by studying its electrochemical properties. I am also interested into using Microbial Electrosynthesis for carbon dioxide transformation to longer chain organic molecules. In this area our group has conducted economic and sustainability evaluations, recently proving the feasibility of using bioelectrochemical reactors on fermentation tanks to convert CO₂ waste emissions. To know more about this research visit: 

Bio-fuel Production: Biofuel can be produced from wastewater sludge and microalgae using chemical (in situ transesterification), thermal (catalytic cracking) or biological intensified processes. These processes offer several advantages such as the elimination of the oil extraction step, potential improvement on biofuel yield, and reduction in the transportation of intermediate products. In situ transesterification is utilised for biodiesel production while catalytic cracking can produce several types of biofuels such as methane, biodiesel and jet fuel. To know more about this field of research visit:

Sustainable Engineering Systems: Most students that work in their project conduct life cycle analyses to determine the energy use and carbon emissions produced during the transportation, treatment and final disposal of solid wastes or wastewater produced in different parts of the world. To know more about this research visit: 

Supervisor of the following graduated PhD students:

• 2018-2023 Dr. Olatunde Akinbuja (approved viva) Microalgae bioelectrochemical systems for sustainable conversion.
• 2018-2023 Dr. Obaidullah Mohiuddin. Yeast for tertiary wastewater treatment: growth modelling, optimisation of harvesting, and biocomposite development.
• 2017- 2021 Dr. James Hockaday. Equilibrium and uptake kinetics of Copper and Cadmium ions by the microalgae, Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus obliquus
• 2016-2019 Dr. Tobechi Okoroafor. Environmental and experimental evaluation of producing chemicals from carbon dioxide using bioelectrochemical system
• 2013-2016 Dr. Xenia Christodoulou. Microbial electrosynthesis for CO₂ conversion
• 2012-2015 Dr. Kamoru Salam. Reactive extraction of microalgae for biodiesel production

2021-2024 Sustainable Industry (CME8038 MSc/MEng/CDT Chemical Engineering) Leader, 60% of 20 credits.

2012, 2014-2024 Process Design & Economics (CME 3032, BEng/CDT Chem Eng) Leader, 34% of 15 credits.

2020-2024 Technology for circular & H₂ economies (SPG8007, MSc in Chem Eng) Leader, 100% of 10 credits.

2011, 2012, 2014-2024 Biomass and Bioenergy (SPG8008, MSc in Sus Chem Eng) 30%, 10credits

2012 & 2014-2024 Plant Design (CME3039, BEng/MEng in Chemical Engineering) 5%, 40credits

2019-2022 Offshore subsea and pipeline engineering (MAR8091, MAR8141) 15%, 20credits

2017-19 Hydrocarbon production (CME8022, MSc Pipeline&Offshore Eng) 80%,10credits

2017-19 Chemical Eng Labs - Stage 2 (CME2030, BEng/MEng Chemical Engineering) 50%,10credits

2016 -18 Energy Sources and Storage (CME8055, MEng Mechanical Eng), 25%, 20credits

2015 Experimental Design (CME2026, BEng/MEng in Chemical Engineering) 100%, 5credits

2014-15 Transfer Processes 2 (CME2022, BEng/MEng Chemical Engineering) 50%, 20cred

2013 Separation Processes 1 (CME2022, BEng/MEng in Chemical Engineering) 15%, 10cred

• Articles

  • Atengueno-Reyes K, Velasquez-Orta SB, Yanez-Noguez I, Monje-Ramirez I, Orta-Ledesma MT. . Algal Research 2024, 82, 103670.
  • Serrano-Blanco S, Zan R, Harvey AP, Velasquez-Orta SB. . Journal of Environmental Management 2024, 370, 122717.
  • Suastes-Rivas JK, Romero-Pineda MJ, Monje-Ramirez I, Velasquez-Orta SB, Velasco A, Orta-Ledesma MT. . Energy Conversion and Management 2024, 302, 118081.
  • Atengueno-Reyes K, Velasquez-Orta SB, Yanez-Noguez I, Monje-Ramirez I, Mijaylova-Nacheva P, Chavez-Mejia A, Orta Ledesma M. . Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 2023, 262, 115117.
  • Walls LE, Otoupal P, Ledesma-Amaro R, Velasquez-Orta SB, Gladden JM, Rios-Solis L. . Bioresource Technology 2023, 368, 128216.
  • Hernandez EV, Monje-Ramirez I, Velasquez-Orta SB, Gracia-Fadrique J, Orta Ledesma MT. . Environmental Technology and Innovation 2022, 26, 102354.
  • Mohiuddin O, Harvey A, Tabraiz S, Ameen MT, Velasquez-Orta SB. . Journal of Water Process Engineering 2022, 50, 103244.
  • Montaño-San-Agustin D, Orta-Ledesma MT, Monje-Ramírez I, Yáñez-Noguez I, Luna-Pabello VM, Velasquez-Orta SB. . Renewable Energy 2022, 181, 592-603.
  • Hockaday J, Harvey A, Velasquez-Orta S. . Algal Research 2022, 64, 102710.
  • Okoroafor T, Haile S, Velasquez-Orta S. . Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste 2021, 25(1), 04020062.
  • Gonzalez-Balderas RM, Velasquez-Orta SB, Felix M, Bengoechea C, Yanez Noguez I, Orta Ledesma MT. . Algal Research 2021, 60, 102514.
  • González-Balderas RM, Felix M, Bengoechea C, Orta-Ledesma MT, Guerrero A, Velásquez-Orta SB. . European Polymer Journal 2021, 160, 110766.
  • Nava-Bravo I, Velásquez-Orta SB, Monje-Ramíreza I, Patricia-Güereca L, Harvey AP, Cuevas-García R, Yañez-Noguez I, Orta-Ledesma MT. . Energy Conversion and Management 2021, 249, 114806.
  • Romero-Frasca E, Velasquez-Orta SB, Escobar-Sanchez V, Tinoco-Valencia R, Orta Ledesma MT. . Biotechnology for Biofuels 2021, 14(1), 93.
  • González-Gálvez OD, Nava-Bravo I, Cuevas-García R, Velásquez-Orta SB, Harvey AP, Cedeño-Caero L, Orta Ledesma MT. . Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery 2021, 11, 2627–2639.
  • González-Balderas RM, Velásquez-Orta SB, Valdez-Vazquez I, Orta Ledesma MT. . Water Science & Technology 2020, 82(6), 1237-1246.
  • Gonzalez-Balderas RM, Velasquez-Orta SB, Valdez-Vazquez I, Orta Ledesma MT. . Ultrasonics Sonochemistry 2020, 62, 104852.
  • Valeriano Gonzalez MT, Orta Ledesma MT, Velasquez-Orta SB, Monje Ramirez I. . Environmental Technology 2020, 42(21), 3267-3277.
  • González-Balderas RM, Velásquez-Orta SB, Orta Ledesma MT. . Chemical Engineering and Processing - Process Intensification 2020, 153, 107951.
  • Hernandez-Garcia A, Velasquez-Orta SB, Novelo E, Yanez-Noguez I, Monje-Ramirez I, Orta Ledesma MT. . Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 2019, 174, 435-444.
  • Alves Oliveira G, Monje-Ramirez I, Carissimi E, Teixeira Rodrigues R, Velasquez-Orta SB, Chávez Mejía AC, Orta Ledesma MT. . Separation and Purification Technology 2019, 18, 340-347.
  • Walls L, Velasquez-Orta SB, Romero-Frasca E, Leary P, Noguez IY, Ledesma MT. . Biochemical Engineering Journal 2019, 151, 107319.
  • Velasquez-Orta SB, Heidrich O, Graham DW. . Institute of Water Journal 2019, 3, 17-23.
  • Nava Bravo I, Velasquez-Orta SB, Cuevas-Garcia R, Monje-Ramirez I, Harvey A, Orta Ledesma MT. . Fuel 2019, 241, 255-263.
  • Ekins-Coward T, Boodhoo K, Velasquez-Orta S, Caldwell G, Wallace A, Barton R, Flickinger MC. . Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 2019, 58(15), 5936-5949.
  • Velasquez-Orta SB, Heidrich O, Black K, Graham D. . Applied Energy 2018, 218, 430-441.
  • Eze V, Velasquez-Orta SB, Hernandez-Garcia A, Monje-Ramirez I, Orta-Ledesma MT. . Algal Research 2018, 32, 131-141.
  • Oliveira GA, Carissimi E, Monje-Ramirez I, Velasquez-Orta SB, Rodrigues RT, Ledesma MTO. . Bioresource Technology 2018, 259, 334-342.
  • Christodoulou X, Okoroafor T, Parry S, Velasquez-Orta S. . Journal of CO2 Utilization 2017, 18, 390-399.
  • Velasquez-Orta SB, Werner D, Varia J, Mgana S. . Water Research 2017, 117, 9-17.
  • Salam K, Velasquez-Orta S, Harvey AP. . Journal of Sustainable Bioenergy Systems 2017, 7(4).
  • Salam K, Velasquez-Orta SB, Harvey AP. . Biofuel Research Journal 2016, 3(1), 366-371.
  • Varia JC, Zegeye A, Velasquez-Orta S, Bull S. . Chemical Engineering Journal 2016, 288, 482-488.
  • Christodoulou X, Velasquez-Orta SB. . Environmental Science and Technology 2016, 50(20), 11234–11242.
  • Salam K, Velasquez-Orta SB, Harvey AP. . Fuel Processing Technology 2016, 144, 212–219.
  • Valeriano González MT, Monje-Ramírez I, Orta Ledesma MT, Gracia-Fadrique J, Velásquez-Orta SB. . Biomass and Bioenergy 2016, 95, 109-115.
  • Salam KA, Velasquez-Orta SB, Harvey AP. . Journal of Sustainable Bioenergy Systems 2016, 6(2), 17-30.
  • Varia JC, Silva Martinez S, Velasquez-Orta S, Bull S. . Electrochimica Acta 2014, 115, 344-351.
  • Velasquez-Orta SB, Garcia-Estrada R, Monje-Ramirez I, Harvey A, Orta Ledesma MT. . Biomass and Bioenergy 2014, 70, 356-363.
  • Oladapo K, Velasquez Orta SB, Monje-Ramirez I, Yáñez Noguez I, Harvey AP, Orta Ledesma MT. . Bioresource Technology 2014, 154, 297-304.
  • Velasquez-Orta SB, Lee JGM, Harvey A. . Biochemical Engineering Journal 2013, 76, 83-89.
  • Varia J, Silva Martinez S, Velasquez Orta SB, Bull S, Roy S. . Electrochimica Acta 2013, 95, 125-131.
  • Velasquez-Orta SB. . Water Science and Technology 2013, 67(12), 2856-2862.
  • Velasquez Orta SB, Lee JGM, Harvey A. . Fuel 2012, 94, 544-550.
  • Velasquez Orta SB, Head IM, Curtis TP, Scott K. . Bioresource Technology 2011, 102(8), 5105-5112.
  • Velasquez-Orta SB, Yu E, Katuri KP, Head IM, Curtis TP, Scott K. . Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 2011, 90(2), 789-798.
  • Velasquez-Orta SB, Head IM, Curtis TP, Scott K, Lloyd JR, von Canstein H. . Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 2010, 85(5), 1373-1381.
  • Velasquez-Orta SB, Curtis TP, Logan BE. . Biotechnology and Bioengineering 2009, 103(6), 1068-1076.
  • Di Lorenzo M, Curtis T, Head IM, Velasquez-Orta SB, Scott K. . Water Science and Technology 2009, 60(11), 2879-2887.

• Book Chapters

  • Velasquez-Orta SB, Mohiuddin O. . In: Achlesh Daverey, Kasturi Dutta, Sanket Joshi, Teresa Gea, ed. Advances in Yeast Biotechnology for Biofuels and Sustainability. Elsevier, 2023, pp.353-370.
  • Olatunde Akinbuja, Boodhoo Kamelia, Velasquez-Orta Sharon. . In: Eduardo Jacob-Lopes, Rosangela Rodrigues Dias and Leila Queiroz Zepka, ed. Microalgae-based systems. Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 2023, pp.425-440.
  • Velasquez-Orta SB, Mohiuddin O, Orta-Ledesma MT, Harvey AP. . In: Eduardo Jacob-Lopes, Leila Queiroz Zepka, Ihana Aguiar Severo, Mariana Manzoni Maroneze, ed. 3rd Generation Biofuels. Woodhead Publishing, 2022, pp.269-290.
  • Velasquez-Orta S, Utuk E, Spurr M. . In: Sonia M. Tiquia-Arashiro, Deepak Pant, ed. Microbial Electrochemical Technologies. CRC Press, 2018.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

  • Velasquez-Orta SB, Hernández A, Novelo E, Yáñez I, Monje I, Orta MT. Wastewater Treatment by Microalgae-Bacteria Consortia for Biomass Production. In: 6th International Congress on Green Process Engineering (GPE). 2021, Toulouse, France. In Preparation.
  • Boodhoo K, Ekins-Coward T, Velasquez-Orta S, Flickinger MC. . In: AIChE Spring Meeting 2021. 2021, Virtual conference: American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
  • Boodhoo KVK, Ekins-Coward T, Velasquez-Orta S, Flickinger MC. . In: Second International Process Intensification Conference (IPIC2). 2019, Leuven, Belgium.
  • Velasquez-Orta SB. . In: UN International Zaragoza Conference: Tools for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene implementation. Water and Sustainable Development from Vision to Action. 2015, Zaragoza, Spain: United Nations.
  • Velasquez-Orta SB, Lee JGM, Harvey AP. . In: 5th International Conference on Algal Biomass, Biofuels and Bioproducts. 2015, San Diego, USA.
  • Salam K, Velasquez-Orta SB, Harvey AP. . In: 4th International conference on Algal Biomass, Biofuels and Bioproducts. 2014, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA.
  • Salam KA, Velasquez-Orta SB, Harvey AP. . In: 2013 AIChE Annual Meeting. 2013, San Francisco, CA: AIChE.
  • Velasquez-Orta SB, Graham D. . In: Planet Under Pressure Conference. 2012, London, UK.
  • Velasquez-Orta SB, Harvey AP, Lee J. . In: European Process Intensification Conference. 2011, Manchester, UK: AIChE.
  • Velasquez-Orta SB, Head I, Curtis T, Scott K. . In: 6th Worldwater Congress and Exhibition. 2008, Vienna, Austria.
  • Velasquez-Orta SB. . In: 7th Worldwide Workshop for Young Environmental Scientists. 2008, Paris, France: University Paris-Est Creteil (UPEC).

• Review

  • Salam KA, Velasquez-Orta SB, Harvey AP. . Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 2016, 65, 1179-1198.