Juan M. Lema

Emeritus Professor of Chemical Engineering

Scientific Profiles

• Portal da Investigación (USC)
• Orcid
• Research Gate
• Scopus

Emeritus Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain). He has been Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) (1981-83) and Santiago de Compostela (USC) (1991-2000); Promotor and first Director of the Technological Transfer Centre (USC) (1989-1990); Promotor and first Head of Environmental Engineering (2001-2003); Promotor and first Dean of School of Engineering USC (2003-2010), Promotor and first Head of the Spanish Conference of Chemical Engineering Deans (CODDIQ) (2008-2012) and promotor and first Head of CRETUS (Centre of Cross-disciplinary Research in Environmental Technologies) (2015-2020). He is an Academic (2016 - ) and President (2019 -) of The Royal Galician Academy of Sciences.

Supervisor of 61 Ph.D. Theses; Author of more than 450 papers and book chapters (H index: 72 (Scopus) and an FWCI 1,47 (period 2015-21). More than 19,000 citations. Since 2020 ranked among the top 2% of highest impact worldwide at the list from Stanford University. He is the author or co-author of 20 patents (9 European or International). Ranked amongst the 2% highest impact researchers worldwide in Biotechnology (2020). Editor of the book: “Innovative Wastewater Treatment & Resource Recovery Technologies,” published by IWA (2017).

He has coordinated or participated in 71 research projects founded by the European Union (24), the Spanish Commission of Science and Technology (34), and the Galician Regional Government (13). He has been the Coordinator of the COST Action ”Conceiving Wastewater treatment in 2020” (Water 2020) and the Coordinator of the Spanish project Novedar_Consolider, with 12 research groups from Spain and The Netherlands. Sixteen relevant research projects with companies treating industrial and municipal wastewater. Expert of UNIDO (United Nations for Industrial Development Organisation), Vienna, in the “Treatment of Industrial Effluents.” In total, more than 17 MM€ raised for research..

His former Ph.D. students are at present Professors (11) (in Spain, Mexico, Chile, and Colombia); Associate Professors (16) in Spain, Mexico, Chile, The Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, and Colombia; Researchers in Universities and Technological Centres (Anfaco, Aimen, Ainia, Feuga, Giro, CetAQUA…); or responsible for R&D in several companies (Repsol, Abiasa, Bialactis, Biena, Inditex,…). In addition, six of his former Ph.D. students were ranked in 2022 among the top 2% of highest impact worldwide at the list from Stanford University.

Dr. Honoris causa by the University of Valladolid (2021); Dr.Honoris causa by Politecnico de Milano (2021); Honorary Professor of Queensland University (2018); Dr.Honoris causa by Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile (2015); Distinguished Fellow of International Water Association (2022); Fellow of International Water Association (2014); Golden Insignia of University of Santiago de Compostela (2013); Martinez Moreno Award of Innovation. Madrid (2011); Golden medal of Chemical Engineering University of Valladolid (2010); Babcock Innovation Award (2004); European Prize of Industrial Enzymes. Barcelona (1993); Ingeniero Comerma Award (Ferrol, 1989).

Education

• Ph.D. in Industrial Chemistry. University of Santiago de Compostela, 1975
• Graduation in Industrial Chemistry University of Santiago de Compostela, 1971

Positions

• Full Professor, Univ.Santiago de Compostela (USC) 1985-
• Dean of Environmental Engineering USC (2001-)
• Head of Department of Chemical Engineering USC (1991-2001)
• Full Professor, Univ. Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB) (1983-85)
• Associate Professor UAB (1976-83)
• Assistant Professor USC (1971-1975)

Teaching Activities

• Fundamentals of Chemical Engineering. (Chemical Engineering Degree, 1st year
• Bioprocesses (Master in Chemical Engineering and Bioprocesses)
• Research Projects (Master in Chemical Engineering and Bioprocesses)

Research Activities

• Biotransformation of organic micropollutants in wastewater
• Tertiary treatment of micropollutants in enzymatic reactors with nanoparticles
• Selective production of VFA by anaerobic fermentation
• Development of innovative Wastewater Treatment Plants
• Microbial dynamics in anaerobic reactors
• Bioplastics production from lignocellulosic wastes