Environmental Quality Research

Last week, our research group participated in this year’s Imperial Fringe, a series of public events exploring the unexpected side of science.  The event is based on Imperial’s ground-breaking research, and is comprised of public evening events to engage with and build Festival audiences throughout the year via innovative public programming.

We took this opportunity to demonstrate one of the key areas of our research: water reuse or recycling. Our group decided to promote awareness by having attendees of Imperial Fringe to taste the difference and to see if they can discern between the three water types: tap water, bottled water and reclaimed/recycled water.

Read Toilet to Tap: Can you taste the difference? in full

Just as we believe it is important for you readers out there to know the work we are doing, we also believe it is important for you to know who we are. In this post, you will meet the members of the Environmental Quality Research Group who work tirelessly to deliver high quality research in the field of environmental science and policy.

The Staff

 Dr Nick Voulvoulis is the group’s leader and is an expert in water and environmental management especially where science and engineering interface with public policy. His research focuses on the development of methods for assessing emerging contaminants (sources, pathways, fate and impacts), with emphasis on waste and wastewater treatment processes.

Read Meet the Team in full

Follow my blog with Bloglovin Our research focuses on environmental pollution by hazardous substances, e.g. biocides, pesticides, endocrine-disrupting chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and impacts of pollutants on ecosystems and human health. Encouraged by our research findings having an impact on environmental decision-making and policy on environmental quality, climate change and human health, we see impacts to society, community participation in science and links between environmental behaviour and public perception as research areas increasingly associated with our work. For example the concept of public participation in collection of useful environmental quality data that we piloted through the Opal Soils project will provide a unique opportunity to deliver new tools and opportunities for the ‘Big Society’ concept and citizen science as a tool.

Read Our research in full

Welcome to our first ever blog post! Our research group consists of academic staff and post-graduate students who are avid about understanding the interdisciplinary nature of environmental quality and its impact on our society. We have decided to start this blog to offer a means of communicating our research within the department, the university and anyone who is interested in environmental policy and management.

 What we do?

 Our research takes place in the niche area of the link between engineering, science and policy for environmental quality, and its impact to quality of life.

Our work focuses on three main themes:

• Water Technology and Management – The theme is focused on the research needs emerging from the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive.

Read Introducing the Environmental Quality Research Group in full