School of Biotechnology
Biography
Dr. Jenny Lawler graduated with a BE in Chemical Engineering from University College Dublin, subsequently completing a PhD in the School of Biotechnology at DCU in the area of membrane separations. She worked as an engineering consultant for a number of years on a variety of multimillion euro projects, prior to returning to DCU to take up a lecturing position in bioprocess engineering in 2010, where she was Chair of the MSc in Bioprocess Engineering for three years. She has published her research in high impact journals in the areas of membrane and environmental technologies and water treatment, and serves on the editorial boards of international journals including Separation and Purification Technology, Desalination and Water Treatment, Membranes and Chemical Engineering and Processing. Her research group is currently funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Irish Research Council, and Science Foundation Ireland.
Expertise
Dr. Lawler’s research in the water arena focuses on the development of environmental technologies and membrane strategies, including micro-, ultra- and nanofiltration, to environmental problems including water and wastewater treatment systems. She is particularly interested in the targeting of emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals and nanomaterials, and she has expertise in the mathematical modeling of bioprocesses, including the application of artificial neural networks. Her research interests are diverse, ranging from the development of phase inversion and electrospun based inorganic- organic hybrid membranes for ultra- and nanofiltration applications, development of nanostructured surfaces for antifouling applications, and the development of nanostructured composites based on graphene related materials for adsorption and pollutant removal.