Our first online conference gathered more than 80 ECR members to share their research and network with peers. We managed to entice people (on the hottest day of the year!) for a packed schedule of 17 featured research presentations and numerous posters, with a lively side chat too. Talks ranged widely. In addition to the usual AD & WWT, we covered everything from metatranscriptomics and microbubbles to management strategies and molluscicides. Our thanks go to the most able support provided by our ECR Scientific Committee members, whose ability to chair sessions (to time!) and ask intelligent questions was much appreciated. And thank you to all our attendees for coming along to our first attempt at a virtual conference.
Congratulations to the Winners!
Overall Best Presentation: Dr Zhugen Yang, Cranfield University
Overall Best Poster: Georgia Waldram, Heriot-Watt University
Winner Session 1: Wastewater and Resource Recovery
Nopa Maulidiany, University of Southampton: Enhancing phosphorus release from Hydroxyapatite-rich activated sludge in fermentation processes
Winner Session 2: AD for the Future
Mauro Lafratta, University of Surrey: Innovative dynamic feeding strategies of anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge for on-demand electricity generation
Winner Session 3: Microbial and Molecular Advances 1
Dr James Robson, University of York: Temporal metatranscriptomics reveals the rate limiting enzymatic step in the anaerobic digestion of whisky waste
Winner Session 4: Microbial and Molecular Advances 2
Dr Zhugen Yang, Cranfield University: Paper-origami device enabling low-cost and rapid microbial analysis
Winner Session 5: Engineering and Biology
Dr Erifyli Tsagkari, University of Glasgow: Combination of computational modelling and 3-D printing to engineer biofilm and shear interaction
Winner Session 6: Environmental Interactions
Till Weidner, University of Oxford: Comparison of local and centralized biowaste management strategies – a spatially sensitive approach for the Porto region
Poster Session 1:
Maria Ramos Suarez, University of Southampton: Continuous acidogenic fermentation of organic residual solids; effect of hydraulic retention time
Poster Session 2: JOINT winners
Sarah Hunter, University College London: Evaluating the impact of chemical structure on anaerobic digestion &
Dr Rachel Schwartz-Narbonne, Sheffield Hallam University: Multidisciplinary analyses of wastewater reactors
Poster Session 3:
Georgia Waldram, Heriot-Watt University: Marine Oil Snow (MOS): understanding formation mechanisms and role in microbial biodegradation of crude oil