Jules van Lier is a full professor of Wastewater Treatment and Environmental Engineering at Delft University of Technology. He also holds a 0.2 FTE seconded position at IHE Delft Institute for Water Education. He began his academic career at Wageningen University and Research (WUR), where he obtained both his MSc and PhD degrees. From 1988 to 2008, he was employed at WUR, and in 2005 he was appointed professor (personal chair) in Anaerobic Treatment Technology. Between 1997 and 2005, he also directed the Lettinga Associates Foundation (LeAF), a small, knowledge-intensive consultancy firm. From 2010 to 2025, he served as head of the Sanitary Engineering section at TU Delft.
His research interests focus on developing cost-effective technologies for (waste)water treatment and resource recovery, including water, nutrients, biogas, and elements from waste streams. His main research lines include:
- Biotechnologies for (waste)water treatment from both municipal and industrial sources
- Anaerobic treatment of wastewater, sludges, and slurries
- Sludge bed systems and (anaerobic) membrane bioreactor systems
- Water reclamation systems following secondary treatment
- Electrochemical techniques (such as (bipolar membrane) electrodialysis) for resource recovery
- Closing water cycles in industries and sewage water recovery for reuse
His research projects focus on both technology development and strategies for closing water cycles in industry and recovering sewage water for reuse.
Throughout his academic career, he has specialized in Anaerobic Treatment Technology and has (co-)published over 300 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals, as well as another 300 publications in conference proceedings and scientific books since 1988. He has acquired several patents for newly developed technologies. To date, he has supervised 40 PhD candidates and currently supervises 16 PhD students.
Jules van Lier was awarded the 2025 William Dunbar Medal of the European Water Association (EWA) as recognition of his long-standing contribution to the European Water Sector.
In addition to his academic work, he is active in the International Water Association (IWA), for which he chaired the Anaerobic Digestion Specialist group between 2001 and 2009. In 2011, he became a nominated member of the IWA Fellow program.
Jules van Lier will contribute to and co-supervise AMS research projects focusing on urban water, water recovery, and resource recovery.