At the recently concluded 11th Microbial Ecology and Water Engineering Conference (2-5 June 2025), four outstanding professionals were recognised for their contributions to and accomplishments within the field of Microbial Ecology and Water Engineering (MEWE). The four were recognised through the three awards presented – the IWA MEWE SG Arden-Lockett Award, IWA MEWE SG Early Career Researcher Award and IWA MEWE SG Mid-Career Award.
2025 Award Winners
IWA MEWE SG Arden Lockett Award Winner 2025: Dr Bruce E Rittman, Regents’ Professor and Director of the Biodesign Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology, Arizona State University
Prof Rittmann is one of the most influential figures in environmental biotechnology, with a career spanning over four decades. He has led the integration of microbial ecology into water engineering, transforming the field from treating biological processes as “black boxes” into a deep, systems-level understanding of microbial communities. He was a pioneer of biofilm modelling, and the application of molecular microbial tools for water research laying the foundations for microbial ecology and water engineering. His recognitions are numerous and include the Stockholm Water Prize, (2018) and the ISME/IWA BioCluster Award (2014). He is a Fellow of the International Water Association (2011) and a member of the US National Academy of Engineering (2004). Prof Rittmann’s career exemplifies everything the Arden-Lockett Award represents—scientific excellence, practical innovation, mentorship, and global leadership in microbial ecology and water engineering.
IWA MEWE SG Mid-Career Award 2025: Jointly awarded to Dr. Jeseth Delgado Vela Assistant Professor, Duke University and Prof Gang Liu, Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Dr. Jeseth Delgado Vela was awarded her PhD from the University of Michigan in 2018. She began her academic career as an Assistant Professor at Howard University in Washington, D.C., before joining Duke University, North Carolina, in 2023, where she continues in that role. Dr. Delgado Vela’s research sits at the intersection of microbial ecology and process engineering, with a focus on developing sustainable and safe wastewater treatment systems. Her contributions to the field have been recognised by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists, who named her among their prestigious “40 Under 40” awardees.
Professor Gang Liu is deputy director of the Drinking Water Science and Technology Group at the Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. His work focuses on the microbial ecology of drinking water distribution systems including drinking water biosafety and biostability. He was awarded his PhD from Delft University of Technology in 2013, where he subsequently held positions as a postdoctoral researcher and Assistant Professor until 2018. He continues to maintain strong academic ties with TU Delft, where he serves as a Visiting Professor.
IWA MEWE SG Early Career Award: David Calderón Franco, Chief Scientific Officer, Hologenomix B.V., Netherlands
Dr Calderon Franco completed his PhD in 2023 at Delft University of Technology. Following a brief postdoctoral position, he co-founded Hologenomix, a company dedicated to applying multi-omics and machine learning approaches for environmental monitoring with a focus on water safety. He is being recognised for this award for his work translating academic research into practical real-world biosafety applications.
IWA congratulates the 4 awardees on their recognition and the IWA MEWE Specialist Group on a successful conference!