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Staff Profile

Dr Lucia Rodriguez Freire

Lecturer (Assistant Professor)

Background

I am originally from Spain, where I studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Santiago de Compostela, and I moved to the U.S. in 2008 for my graduate studies in Environmental Engineering (M.S. 2010 and Ph.D. 2014 from the University of Arizona). After that, I continued to work as a postdoctoral researcher in two universities (University of Arizona and University of New Mexico) and then moved to the New Jersey Institute of Technology where I was an Assistant Professor from 2017-2022. In 2022, I decided to join Newcastle University as Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Environmental Engineering.


I enjoy investigating the mechanisms of interaction between microorganisms, plants, soil particles, and contaminants in the environment, and how to mimic natural processes to solve current and future environmental problems.

Research

My overarching long-term research motivation is to harness the interaction between biological and inorganic systems to:

(1) investigate the effect of contaminants to natural biogeochemical cycles in order to predict, avoid and/or remediate current and future detrimental effects to the environment;

(2) engineer high-efficient and sustainable resource-recovery technologies from agricultural, industrial and mining waste;

(3) design state-of-the-art wastewater treatment systems to remove persistent contaminants in the environment using ubiquitous and low-value materials. 

In order to achieve this goal, we apply a multidisciplinary approach using state-of-the-art methods and technologies in the intersection between engineering, basic sciences (i.e. geology, biology, chemistry), and public health sciences (i.e. toxicology, epidemiology). 

Example of current projects include:

1. Understanding the biogeochemical processes and their effect on fate and transport of contaminants.

2. The role of plant-microorganisms interactions controlling the fate and transport of contaminants.

3. Biogeochemical transformations in scales from excavated lead and galvanized service lines.

4. Optimization of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production from wastewater activated sludge.

5. Sonochemical degradation of PFAS from contaminated media.

Teaching

I strongly believe that science and engineering education is fundamental for improving the quality of life of our global society. My teaching goal is to contribute to the academic and professional development of scientists and engineers by providing solid technical and social skills that enable them to “make a difference” in the variety of current and future challenges of our planet. 


In Newcastle University, I am the module leader for CEG8103 Water Supply and Treatment and I am a lecturer in CEG8105 Solid Waste and Resource Managements, the Environmental Engineering lecturer in CEG3099 Individual Project and supervisor in the CEG8198 MSc Project and Dissertation in Environmental Engineering.

Publications