Overview
David is currently studying an EngD in Water Engineering at the University of Exeter. He graduated from Plymouth University in 2014 with a BSc in Conservation Biology, before gaining an MSc in Evolutionary and Behavioural Ecology from Exeter in 2015. He has since worked as a volunteer at the National Lobster Hatchery, Padstow and briefly with the Marine Biological Association, Plymouth before taking on his present role.
His current research aims to optimize the operational parameters of an Integrated Fixed Film Activated Sludge (IFAS) bioreactor for the treatment of wastewater in developing countries.This treatment unit offers high potential in areas of limited land availability due the large amount of biomass that it can accomodate within a reduced footprint, yet a key constraint of this technology is the high energy demand required for aeration. By adjusting environmental conditions within the reactor, different functional bacteria groups are to be manpulated in a way that may reduce this energy demand, as well as improve performance and resilience to environmental disruption events.
