Our People
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An expert in wastewater treatment plant performance assessments and process upgrades evaluation, process modeling and energy optimization, Dr. Ruqiao (Emma) Shen leads a Jacobs team at the forefront of the global conversation about the paradigm shift toward a low-carbon, low-energy and climate-resilient water sector.
As Global Technology Leader for energy optimization and wastewater sector decarbonization, Emma regularly presents at industry conferences, and she’s also the youngest and newest member of Jacobs’ global wastewater team.
Emma partners with clients to help identify projects that contribute to energy and carbon neutrality goals, and she’s been working with our global water resilience team to develop and implement climate change resilience assessments for water resource recovery facilities.
“I’ve spent my career working to advance the paradigm shift toward a low-carbon, low-energy and climate-resilient water sector. With the world placing an increased emphasis on climate change adaptation, the multi-dimensional aspects of and uses for wastewater are garnering attention as municipal utilities seek to become more sustainable.”
Emma Shen
Emma holds a Ph.D. in civil engineering from the University of Toronto and a bachelor of environmental engineering from Tsinghua University. She’s also a member of the Water Environment Foundation’s residual and biosolids committee, as well as other professional associations. Prior to her tenure at Jacobs, she was a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Toronto’s drinking water research group.
Emma exemplifies the future of Jacobs and our mission, designing innovative water and wastewater solutions that will truly change our world.
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2
languages spoken: Chinese and English
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10 +
energy optimization projects
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10
countries traveled to solo
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4
1,000 piece Lego sets built during the COVID-19 pandemic
Selected awards
Poster Session 2nd-Place Award; Nov 2014 AWWA Water Quality Technology Conference, New Orleans, LA
AWWA Academic Achievement Award - Doctoral Dissertation 1st Place; Feb 2014
Michael R. Provart Environmental Award, OWWA conference, Windsor, ON, Canada
Selected conference presentations
Balancing Carbon for Energy Recovery and Nutrient Removal for the World’s Largest MBR Facility. WEFTEC Connect, October 5-9, 2020
Balancing Carbon for Energy Recovery and Biological Nutrient Removal – Design Considerations at the Tuas Water Reclamation Plant (TWRP). International Water Association (IWA) Young Water Professional Conference, Toronto, ON, June 24-26, 2019
Focus on Energy Recovery in Developing Capital Upgrades Recommendations Offers Many Benefits for Solids Management at Peel Region Wastewater Treatment Plants (co-author). WEF/IWA Residuals and Biosolids Conference, Fort Lauderdale, FL, May 7-10, 2019
Driving Initiatives – Toronto Water’s Twenty-Year Energy Optimization Plan. WEFTEC, New Orleans, LA, September 29–October 3, 2018
Development of a Twenty-Year Energy Optimization Plan for Toronto Water. WEAO Technical Conference, Ottawa, ON, April 2-4, 2017*
Moving Towards Net-Zero Energy at Wastewater Treatment Plants – Technology Review and Outlook for Toronto Water Facilities. WEAO Technical Conference, Niagara Fall, ON, April 10-12, 2016