The wastewater industry depends on scientists in order to analyze the conditions of the environment and research innovations that can create a better world. Our team of scientists has taken on large tasks this past year thanks to dedicated staff with brilliant minds. This year, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) awarded department supervisor Dr. Shahid Malik with the WEF Laboratory Analyst Excellence Award.
WEF honored Dr. Malik during the last day of the RMWEA/RMSAWWA Joint Annual Conference on September 16, 2018. This award is given yearly to an outstanding individual who has contributed greatly to water quality analysis. Award nominees must be a member of WEF and work at a laboratory that analyzes wastewater and its components.
Dr. Malik earned this once in a lifetime award for his decade of work and leadership on projects at South Platte Renew. His time as a leader in ESIO has been incredibly effective in streamlining processes and creating a state of the art laboratory experience. His team delved into replacing Biochemical Oxygen Demand with Total Inorganic Oxygen analysis for process control samples. Not only will this project produce more accurate results, it has the potential to save time and money.
“It has definitely given me a boost,” Dr. Malik said. “Now I feel more responsibility after the award.”
The former pharmaceutical chemist feels that the water renewal industry is more fulfilling and wishes more scientific minds would also make the shift. He has found many opportunities to research ways to make people’s lives healthier and protect the environment, especially with strict regulations from local, state and federal governments. Collaboration with School of Mines, Metro Wastewater Reclamation District, and vendors has allowed Dr. Malik and the facility to discover new technologies and ways to benefit each other.
