Since 2008 Dr Ben van den Akker has pursued a hybrid research career within both academia and industry. He joined UniSA in 2023 as an Enterprise Fellow within STEM. His research seeks to improve the technical, economic and environmental performance of wastewater treatment plants and water reclamation schemes. Ben's research also focuses on health aspects of water quality, which includes the use of microbial risk assessment principles in the regulation and management of urban water systems. Ben has also gained significant practical experience in the implementation of research outcomes which has enhanced the sustainability of wastewater treatment plants, improved the public health safety of water... Read more
About me
Since 2008 Dr Ben van den Akker has pursued a hybrid research career within both academia and industry. He joined UniSA in 2023 as an Enterprise Fellow within STEM. His research seeks to improve the technical, economic and environmental performance of wastewater treatment plants and water reclamation schemes. Ben's research also focuses on health aspects of water quality, which includes the use of microbial risk assessment principles in the regulation and management of urban water systems. Ben has also gained significant practical experience in the implementation of research outcomes which has enhanced the sustainability of wastewater treatment plants, improved the public health safety of water recycling schemes and informed policy. Currently, Ben is a member of the NHMRC Recreational Water Quality Advisory Committee.
About me
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 22/07/2022 |
Different farmers have different needs: customising reclaimed water for agricultural use, https://www.awa.asn.au/resources/latest-news/different-farmers-have-different-needs-customising-reclaimed-water-for-agricultural-use |
| 26/08/2019 |
Local water utility research changes UN climate guidelines, https://www.awa.asn.au/resources/latest-news/technology/research/local-water-utility-research-changes-un-climate-guidelines |
| 22/08/2019 |
Monitoring wastewater emissions goes global, http://Adelaide Advertiser, Adelaide |
| 13/05/2019 |
SA Water demonstrates 30% greenhouse gas reduction in WWTPs, https://utilitymagazine.com.au/sa-water-demonstrates-30-greenhouse-gas-reduction-in-wwtps/ |
Research
Excludes commercial-in-confidence projects.
Bayesian Network Models for Effective AMR Management in Water Systems through to various customer uses, CRC SAAFE Limited, 04/11/2024 - 04/11/2028
Development of QMRA Methods for AMR, CRC SAAFE Limited, 01/04/2025 - 30/10/2028
Applying quantitative microbial risk assessment, epidemiological modelling, and Bayesian Network models to facilitate AMR management in wastewater services, water reuse and biosolids/composts usage, CRC SAAFE Limited, 01/07/2024 - 06/07/2028
How safe is roof-harvested rainwater? An investigation of pathogenic and resistant bacteria, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), 06/06/2025 - 30/06/2026
CWMS011 – Evaluation of fluorescence sensor to monitor wastewater, assess treatment performance and develop warning alarm using machine learning, Local Government Association of South Australia, 09/05/2025 - 09/05/2026
The health of tank-stored rainwater in South Australian houses, Royal Society of South Australia - Small Research Grant, 23/09/2024 - 23/09/2025
Ultrafiltration/Micro Validation, Water Research Australia, 15/04/2025 - 30/06/2025
Research
Research outputs for the last seven years are shown below. Some long-standing staff members may have older outputs included. To see earlier years visit ORCID, ResearcherID or Scopus
Open access indicates that an output is open access.
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2019 |
54
|
| 2014 |
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2025 |
Open access
|
| 2024 |
Open access
6
1
|
| 2024 |
Open access
14
14
6
|
| 2024 |
Open access
|
| 2023 |
Open access
81
5
|
| 2022 |
Open access
21
20
62
|
| 2022 |
72
64
6
|
| 2022 |
Open access
2
1
1
|
| 2021 |
Open access
16
13
|
| 2020 |
91
77
4
|
| 2019 |
17
15
|
| 2019 |
4
2
|
| 2019 |
Open access
16
16
1
|
| 2019 |
Open access
36
29
|
| 2019 |
19
15
18
|
| 2018 |
20
17
2
|
| 2018 |
Open access
46
37
4
|
| 2018 |
Open access
12
10
2
|
| 2017 |
18
18
3
|
| 2017 |
Open access
27
22
|
| 2017 |
2
1
|
| 2017 |
Open access
23
20
|
| 2017 |
Open access
101
83
2
|
| 2016 |
Open access
180
145
5
|
| 2016 |
13
11
|
| 2016 |
12
11
|
| 2016 |
Open access
51
35
3
|
| 2016 |
11
6
|
| 2016 |
17
17
1
|
| 2016 |
26
21
3
|
| 2016 |
77
74
|
| 2015 |
61
54
|
| 2015 |
Open access
|
| 2015 |
30
28
|
| 2014 |
1
|
| 2010 |
53
44
|
| 2010 |
9
9
|
| 2010 |
3
2
|
NHMRC Recreational Water Quality Advisory Committee Member
Goyder Institute Management Board Member
Associate Editor, Water Conservation Science and Engineering, Springer Nature
External engagement & recognition
| Organisation | Country |
|---|---|
| Adelaide Services Alliance (Allwater) - SUEZ Water | AUSTRALIA |
| Allwater | AUSTRALIA |
| Australian Water Quality Centre | AUSTRALIA |
| Ch2M Hill | UNITED STATES |
| City University of Hong Kong (CityU) | HONG KONG |
| CSIRO Australia (Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research organisation) | AUSTRALIA |
| Deakin University | AUSTRALIA |
| Flemish Institute for Technological Research | BELGIUM |
| Flinders University | AUSTRALIA |
| Melbourne Water | AUSTRALIA |
| Melbourne Water Corporation | AUSTRALIA |
| Monash University | AUSTRALIA |
| National Cheng Kung University | TAIWAN |
| Norske Skog Paper Mill | AUSTRALIA |
| Norske Skog Technical Support and Development | AUSTRALIA |
| Osmoflo | AUSTRALIA |
| Queensland Urban Utilities | AUSTRALIA |
| RMIT University | AUSTRALIA |
| SA Water | AUSTRALIA |
| SA Water Corporation | AUSTRALIA |
| South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) | AUSTRALIA |
| Suez Group | FRANCE |
| Technical University of Munich | GERMANY |
| United Water Pty Ltd | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Adelaide | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Melbourne | AUSTRALIA |
| University of New South Wales | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Queensland | AUSTRALIA |
| University of South Australia | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Technology Sydney | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Vienna | AUSTRIA |
| Vienna University of Technology | AUSTRIA |
| Wuhan University of Technology | CHINA |
External engagement & recognition
| Engagement/recognition | Year |
|---|---|
Editorial board memberWater Conservation Science and Engineering, Springer Nature |
2025 |
Goyder Institute Management Board MemberGoyder Institute |
2025 |
Recreational Water Quality Advisory Committee MemberNational Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) |
2025 |
WaterVal Protocol Development Group MemberWater Research Australia |
2025 |
Editorial board memberWater Conservation Science and Engineering, Springer Nature |
2024 |
Goyder Institute Management Board MemberGoyder Institute |
2024 |
Recreational Water Quality Advisory Committee MemberNational Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) |
2024 |
Goyder Institute Management Board MemberGoyder Institute |
2023 |
Recreational Water Quality Advisory Committee MemberNHMRC |
2023 |
Specialist Technical Advisor on the South Australian cross-governmental Resilient Water Futures PlanSouth Australian Water Corporation |
2023 |
Recreational Water Quality Advisory Committee MemberNHMRC |
2022 |
Recreational Water Quality Advisory Committee MemberNHMRC |
2021 |
Recreational Water Quality Advisory Committee MemberNHMRC |
2020 |
Recreational Water Quality Advisory Committee MemberNHMRC |
2019 |
Australian Water Association SA Branch Conference Best Paper AwardAustralian Water Association |
2018 |
Recreational Water Quality Advisory Committee MemberNHMRC |
2018 |
South Australian Research and Innovation AwardAustralian Water Association |
2018 |
Guy Parker Best Water Journal PaperAustralian Water Association |
2015 |
South Australian Research and Innovation AwardAustralian Water Association |
2015 |
Health Aspects of Water Quality, Wastewater treatment, Environmental Microbiology, Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment
Teaching & student supervision
Teaching & student supervision
Supervisions from 2010 shown
| Thesis title | Student status |
|---|---|
| QMRA methods for environmental antimicrobial resistance management | Current |
