Dr Mike Dixon, research and development (R&D) engineer for South Australian (SA) Water Corporation’s Adelaide Desalination Project has been named by the International Desalination Association’s 2012 Fellowship Award.
The 2012 IDA Fellowship Program will be hosted by the Ministry of Electricity & Water in Kuwait with sponsorship from Alghanim International, Kuwait. The IDA Fellowship Award, which recognizes individuals with exceptional professional achievements and dedication to advancing desalination and water reuse, includes a monetary prize of US$ 10,000 as well as an attachment with the ministry.
Dixon’s work role is to formulate and manage the R&D plan requirements for the Adelaide project, review contractor compliance for the delivery of the on-site full-scale R&D facility and laboratory, review membrane research developments worldwide and develop a membrane and desalination R&D strategy for SA Water. In addition to working in membrane and desalination research, he has experience in ion-exchange chemistry and activated-carbon adsorption including the combination of these technologies with membrane processes.
He received his PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Adelaide and also holds an Honors degree in Synthetic Organic Chemistry and a Bachelor of Technology in Forensic and Analytical Chemistry.
With more than 35 publications in international journals and conference proceedings, Dixon is also a reviewer for Journal of Membrane Science, Desalination, Water Research and several other international journals. He is co-investigator on six current National Centre of Excellence in Desalination Australia R&D projects and on one Australian Research Council project.
He has strong collaborations with the UNESCO Centre for Membrane Science & Technology and is well networked with Australian and international universities in membrane and desalination research.
Dixon is the Asia-Pacific special/technical program coordinator for IDA’s Young Leaders Program and was convener of the Australian Water Association (AWA) Young Water Professional group in South Australia from 2009 to 2011.
Additional information about the IDA Fellowship Program can be found at the IDA website or by contacting Leslie Merrill at lmerrill@idadesal.org.