Our People
Meet Emma Shen
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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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 Principal for wastewater energy optimization and 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 the current vice chair for the Water Environment Foundation’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Focus Group under the Residual and Biosolids Community. 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.
Get to know Emma
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2
languages spoken: Chinese and English
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15 +
energy optimization projects
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12
countries traveled to solo
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4
1,000 piece Lego sets built during the COVID-19 pandemic
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From our newsroom
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NewsDemystifying Wastewater Decarbonization
Jacobs Global Principal for Wastewater Energy Optimization and Decarbonization Emma Shen discusses the importance of transparent net-zero goals in the water sector that account for challenges like wastewater treatment process emissions and long-term decarbonization opportunities.
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WebinarsNet-Zero Roadmap: How Water Resource Recovery Facilities Contribute to the Overall Decarbonization Strategy
In this “In the kNOW” webinar, we will explore the role of water resource recovery facilities (WRRF) in combating the climate emergency. The wastewater sector offers immense opportunities to contribute to climate goals. Two utilities – Metro Vancouver and VCS Denmark - will share their experience identifying and implementing measures to reduce emissions and achieve energy neutrality goals. We will also discuss the latest research on the quantification of nitrous oxide and methane emissions, considering global best science and the ambitions of the U.K. water sector as part of their 2030 net zero route map.
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NewsJacobs to Advance Nitrous Oxide Emissions Research in the Water Sector
Jacobs is leading a research project for The Water Research Foundation (WRF) that will advance global understanding and mitigation of N₂O emissions from water resource recovery facilities. Learn how this project will support net-zero targets in the water sector.
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NewsJacobs to Enhance Decarbonization of Water Treatment Process for Singapore's PUB
Jacobs was appointed by PUB, Singapore's National Water Agency, to provide professional engineering services for the development of the new greasy waste (GWTF) and food waste treatment facilities (FWTF) to maximize energy and resource recovery at the Changi Water Reclamation Plant (CWRP).
In the media
Environmental & Science Engineering Magazine: Canadian women increasingly help lead the water treatment industry
Selected awards
American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists 40 Under 40 Award, 2022
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
Global Lessons for Benchmarking and Reducing Fugitive Methane Emissions from Sludge Treatment and Biogas Handling. WEF/IWA Residuals and Biosolids Conference, Charlotte, NC, May 16-19, 2023
Role of Water Sector in the Global Decarbonization Effort. WEFTEC, New Orleans, LA, October 9-12, 2022
Water-Energy Nexus: Exploring Opportunities to Link Water Projects to Energy Independence and Sector Decarbonization. Singapore International Water Week, Singapore, April 17-21, 2022
Development of an Integrated Resource Recovery Strategy for the 630 ML/d Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant. WEFTEC, Chicago, IL, October 16-20, 2021
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