In 2021, the Iowa Wastewater and Waste to Energy Research Program (IWWERP) was founded through a $4M grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority. The award funded the IWWERP Tech Park, located at the City of Iowa City Water Resource Recovery Facility, which features a $1.1M, state-of-the-art, revolving algal biofilm research facility and various testing locations for commercial and pre-commercial technologies.

The mission of IWWERP is to:

  • Engage communities and stakeholders to forge long-term partnerships
  • Try new ideas in real-world, water resource recovery facility and waste-to-energy locations
  • Develop and test new and improved technologies in partnership with commercial vendors
  • Improve small town, controlled discharge lagoons
  • Improve waste-to-energy projects with a focus on industrial and municipal partnerships
  • Increase Iowa’s competitiveness on external infrastructure funding proposals
  • Improve the quality of Iowa’s valuable water resources

IWWERP is led by Dr. Craig Just, who has over 30 years of experience leading fundamental and applied environmental engineering research and expertise in wastewater treatment, analytical chemistry, microbiology, sensors for control of complex systems, anaerobic digestion, and algal biofilms. Dr. Just has over 50 peer-reviewed publications, was PI or co-PI on over $120M in funded research, is an AAAS Leshner Fellow, and has received the Excellence in Teaching Sustainability Award, International Studies Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award, David J. Skorton Award for Staff Excellence in Public Service, College of Engineering Staff Research and Faculty Service Awards, and the UI President and Provost Award for Teaching Excellence.