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Desmond F. Lawler
Professor
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Bob R. Dorsey Professorship in Engineering
University Distinguished Teaching Professor
Phone: (512) 471-4595
Fax: (512) 471-5870
Email: dlawler@mail.utexas.edu
Dr. Desmond Lawler earned his Ph.D. in environmental engineering from the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1980. He joined the faculty of
The University of Texas at Austin in that same year. Lawler was named a
University Distinguished Teaching Professor in 1997. In 1999, he received the
A.P. Black Award for significant and sustained research contributions in
drinking water from the American Water Works Association, the primary
professional organization in North America devoted to improving drinking water
quality and supply.
Dr. Lawler's research includes both experimental and mathematical approaches in
studying physical and chemical treatment processes for the treatment of drinking
water, wastewater, and industrial process water. Much of his work focuses on the
removal of particles through modern membrane processes as well as through
conventional processes such as flocculation (in which many small particles are
converted to a few large particles), settling, and granular media filtration
(attaching particles to media surfaces). The current focus of his work is on
pretreatment for membrane processes, including the improvement of water recovery
in desalination by reverse osmosis.
Research interests:
- Changes in particle size distributions in water treatment processes
- Pollution prevention and resource conservation in industrial water use
- Production of safe drinking water