Bridging the water

The digital Anammox Masterclass was successfully delivered on 7^th October 2020 where 60 participants were welcomed by Agnes Maenhout (Director: World Water Academy) and Professor Faizal Bux (Director: Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology). The interactive digital anammox masterclass was guided by Professor Merle de Kreuk who introduced the anammox process and methods of nitrogen removal from wastewater. Dr Karolina Smiech guided the second half of the masterclass through sharing the applications of anammox and user experiences. The trainers of the masterclass welcomed PhD candidates to share in the knowledge sharing platform. Two PhD candidates in the Netherlands, Javier Perez Jara and Karin Stultiens presented on the current trends and ongoing anammox research. A PhD candidate in South Africa, Magray Owaes presented on anammox research in South Africa.

The diverse group of masterclass attendees ranged from local and international researchers to practitioners in municipalities and private organizations. The participants were afforded the opportunity to engage amongst each other through breakout rooms where they were tasked to answer questions and share their experiences. The anammox masterclass was well received by participants who shared questions and answers with the trainers. The 5-hour duration of the masterclass flew by quickly leaving the trainers and participants inspired and eager for future platforms to engage.