Desmond Lawler

Desmond Lawler is a distinguished professor in Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, holding the titles of Professor Emeritus and Nassir I. Al-Rashid Chair Emeritus in Civil Engineering in the Fariborz Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering. He earned a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering and an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1980, as well as a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Notre Dame in 1968. Lawler joined the UT Austin faculty in 1980 and served for 41 years, during which he was named a University Distinguished Teaching Professor in 1997. His career has been dedicated to advancing water treatment research and teaching foundational to protecting public health.

Lawler's research specializations include particles in water and wastewater treatment processes, mathematical modeling of treatment processes, physical-chemical treatment, drinking water and industrial process water treatment, and particle removal via modern membrane processes and conventional processes such as flocculation, settling, and granular media filtration. His recent focus has been on pretreatment for membrane processes to improve water recovery in desalination by reverse osmosis. A major publication is the textbook Water-Quality Engineering: Physical/Chemical Treatment Processes, co-authored with Mark M. Benjamin and published by Wiley in 2013, which elucidates theory, mathematics, and practical solutions for contaminant removal. Lawler has received prestigious awards including the Dr. John L. Leal Award from the American Water Works Association in 2019, Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award from The University of Texas at Austin in 2010, William David Blunk Memorial Professorship in 2000, Minnie Stevens Piper Professor Award in 1999, A.P. Black Award from AWWA in 1999, Academy of Distinguished Teachers membership in 1997, Texas Exes Teaching Awards in 1992 and 1983, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company Award in 1993-94, and Presidential Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation in 1984-85.

Professional Email: dlawler@mail.utexas.edu