Stefano Freguia

Professor Stefano Freguia holds the position of Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Melbourne, part of the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology. He earned his PhD in 2008 from the University of Queensland. Prior to his appointment at the University of Melbourne in 2016, he served at the University of Queensland from 2008 to 2015 and at CSIRO from 2015 to 2016. Freguia's research centers on bioelectrochemical systems and bioelectrochemistry, with key interests in microbial fuel cells, microbial electrosynthesis, cathodic oxygen reduction, anodic biofilm formation, wastewater treatment, resource recovery from wastewater, and electrochemical engineering. He leads the electrochemical engineering research theme within his department and supervises graduate researchers on advanced projects including PFAS removal through electrochemical oxidation and foam fractionation, as well as nitrogen recovery from sewage sludge reject water.

Freguia's scholarly output has profoundly shaped the fields of environmental biotechnology and sustainable engineering. Among his key publications are 'Microbial fuel cells: methodology and technology' (2006), 'The anode potential regulates bacterial activity in microbial fuel cells' (2008), 'Modeling of CO2 capture by aqueous monoethanolamine' (2003), 'Effects of surface charge and hydrophobicity on anodic biofilm formation, community composition, and current generation in bioelectrochemical systems' (2013), 'Cathodic oxygen reduction catalyzed by bacteria in microbial fuel cells' (2008), 'High acetic acid production rate obtained by microbial electrosynthesis from carbon dioxide' (2015), 'Non-catalyzed cathodic oxygen reduction at graphite granules in microbial fuel cells' (2007), 'Electron and carbon balances in microbial fuel cells reveal temporary bacterial storage behavior during electricity generation' (2007), 'A novel carbon nanotube modified scaffold as an efficient biocathode material for improved microbial electrosynthesis' (2014), and 'A basic tutorial on cyclic voltammetry for the investigation of electroactive microbial biofilms' (2012). These works address fundamental mechanisms and practical applications in bioelectrochemical technologies. Freguia contributes to Australian Research Council-funded initiatives on contaminant removal and resource recovery, advancing practical implementations of electrochemical processes for water remediation.

Professional Email: stefano.freguia@unimelb.edu.au