Section: Overview
Overview
Key publications
Research funding
Supervising & teaching
Career

Key details

Areas of expertise

  • Water treatment
  • Desalination
  • Water recycling
  • Water management
  • Industry-focused research

Available to supervise research students

Available for media queries

About Stephen Gray

Professor Stephen Gray has had a focus on water and membrane research for over 27 years.

He is part of research teams that:

  • are working towards commercialisation of membrane distillation
  • have introduced ceramic membranes to Australian industry
  • are working to demonstrate membrane integrity monitoring technology.

In the field of membrane fabrication he has projects that span:

  • nanocomposite UF membranes for increased abrasion resistance
  • nanocomposite pervaporation membranes for niche applications
  • ceramic membranes for desalination
  • small pore size metal membranes.

In 2013 he was recognised as Thought Leader in Lux Research's international review of water research. He is currently President of the Aseanian Membrane Society, Editor of the Journal of Water Reuse and Desalination, and on the editorial board of Water Research and Desalination journals.

Qualifications

  • PhD (Chemical Engineering) University of Melbourne, 1992
  • BE (Chemical Engineering) University of Melbourne, 1985

Key publications

Year Citation
2020 Chen, X., Vanangamudi, A., Wang, J., Jegatheesan, J., Mishra, V., Sharma, R., Gray, S. R., Kujawa, J., Kujawski, W., & Wicaksana, F. (200901). Direct contact membrane distillation for effective concentration of perfluoroalkyl substances - Impact of surface fouling and material stability. Water Research, 182

doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116010

2020 Yang, G., Xie, Z., Doherty, C. M., Cran, M., Ng, D., & Gray, S. (200515). Understanding the transport enhancement of poly (vinyl alcohol) based hybrid membranes with dispersed nanochannels for pervaporation application. Journal of Membrane Science, 603

doi: 10.1016/j.memsci.2020.118005

2020 Lau, M., Monis, P., Ryan, G., Salveson, A., Fontaine, N., Blackbeard, J., Gray, S., & Sanciolo, P. (200101). Selection of surrogate pathogens and process indicator organisms for pasteurisation of municipal wastewaterA survey of literature data on heat inactivation of pathogens. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 133 (301-314).

doi: 10.1016/j.psep.2019.11.011

2019 Dai, X., Xie, Z., Dorian, B., Gray, S., & Zhang, J. (191101). Comparative study of PFAS treatment by UV, UV/ozone, and fractionations with air and ozonated air. Environmental Science: Water Research and Technology, 5(11), (1897-1907).

doi: 10.1039/c9ew00701f

2019 Scales, P. J., Wijekoon, K., Ladwig, C., Knight, A., Allinson, M., Allinson, G., Zhang, J., Gray, S., Packer, M., & Northcott, K. (190901). A critical control point approach to the removal of chemicals of concern from water for reuse. Water Research, 160 (39-51).

doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.05.035

2019 Amaya-Vias, D., Lopez-Ramirez, J. A., Gray, S., Zhang, J., & Duke, M. (190701). Diffusion behavior of humic acid during desalination with air gap and water gap membrane distillation. Water Research, 158 (182-192).

doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.03.055

2019 Yang, G., Xie, Z., Cran, M., Ng, D., & Gray, S. (190601). Enhanced desalination performance of poly (vinyl alcohol)/carbon nanotube composite pervaporation membranes via interfacial engineering. Journal of Membrane Science, 579 (40-51).

doi: 10.1016/j.memsci.2019.02.034

2019 Ibn, Abdul., Sanciolo, P., Gray, S., Duke, M., & Muthukumaran, S. (190515). Comparison of the effects of ozone, biological activated carbon (BAC) filtration and combined ozone-BAC pre-treatments on the microfiltration of secondary effluent. Separation and Purification Technology, 215 (308-316).

doi: 10.1016/j.seppur.2019.01.005

2019 Yang, G., Xie, Z., Cran, M., Ng, D., Easton, C. D., Ding, M., Xu, H., & Gray, S. (190101). Functionalizing graphene oxide framework membranes with sulfonic acid groups for superior aqueous mixture separation. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 7(34), (19682-19690).

doi: 10.1039/c9ta04031e

Research funding for the past 5 years

Please note:

  • Funding is ordered by the year the project commenced and may continue over several years.
  • Funding amounts for contact research are not disclosed to maintain commercial confidentiality.
  • The order of investigators is not indicative of the role they played in the research project.

Increasing Viability of Wastewater Desalination in Regional Victoria (Horsham).
From: Future Drought Fund: Natural Resource Management Drought Resilience Program
Other investigators: Dr Peter Sanciolo, Dr Ashok Sharma, Aspr Shobha Muthukumaran, Dr Dimuth Navaratna
For period: 2021-2022
$50,000

PFASs/CECs removal by oxidation and boosted adsorption-second stage: enhancement of adsorption, adsorbent separation and fluorine reuse
From: South East Water
Other investigators: Dr Jianhua Zhang
For period: 2019-2021
Not disclosed

Pilot Plant Evaluation of a Novel Bio-membrane Waste Water Treatment Process
From: ARC - Industrial Transformation Research Hubs, Institute of Sustainability and Innovation, PVC (Research and Research Training), Akvotek Grant
Other investigators: Aspr Shobha Muthukumaran
For period: 2017-2020
$646,383
Cost-effective implementation of WSUD approaches to manage stormwater quality and quantity
From: Water Research Australia Limited
Other investigators: Dr Ashok Sharma
For period: 2017-2020
Not disclosed

Supervision of research students at VU

Available to supervise research students

Available for media queries

Currently supervised research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
2 PhD Principal supervisor
1 Master of Applied Research Associate supervisor

Currently supervised research students at VU

Students & level Role
PhD (2) Principal supervisor
Master of Applied Research (1) Associate supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
10 PhD Principal supervisor
4 PhD Associate supervisor
1 Masters by Research Principal supervisor
1 Masters by Research Associate supervisor
1 Master of Applied Research Associate supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

Students & level Role
PhD (10) Principal supervisor
PhD (4) Associate supervisor
Masters by Research (1) Principal supervisor
Masters by Research (1) Associate supervisor
Master of Applied Research (1) Associate supervisor

Key academic roles

Dates Role Department / Organisation
Jan 2018 - Present
Executive Director, Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities
Victoria University
May 2006 - Dec 2017
Director, Institute of Sustainability and Innovation
Victoria University
Dates Role & Department/Organisation
Jan 2018 -
Present
Executive Director, Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities
Victoria University
May 2006 -
Dec 2017
Director, Institute of Sustainability and Innovation
Victoria University

Key industry, community & government roles

Dates Role Department/Organisation
Aug 2004 - May 2006
Team Leader Urban Water
CSIRO Manufacturing and Infrastructure Technology
Sep 2002 - Aug 2004
Principal Research Scientist
CSIRO Manufacturing and Infrastructure Technology
Jul 1999 - Sep 2002
Principal Research Scientist
CSIRO Molecular Science
Jul 1996 - Jun 1999
Senior Research Scientist
CSIRO Chemicals and Polymers
Jan 2011 - Oct 2019
Editor
Journal of Water Reuse and Desalination (IWA)
Jan 2008 - Oct 2019
Water Research, Associate
Editor
Jan 2010 - Oct 2019
Editorial Board Member
Desalination
Jan 2004 - Jan 2006
Editorial Board Member
Water, Journal of the AWA
Jan 2019 - Oct 2019
Editorial Board Member
Membranes (mdpi),
Dates Role & Department/Organisation
Aug 2004 - May 2006
Team Leader Urban Water
CSIRO Manufacturing and Infrastructure Technology
Sep 2002 - Aug 2004
Principal Research Scientist
CSIRO Manufacturing and Infrastructure Technology
Jul 1999 - Sep 2002
Principal Research Scientist
CSIRO Molecular Science
Jul 1996 - Jun 1999
Senior Research Scientist
CSIRO Chemicals and Polymers
Jan 2011 - Oct 2019
Editor
Journal of Water Reuse and Desalination (IWA)
Jan 2008 - Oct 2019
Water Research, Associate
Editor
Jan 2010 - Oct 2019
Editorial Board Member
Desalination
Jan 2004 - Jan 2006
Editorial Board Member
Water, Journal of the AWA
Jan 2019 - Oct 2019
Editorial Board Member
Membranes (mdpi),

Awards

Year Award
2014

Vice Chancellors Peak Award For Excellence in Research and Research Training - Victoria University

2013

Thought Leader - Lux Research

2012

Citation Award for Excellence in Research and Research Training Research Team (Food Research; 2012) - Victoria University

2011

Peak Award for Excellence in Research and Research Training Research Team (Water Resources) - Victoria University

2010

Collaborative Cluster Project, Cluster Project Leader, Advance membrane technologies, 2007 - 2010 - Victoria University

Show more awards

Professional memberships

  • President, Aseanian Membrane Society- current
  • Member, Australian Water Association-current
  • Member, International Water Association- current
  • Member, International Desalination Association- current
  • Board member, Water Research Australia
  • Board member, Membrane Society of Australasia
  • Co-coordinator and Victorian Representative, AWA Desalination Special Interest Group
  • Member, IWA Australia Committee
  • Member, AWA Strategic Advisory Committee