Richard G. Huggins, E.I.T., Ph.D. Candidate
Colorado School of Mines, ESE Division, 1500 Illinois St., Golden CO, 80401
Email: rhuggins@mines.edu
Phone: (607)316-0875
Office: 110 Coolbaugh Hall
Objective
To pursue a project or utility management track career involving holistic management and design approaches
addressing water supply, water quality, and treatment problems that emphasize sustainability, watershed
management, and biological treatment processes in municipal infrastructure development and water reuse.
Education
ƒ B.S., Forest Engineering Cum Laude (3.3/4.0), May 2007, State University of New York College of
Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF); Syracuse, NY
ƒ M.S., Environmental Science and Engineering, Water Treatment, Reclamation, and Reuse Option (3.7/4.0),
December 2009, Colorado School of Mines; Golden, CO
ƒ Ph.D. Candidate, Environmental Science and Engineering, Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Programming Optimization
Methods Applied to Sequencing Batch Wastewater Reclamation Facilities. Operations Research Minor, Expected
Graduation 2012, Colorado School of Mines; Golden, CO
Educational and Professional Profile
My Undergraduate education at SUNY-ESF included studies in ecology, forestry, hydrology, wastewater treatment,
and hydraulic design in addition to standard civil engineering coursework. Master of Science coursework completed
at the Colorado School of Mines includes aquatic chemistry, advanced water and wastewater treatment,
microbiology, and biological modeling as well as practical coursework and research in the design and operations of
water and wastewater treatment systems on both pilot and full-scale. Master’s research focused on the mechanical
optimization and evaluation of a full scale (7,000 to 15,000 GPD) hybrid Sequencing Batch Reactor/Membrane
Bioreactor wastewater treatment/reuse system. Doctoral research focuses upon the integration of mixed-integer
nonlinear programming methods for process optimization and cost minimization in small community scale
wastewater treatment processes with membrane applications. Research includes economic valuation of water reuse.
The goal of dissertation work is to produce an advanced decision making tool for wastewater utilities seeking to
reduce their operating budget. Professional experience includes civil site development, construction inspection,
Auto-Cad drafting, and storm water management plan drafting and inspection.
Research Overview
The goal of my graduate research is to develop an optimization model for sequencing batch reactor (SBR) facilities
that integrates biological and economic models to solve for optimal facility operating strategies. Development of this
optimization formulation and associated solution algorithms will allow economic factors such as beneficial reuse
potential, reclaimed water value, and operating costs to be considered in a SBR facility’s operating strategy while
meeting all performance goals. High levels of natural variability and uncertainty in environmental inputs and model
parameters must also be quantified in order to assign confidence values for facility optimization solution sets. The
development of a primary stage stochastic model linked with multiple realizations of the facility optimization
formulation should allow for the prediction of optimal operating parameters and associated confidence regions.
Work Experience
NSF-GK12 Teaching Fellow
8/20/2010-8/20/2011
Responsible for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) educational lesson plan development
and technical advisement in a 7th grade mathematics classroom. Work involves lesson plan development, classroom
teaching, and tutoring. Skills developed: Excellent oral communication skills for conveying technical aspects of
science and engineering to a broad based, non-technical audience.
CSM Graduate Research Assistant
1/1/2010-8/19/2010
Involved in self-directed, Ph.D. level research focused on integrating operations research optimization methods and
Activated Sludge Model (ASM) III based biological modeling for development of a dual stage stochasticdeterministic optimization model for small activated sludge systems utilizing membrane filtration. Skills developed:
Proficiency in working with the ASM modeling basis in Excel, MATLAB, and BioWin, pilot process construction,
operation, and testing, development of a broad literature based knowledge set regarding alternative strategies for
modeling membrane fouling phenomena.
Webpage: http://inside.mines.edu/~rhuggins
Richard G. Huggins, E.I.T., Ph.D. Candidate
Colorado School of Mines, ESE Division, 1500 Illinois St., Golden CO, 80401
Email: rhuggins@mines.edu
Phone: (607)316-0875
Office: 110 Coolbaugh Hall
CSM Graduate Research Assistant (AQWATEC Center)
6/1/2007-12/21/2009
Research responsibilities included assistance during site design, startup, operations and maintenance activities,
evaluation and optimization of a full-scale Sequencing Batch/Membrane Bioreactor facility for onsite wastewater
treatment and reuse. Facility commissioning and mechanical optimization lasted for approximately 15 months and I
was the primary person responsible for operating and maintenance activities during this time frame. Skills
developed: Developed competence in troubleshooting, repair, maintenance, and modification of all unit processes,
operations, equipment and process instrumentation of a full-scale wastewater reclamation facility.
CSM Graduate Teaching Assistant
8/20/2007-5/31/2008
Duties included chemical room stocking and laboratory preparation, clerical, purchasing, and laboratory supervision
activities for the construction and operation of a pilot scale in-line coagulation ultrafiltration membrane pilot system
evaluated at the City of Golden Municipal Water Treatment Plant. Skills developed: Experience in designing,
budgeting, and constructing pilot scale water treatment processes utilizing ultrafiltration (UF) membranes.
Clough Harbour and Associates LLP
5/22/2006-5/6/2007
Civil/Site Group Intern: National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting and inspection,
storm water management planning and inspection, civil site development and construction inspection, AutoCad
drafting and preparation of technical reports for submission to state and local government. Skills developed: Good
technical written and oral communication skills, client/contractor interactions and the ability to read engineering
drawings and schematics.
New York State Department of Transportation
6/1/2005-8/25/2005
Construction Division – Traffic Construction Inspector II (TCI II): Interstate highway rehabilitation; paving, guard
rail installation, earthwork, installation of rip-rap drains and slope stabilization. Highway overpass construction:
installation of geosynthetic reinforced slope stabilization system and concrete inspection. Skills developed:
proficient in aspects of construction related to highway construction.
Professional Conference and Educational Workshop Presentations
ƒ Huggins, R., Cath, T., Drewes, J. (2009). “Sequencing Batch Membrane Bioreactors for Wastewater
Treatment.” RMWEA Water Reuse Workshop, Golden, CO.
ƒ Huggins, R., Drewes, J., Johnson, L. (2010). “Operating a Hybrid Sequencing MBR for Clustered Onsite
Wastewater Treatment.” Colorado Professionals in Onsite Wastewater Educational Conference, Denver, CO.
Professional Conference Presentations with Published Proceedings
ƒ Huggins, R., Drewes, J., Cath, T., Johnson, L. (2009). “Sequencing Batch Membrane Bioreactor Technology for
Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Reuse.” 24th WateReuse Symposium. Seattle WA, Water Reuse Association.
ƒ Huggins, R., Drewes, J., Cath, T., Johnson, L. (2009). “Evaluation of a Full Scale Hybrid Sequencing
Batch/Membrane Bioreactor for Onsite Treatment of Domestic Wastewater.” WEFTEC09. Orlando, FL, Water
Environment Federation: 6918-6924.
Works in Progress
ƒ Huggins, R., Guerra, A., Figueroa, L. “High Fidelity Optimization of Sequencing Batch Reactor Reclamation
Process Parameters for Cost Minimization.” (in progress for submission to Environmental Science and
Technology).
Awards, Certifications, Extracurricular and Professional Organizations
Intern Engineer Certificate Number 084543 Granted by the University of the State of New York (2007)
Edna Bailey Sussman Foundation: Environmental Internship Award and Grant (2008)
Secretary: CSM Combined Student Chapter of AWWA, WEF, RMWEA and RMAWWA (2008)
Member: Water Environment Federation (WEF)
Member: Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association (RMWEA)
Member: Rocky Mountain Section American Water Works Association (AWWA)
Member: WateReuse Association
Member: Alpha Chi Sigma Undergraduate Honor Society (SUNY-ESF)
Former Officer: Engineers without Borders (SUNY-ESF/Syracuse University)
Wastewater Treatment Operations Experience: Registering for Fall 2011 CDPHE WWTP Operator Class C Exam
Webpage: http://inside.mines.edu/~rhuggins