Dr. Stefan Balta | Water Treatment | Best Researcher Award

Associate Professor | Dunarea de Jos “University of Galati” | Romania

Dr. Ștefan Balta is a distinguished Romanian engineer and academic leader, currently serving as Vice Rector at “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, Romania, with extensive experience in university management and engineering education. He began his academic career as an Assistant Professor in 2008 and progressed through roles including Vice Dean, Head of the Environmental and Materials Engineering Department, Associate Professor, and multiple terms as Vice Rector, demonstrating strong leadership in both administrative and academic capacities. Dr. Balta earned his Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering and a Master’s in Materials Engineering from “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, and completed his doctoral studies in collaboration with KU Leuven, Belgium, focusing on nanostructured materials for membranes applied in water purification. His research interests include polymeric and nanocomposite membranes, ultrafiltration processes, and wastewater treatment, with particular emphasis on the influence of nanomaterials such as ZnO and TiO₂ on membrane performance. He possesses advanced research skills in membrane fabrication, characterization, and performance evaluation, coupled with expertise in environmental impact assessment, energy management, and surface and groundwater hydrology. Dr. Balta has participated in numerous international training and research programs, including ERASMUS and staff training at KU Leuven, and has been recognized with managerial and quality system certifications. His contributions are reflected in several high-impact publications in journals such as Materiale Plastice and the SGEM International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference, addressing membrane filtration performance, wastewater treatment, and nanocomposite applications. Throughout his career, Dr. Balta has combined academic rigor with practical innovation, earning respect for his dedication to advancing engineering education and sustainable environmental technologies. His work continues to influence both the scientific community and applied engineering practices, positioning him as a leading figure in materials and environmental engineering in Romania and beyond.

Profiles: Google Scholar | Scopus | ORCID | ResearchGate

Featured Publications

1. Lin, J., Ye, W., Baltaru, M. C., Tang, Y. P., Bernstein, N. J., Gao, P., Balta, S., Vlad, M., … (2016). Tight ultrafiltration membranes for enhanced separation of dyes and Na₂SO₄ during textile wastewater treatment. Journal of Membrane Science, 514, 217–228. Cited by 540

2. Balta, S., Sotto, A., Luis, P., Benea, L., Van der Bruggen, B., & Kim, J. (2012). A new outlook on membrane enhancement with nanoparticles: The alternative of ZnO. Journal of Membrane Science, 389, 155–161. Cited by 507

3. Sotto, A., Boromand, A., Balta, S., Kim, J., & Van der Bruggen, B. (2011). Doping of polyethersulfone nanofiltration membranes: Antifouling effect observed at ultralow concentrations of TiO₂ nanoparticles. Journal of Materials Chemistry, 21(28), 10311–10320. Cited by 190

4. Lin, J., Ye, W., Huang, J., Ricard, B., Baltaru, M. C., Greydanus, B., Balta, S., Shen, J., … (2015). Toward resource recovery from textile wastewater: Dye extraction, water and base/acid regeneration using a hybrid NF-BMED process. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 3(9), 1993–2001. Cited by 149

5. Alsalhy, Q. F., Ali, J. M., Abbas, A. A., Rashed, A., Van der Bruggen, B., & Balta, S. (2013). Enhancement of poly(phenyl sulfone) membranes with ZnO nanoparticles. Desalination and Water Treatment, 51(31–33), 6070–6081. Cited by 54