Professional Summary
Dr. Selamawit Mulugeta Tila is an Ethiopian Civil and Environmental Engineer specializing in water supply engineering, wastewater treatment, water treatment, waste management, resource recovery, environmental sustainability, renewable energy, and sustainable environmental infrastructure.
She holds a PhD in Civil Engineering with specialization in Water Supply and Environmental Engineering from Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, Addis Ababa University, with international research exposure through the Technical University of Munich in Germany. She also holds an MSc in Water Supply and Environmental Engineering from Addis Ababa Institute of Technology and a BSc in Soil and Water Engineering and Management from Wollo University.
Her professional journey is impressive because it combines advanced academic research, university leadership, laboratory-based environmental analysis, teaching, student mentorship, and applied engineering knowledge. She has served as Associate Dean, Assistant Professor, Lecturer, Researcher, Department Head, and part-time instructor, contributing to the development of civil and environmental engineering education in Ethiopia.
As Associate Dean of the College of Architecture and Civil Engineering at Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, she managed academic resources, coordinated research activities, supported student research completion, and contributed to institutional planning and academic leadership. As Assistant Professor and Lecturer, she taught courses in water supply, water treatment, wastewater treatment, environmental science, sustainable energy, and hydrology, while mentoring students in research and scientific publication.
Her research work is highly relevant to today’s global water and environmental challenges. She has published peer-reviewed research on the bio-methane potential of sludge from municipal sewer systems, contributing to renewable energy and resource recovery from waste. She has also published research on filter media performance and coliform removal, contributing to water treatment and public-health protection.
Dr. Selamawit’s profile is especially valuable because she connects water supply, wastewater treatment, environmental protection, resource recycling, renewable energy, and academic leadership. Her work supports the transition from conventional waste management toward sustainable circular systems where wastewater and sludge can be treated, recovered, and reused for environmental and social benefit.
She has received important recognition, including the DAAD Home-grown Sandwich PhD Scholarship, Female Scholarship for MSc study at Addis Ababa University, BSc Merit Scholarship from the Ministry of Education of Ethiopia, and Best Oral Presentation at the International Conference on Water, Food, and Energy Security in Addis Ababa.
Her profile brings strong value to AquaLinked / Water for Africa Experts because she represents a highly capable woman expert in civil and environmental engineering, with the knowledge, leadership, and research experience needed to support sustainable water supply, wastewater treatment, resource recovery, environmental protection, and climate-resilient infrastructure development in Africa and beyond.
Expertise
Specialties
Projects & Contributions
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PhD Research in Water Supply and Environmental Engineering
Completed PhD research in Civil Engineering with specialization in Water Supply and Environmental Engineering through Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, Addis Ababa University, with international research exposure at the Technical University of Munich under the DAAD Sandwich PhD program. Her doctoral work strengthened her expertise in water treatment, wastewater systems, environmental engineering, and sustainable resource recovery. -
Bio-Methane Potential of Sludge from Municipal Sewer Systems
Published peer-reviewed research on the bio-methane potential of sludge from municipal sewer systems. This work contributes to sustainable wastewater management, sludge-to-energy conversion, renewable energy generation, anaerobic digestion, and resource recovery from municipal waste streams. -
Filter Media Performance and Coliform Removal Research
Published peer-reviewed research on the consequences of fluctuating filter media depth on coliform removal performance. This contribution supports improved water treatment performance, microbial water quality protection, public health, and environmental engineering design. -
Associate Dean Leadership – College of Architecture and Civil Engineering
Served as Associate Dean at Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, leading and managing college resources, strengthening teaching and research capacity, coordinating student research activities, supporting academic planning, and presenting annual achievements and development plans to faculty and university administration. -
Assistant Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering
Served as Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, delivering graduate and undergraduate courses in water supply, water treatment, wastewater treatment, and environmental engineering. She supervised and mentored students in proposal development, data collection, laboratory work, scientific analysis, and publication preparation. -
Lecturer and Researcher in Water Supply and Sanitary Engineering
Served for more than a decade as Lecturer and Researcher at Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, teaching water supply, water treatment, wastewater treatment, environmental science, sustainable energy, and related civil and environmental engineering subjects while developing course materials and supporting student research. -
Head of Department – Water Supply and Sanitary Engineering
Served as Head of the Department of Water Supply and Sanitary Engineering, managing department operations, supporting equipment maintenance, coordinating staff, creating a research-oriented academic environment, and strengthening collaboration with external organizations and stakeholders. -
Water and Wastewater Laboratory Analysis and Environmental Quality Assessment
Built practical expertise in water and wastewater laboratory techniques, data collection, environmental quality assessment, wastewater characterization, and laboratory-based research for water supply, treatment, and environmental engineering projects. -
Teaching Contribution at Addis Ababa Institute of Technology
Served as part-time instructor at Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, Addis Ababa University, teaching water supply, water treatment, and hydrology courses to undergraduate students and contributing to the education of future water and environmental engineers. -
Sustainable Water Supply, Wastewater Treatment and Resource Recycling Projects
Contributed to research, design, and implementation of water supply, wastewater treatment, and resource recycling projects focused on local and regional environmental challenges. Her work supports sustainable infrastructure, improved water quality, and responsible environmental management. -
Environmental Engineering Data, Modelling and Digital Tools
Applies technical and analytical tools including OBA, SWAT, GIS, AutoCAD, JMP, SPSS, GraphPad Prism, Power BI, SQL, and Microsoft Office to support water and wastewater data analysis, environmental engineering research, system assessment, and evidence-based decision-making. -
Awards, Scholarships and Recognition in Water and Environmental Engineering
Recipient of the DAAD Home-grown Sandwich PhD Scholarship, Female Scholarship for MSc study at Addis Ababa University, BSc Merit Scholarship from the Ministry of Education of Ethiopia, and Best Oral Presentation award at the 2022 International Conference on Water, Food, and Energy Security. -
Future Contribution: Sustainable Water, Wastewater and Resource Recovery Systems
Aims to contribute to sustainable water supply, wastewater treatment, resource recovery, and low-cost environmental technologies for underserved and water-stressed regions. Her future contribution focuses on improving water quality, strengthening environmental protection, supporting circular resource recovery, and advancing climate-resilient infrastructure at regional and international levels.