Zakir leads Stantecs advanced water treatment projects, primarily focused on membrane-based treatment. His main responsibilities include mentoring our water reuse process teams, pursuing and winning water treatment projects across North America, and presenting and publishing papers and articles on leading-edge advanced treatment topics (more than 70 to date).
Always passionate about emerging technologies—and as an expert in physiochemical and biological treatment—Zakir worked on membrane bioreactors (MBR) during his masters at the University of Southern California. At the time, the MBR process was viewed with a lot of skepticism by wastewater practitioners, but today, Zakir is leading two of the largest water reuse programs in the world that will use MBRs to enhance water sustainability.
Later in his career, Zakir hopes to apply his expertise to improving water quality in underdeveloped countries. He’s also interested in wine tasting, particularly red wines—Merlot, Cabernet, and Malbec in that order.