Dr. Davies-Venn obtained his Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree from the University of Sierra Leone, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Environmental Engineering from the University of Cincinnati, Ohio and the University of Arkansas, respectively. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in five states and the District of Columbia and a Board Certified Environmental Engineer by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists.
He started his professional career as a project manager and subsequently a technical manager and partner of an engineering consulting firm. His international experience has included design of several development projects in Liberia, Sierra Leone, the Gambia, and Nigeria sponsored by the World Bank, the European Economic Community, the African Development Bank, and other international agencies.
In 1990, Dr. Davies-Venn joined a global consulting engineering firm in Fairfax, Virginia as a senior project manager and process development group leader. He later joined PEER Consultants, an international environmental engineering consulting firm headquartered in Washington, DC as a senior program manager and subsequently Director of Water and Wastewater Engineering. He served as Vice President and Chief Engineer of the company.
For the past 42 years Dr. Davies-Venn has been involved in the planning, design, and construction management of a wide range of environmental projects including water treatment, supply and distribution systems; stormwater; wastewater treatment and collection systems for several federal, state, local, and industrial clients throughout the U.S. For these projects, he served in various capacities ranging from project manager to principal-in-charge.
He is actively involved in numerous professional organizations including the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists; the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards; the Water Environment Federation; the National Society of Professional Engineers; the American Society of Civil Engineers; the American Water Works Association; the Chesapeake Water Environment Association; and the Federal Water Quality Association, where he has had the privilege of serving in several leadership positions.
Dr. Davies-Venn currently teaches “Principles of Water and Wastewater Treatment”, “Water Supply and Wastewater Collection” and “Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Design” in the Engineering for Professionals Program at JHU.
He and his wife live in Montgomery County, Maryland and they have two grown daughters. He enjoys traveling, gardening, and classical music.
Education History
- B.Eng. Civil Engineering, University of Sierra Leone
- M.S Environmental Engineering, University of Cincinnati
- Ph.D Environmental Engineering, University of Arkansas
Work Experience
Lecturer, Johns Hopkins University
Publications
“Analysis of Onsite Sodium Hypochlorite Generation at the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant”, presented at WEFTEC 2010, New Orleans, LA.
“Impacts of Chlorophenols and Chloroanilines on the Kinetics of Acetoclastic Methanogenesis” , Journal Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 26, No. 8, 1992.
“Phosphorus Removal by Automatic Backwash Filters at Back River WWTP” Proceedings of the National Conference on Environmental Engineering, Water Forum, 1992.
“VOC Emissions Testing at Sludge Management Facilities”, Proceedings of the Water Environmental Federation Specialty Conference Series (Volume 1) on the Future direction of Municipal Sludge (Biosolids) Management, 1992.
“Modeling Sludge production Trends at Blue Plains WWTP”, Presented at the 6th IAWPRC Conference on Design and Operation of Large wastewater Treatment Plants, 1992.
“Impacts of Toxic Organic Chemicals on the Kinetics of Acetogenic Methanogenesis”, presented at the 198th Annual Conference of the American Chemical Society, 1989.
“Control of Odors from Lime-stabilized and Digested Biosolids”, presented at the 55th Annual Meeting of the Virginia Water Environment Association, Williamsburg, VA, April/May 2001.
“Factors Influencing Quality of Heat Dried Biosolids Pellets”, presented at the 55th Annual Meeting of the Virginia Water Environment Association, Williamsburg, VA, April/May 2001.
“Effects of Toxic Organic Compounds on Anaerobic Processes”, presented at the 57th Annual Arkansas Water Works and Pollution Control Conference, 1988.
“Laboratory Techniques for Estimating the Design Characteristics of Pressure Filters”, Journal Leather Chemists Association, Vol. 80, No. 3, 1985.
“Simplified Laboratory Techniques for Estimating Pressure Filter Performance”, presented at the 80th Annual Conference of the American Leather Chemists Association, 1984.
Honors and Awards
- Water Environment Federation William D. Hatfield Award (2011)
- Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers (5S) (2008)
- Marquis Who’s Who in Science and Engineering (1998)
- Marquis Who’s Who in America (1997)
- Marquis Who’s Who in the World (1997)
- Marquis Who’s Who in Finance and Industry (1996)
- Strathmore’s Who’s Who Registry of Business Leaders (1996)
Professional Organizations
American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists
National Society of Professional Engineers
American Society of Civil Engineers
American Water Works Association
Water Environment Federation
American Water Resources Association
Federal Water Quality Association
Chesapeake Water Environment Association
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
Chi Epsilon – National Civil Engineering Honor Society