Hans van Leeuwen

Johannes "Hans" van Leeuwen (born 1946 in Gouda, South Holland) is an educator, engineer, inventor, researcher, and entrepreneur. He is an emeritus professor of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering at Iowa State University and an entrepreneur in ethanol co-product development. His research and innovations have worked to solve various engineering problems including, new water purification methods, a way of creating food and animal feed from waste, prevention of introducing feral species to coastal waters and a process in making the purest alcohol ever made.

Early life and education van Leeuwen was born in 1946 in Gouda, South Holland, Netherlands. He grew up in South Africa. His experience growing up in South Africa helped him understand the plight of the underprivileged living in developing countries and inspired his later work.

Research van Leeuwen's early research was focused on water reclamation from wastewater.

Van Leeuwen's MycoMax process works by cultivating microbial filamentous fungi on leftovers from ethanol fermentation and distillation in order to create a high quality animal feed. Growing fungus on the leftover corn found in ethanol production, provides for good energy feed for livestock animals (such as pigs and chickens), but can also reduce energy costs.

Van Leeuwen also developed a selective oxidation process for use within activated sludge. Ozone is used to oxidize undesirable compounds, of which the oxidation byproducts are then biodegraded. All this within the same microbial biomass, without upsetting the delicate balance between the various benevolent bacteria that are at the heart of the biological purification process as used in community and industrial wastewater treatment.

Teaching He is an emeritus professor in the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering at Iowa State University (ISU) in Ames, Iowa. Previously he had been a professor at the University of New England, Australia, Griffith University, Australia, and the University of Pretoria.

Awards and honors 2007 – Ethanol purification with ozonation and activated carbon, Grand Prize University Research, American Academy of Environmental Engineers 2008 – MycoMax fungal process for additional ethanol plant coproduct, R&D 100 Awards, R&D Magazine 2008 – Fungal process for ethanol plant stillage beneficiation, Grand Prize University Research, American Academy of Environmental Engineers 2009 – Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 2009 – Mycofuel fungal process for biodiesel from processing wastes, R&D 100 Awards, R&D Magazine 2011 – Honor Award, Fungal pilot plant for animal feed production, Grand Prize University Research, American Academy of Environmental Engineers 2012 – Global Grand Prize for Project Innovation Awards in Applied Research, International Water Association (IWA)