Dr.ir. Robin Harder
Dr.ir. Robin Harder
ZHAW
School of Architecture, Design and Civil Engineering
Abteilung Lehre
Work at ZHAW
Position
Lecturer
Focus
- Urban Water Management
- Nutrient Circular Economy
- Sustainability Assessment
Teaching
- Urban Water Management
- Hydraulics
Experience
- Research Associate
Agroscope
01 / 2022 - 07 / 2024 - Postdoctoral Researcher
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
06 / 2020 - 12 / 2021 - Postdoctoral Researcher
Chalmers University of Technology
01 / 2017 - 05 / 2020 - Doctoral Student
Chalmers University of Technology
01 / 2011 - 12 / 2015 - Research Assistant
Delft University of Technology
10 / 2010 - 12 / 2010
Education and Continuing education
Education
- PhD in Chemical Environmental Science
Chalmers University of Technology
01 / 2011 - 12 / 2015 - MSc in Civil Engineering / Sanitary Engineering
Delft University of Technology
09 / 2007 - 12 / 2009 - BSc ETH in Civil Engineering
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
10 / 2003 - 10 / 2006
Continuing Education
Chalmers Diploma of Higher Education
Chalmers University of Technology
12 / 2015
Network
ORCID digital identifier
Awards
Best Paper Award
Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology
05 / 2021
Media presence
Publications
Articles in scientific journal, peer-reviewed
- Harder, R. (2025) 'Recycling nutrients contained in human excreta to agriculture : technology options, trends, and readiness', Water Research X, 28(100382). doi: 10.1016/j.wroa.2025.100382.
- Harder, R. (2025) 'Mapping large bodies of research in environmental sciences : insights from compiling evidence on the recovery and reuse of nutrients found in human excreta and domestic wastewater', Environmental Evidence, 14(13). doi: 10.1186/s13750-025-00366-5.
Publications before appointment at the ZHAW
- Harder R, Liebisch F. Exploring the strategic potential for Switzerland to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus surplus in agriculture. Resources, Conservation & Recycling. 2025.
- Macura B, Metson GS, McConville JR, Harder R. Recovery of plant nutrients from human excreta and domestic wastewater for reuse in agriculture: a systematic map and evidence platform. Environmental Evidence. 2024.
- Harder R, Metson GS, Macura B, Johannesdottir S, Wielemaker RC, Seddon D, Lundin E, Aliahmad A, Kärrman E, McConville JR. Egestabase – an online evidence platform to discover and explore options to recover plant nutrients from human excreta and domestic wastewater for reuse in agriculture. Methods X. 2024.
- Harder R. Using Scopus and OpenAlex APIs to retrieve bibliographic data for evidence synthesis. A procedure based on Bash and SQL. Methods X. 2024.
- Bünemann E, Reimer M, Smolders E, Smith SR, Bigalke M, Palmqvist A, Brandt KK, Möller K, Harder R, Hermann L, Speiser B, Oudshoorn F, Løes AK, Magid J. Do contaminants compromise the use of recycled nutrients in organic agriculture? A review and synthesis of current knowledge on contaminant concentrations, fate in the environment and risk assessment. Science of the Total Environment. 2023.
- Aliahmad A, Harder R, Simha P, Vinnerås B, McConville J. Knowledge evolution within human urine recycling technological innovation system (TIS): Focus on technologies for recovering plant-essential nutrients. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2022.
- Macura B, Thomas J, Metson GS, McConville JR, Johannesdottir SL, Seddon D, Harder R. Technologies for recovery and reuse of plant nutrients from human excreta and domestic wastewater: a protocol for a systematic map and living evidence platform. Environmental Evidence. 2021.
- Harder R, Mullinix K, Smukler S. Assessing the circularity of nutrient flows across nested scales for four food system scenarios in the Okanagan bioregion, BC Canada. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 2021
- Harder R, Giampietro M, Mullinix K, Smukler S. Assessing the circularity of nutrient flows related to the food system in the Okanagan bioregion, BC Canada. Resources, Conservation & Recycling. 2021.
- Harder R, Giampietro M, Smukler S. Towards a circular nutrient economy. A novel way to analyze the circularity of nutrient flows in food systems. Resources, Conservation & Recycling. 2021.
- Lorick D, Harder R, Svanström M. A Circular Economy for Phosphorus in Sweden—Is It Possible? Sustainability. 2021.
- Lorick D, Macura B, Ahlström M, Grimvall A, Harder R. Effectiveness of struvite precipitation and ammonia stripping for recovery of phosphorus and nitrogen from anaerobic digestate: a systematic review. Environmental Evidence. 2020.
- Franco-Torres M, Rogers BC, Harder R. Articulating the new urban water paradigm. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology. 2020.
- Harder R, Wielemaker R, Molander S, Öberg G. Reframing human excreta management as part of food and farming systems. Water Research. 2020.
- Harder R, Wielemaker R, Larsen TA, Zeeman G, Öberg G. Recycling nutrients contained in human excreta to agriculture: Pathways, processes, and products. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology. 2019.
- Peters GM, Harder R, Arvidsson R, Baumann H, Björklund A, Despeisse M, Ekvall T, Ericsson N, Finnveden G, Hammar T, Janssen M, Karheiding C, Karlsson H, Ljunggren Söderman M, Svanström M, Tillman A-M, Wallbaum H. A Swedish comment on 'review: the availability of life-cycle studies in Sweden'. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 2019.
- Svanström M, Heimersson S, Peters G, Harder R, I'Ons D, Finnson A, Olsson J. Life cycle assessment of sludge management with phosphorus utilisation and improved hygienisation in Sweden. Water Science and Technology. 2017.
- Harder R, Peters GM, Ashbolt NJ, Svanström M. Using quantitative microbial risk assessment and life cycle assessment to assess management options in urban water and sanitation infrastructures: Opportunities and unresolved issues. Microbial Risk Analysis. 2016.
- Harder R, Peters GM, Molander S, Svanström M, Khan SJ, Molander S. Estimating human toxicity potential of land application of sewage sludge: The effect of modelling choices. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 2016.
- Harder R, Dombi M, Peters GM. Perspectives on quantifying and influencing household metabolism. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management. 2016.
- Harder R, Peters GM, Molander S, Ashbolt NJ, Svanström M. Including pathogen risk in life cycle assessment: The effect of modelling choices in the context of sewage sludge management. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 2015.
- Harder R, Holmquist H, Molander S, Svanström M, Peters GM. Review of environmental assessment case studies blending elements of risk assessment and life cycle assessment. Environmental Science and Technology. 2015.
- Ordoñez I, Harder R, Nikitas A, Rahe U. Waste sorting in apartments: Integrating the perspective of the user. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2014.
- Harder R, Schoen M, Peters GM. Including pathogen risk in life cycle assessment of wastewater management. Implications for selecting the functional Unit. Environmental Science and Technology. 2014.
- Heimersson S, Harder R, Peters GM, Svanström M. Including pathogen risk in life cycle assessment of wastewater management. 2. Quantitative comparison of pathogen risk to other impacts on human health. Environmental Science and Technology. 2014.
- Harder R, Heimersson S, Svanström M, Peters GM. Including pathogen risk in life cycle assessment of wastewater management. 1. Estimating the burden of disease associated with pathogens. Environmental Science and Technology. 2014.
- Mangold M, Morrison GM, Harder R, Hagbert P, Rauch S. The transformative effect of the introduction of water volumetric billing in a disadvantaged housing area in Sweden. Water Policy. 2014.
- Harder R, Kalmykova Y, Morrison GM, Feng F, Mangold M, Dahlén L. Quantification of goods purchases and waste generation at the level of individual households. Journal of Industrial Ecology. 2014.
- Kalmykova Y, Harder R, Borgestedt H, Svanäng I. Pathways and management of phosphorus in urban areas. Journal of Industrial Ecology. 2012.
- ten Veldhuis JAE, Harder R, Loog M. Automatic classification of municipal call data to support quantitative risk analysis of urban drainage systems. Structure and Infrastructure Engineering. 2010.
Other publications
- Mullinix K, Tatebe K, Hansen E, Robert N, Wijekoon M, Polasub W, Smukler S, Harder R, Rallings A, Elton C, Senese D, Dorward C, Kissinger M. Bringing Our Food System Home: Report on the Okanagan Bioregion Food System Project. ISFS Report. 2021.
- Harder R, Smukler S, Mullinix K. Nutrient Management in the Okanagan Bioregion. Research Brief from the Okanagan Bioregion Food System Project. ISFS Technical Report. 2021.
- Harder R. Beneficial Recirculation of Nutrients and Organic Matter to Agriculture: Meeting the Needs of Farmers and Soils. UBC Report. 2020.
- Harder R. Source-Separation in the Urban Water Infrastructure. STOWA Rapport W14. 2012.