Doris van Halem is a full professor within the Department of Water Management, in the Sanitary Engineering Section of Delft University of Technology. She graduated from Delft University of Technology in Civil Engineering and Geosciences with a cum laude MSc degree (2007). During her studies, she developed an interest in global drinking water challenges, illustrated by her internships in Sri Lanka and Benin, and resulting in an MSc thesis "Ceramic silver impregnated pot filter for household drinking water treatment in developing countries".

In 2011, she completed her PhD research (with honors) on subsurface iron and arsenic removal for drinking water supply in Bangladesh under the guidance of prof. J.C. van Dijk (TU Delft) and prof. dr. G.L. Amy (Unesco-IHE).

Currently she supervises BSc, MSc and PhD students, focusing on inorganic constituent behavior and trace compound removal during soil passage and drinking water treatment - with a particular interest in smart, pro-poor drinking water solutions.