About Alana Denning
Water & Wastewater Treatment Engineering Consultant
Water & Wastewater Treatment Engineering Consultant
With over 10 years of experience in the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing industry, I have worked on the owner side as a Failure Analysis Engineer and Facilities UPW Engineer, and on the design side as a process design engineer. My projects range from advanced manufacturing facility ZLD wastewater systems to semiconductor UPW systems. My career has spanned both plant operations and engineering design, giving me a unique perspective on what makes systems truly effective in the real world.
Owner and Design Consultant - Denning Water Solutions | Jan 2025 - Present
I specialize in Front End Engineering Design (FEED) study execution for semiconductor and advanced manufacturing water/wastewater projects. Other work includes QAQC for clients, trainings for UPW and other specialty topics, and staff augmentation services for clients needing senior engineer level design input on projects.
Senior Process Engineer - Page Southerland Page | Nov 2020 - Aug 2024
Design lead for industrial/advanced manufacturing water and wastewater treatment projects. Managed interdisciplinary teams of engineers and designers, provided technical direction, and developed QAQC guidelines. Experience includes BOD development, P&ID standards, UPW distribution system design, waste collection system design, and commissioning support.
Facilities UPW Engineer - Samsung Austin Semiconductor | May 2017 - Oct 2020
Primary owner for makeup and polish blocks, waste transfer and scrubber supply systems. Backup owner for primary block and recovery systems. Monitored system health, performed risk analysis, executed troubleshooting, and implemented process improvements. Led commissioning for temporary RO pretreatment system and coordinated planned Hot UPW system shutdown maintenance project.
Failure Analysis Engineer - Samsung Austin Semiconductor | Jun 2015 - May 2017
Determined failure mechanisms based on SEM defect images, electrical nanoProbe data and TEM data. Coordinated experiments to determine root cause of top yield killing defects and worked with unit part engineers to implement improvements.
Research Assistant - University of Oklahoma | May 2011 - Dec 2014
Developed, characterized and tested catalysts for biomass to bio-fuel conversion. Served as lab safety coordinator ensuring safe practices and regulatory compliance.
Master of Science
Chemical Engineering
University of Oklahoma, 2014
Bachelor of Science
Chemical Engineering, Minor in Chemistry
University of Oklahoma, 2013
Favorite Class: Surfactant and Surface Chemistry
Professional Engineering Licensure
I'm passionate about making complex engineering concepts accessible. I love working with interdisciplinary teams on projects where we all learn from each other and I always try to learn enough about other disciplines to be somewhat of a generalist in addition to having subject matter expertise on water and wastewater topics.
I prioritize designs that are not only technically sound but also maintainable and operationally realistic.
I act as an advocate for owners during the design process, ensuring their needs and constraints are fully considered.
Every design decision considers the people who will operate and maintain the system for years to come.
I base recommendations on solid engineering fundamentals, real-world data, and operational experience.
Troubleshooting? The root cause is usually something dumb so always check the basics first. There's a reason pilots have checklists.
I strive to mentor younger engineers whenever possible and teach them that everything we do impacts real people at the end of the day.
When I'm not designing water treatment systems, you can find me admiring drought tolerant native plants in my yard (I garden by attrition) or at the wildflower center in Austin, TX. If I am not there I will be spending time with my not-so-aptly-named foster dog "Angel".
"I know what words to google" - Me, probably, at some point
Interested in discussing your project? I'd be happy to hear from you.
Get In Touch