Smart Water Solutions

In this episode, Hakim and cohost Rhea Verbeke talk with Prof. Ranil Wickramasinghe, a membrane expert who takes us from blood oxygenators to advanced water and biotech applications. We explore why polymer membranes still lead, how catalytic ceramic membranes turn vegetable oil into linoleic acid for green products, and the real-world hurdles like fouling and carbon pricing. Curious how membranes can react, separate, and still clog like a throat mid-sentence? Tune in. 🌱🧪

Brian Sheng, CEO of Aquaria, explains how their system captures clean water from air using a fast, energy-efficient setup. We cover how it works, where it performs best, and how clients can adopt it with flexible financing.

Professor Robert Nicholls from the University of East Anglia explains how sea levels are rising due to ocean warming, melting glaciers, and ice sheet loss. He also highlights how human activities like groundwater extraction cause land to sink in many coastal cities. Even if emissions stop today, sea levels will keep rising for centuries. This episode covers the causes, local impacts, and adaptation strategies.

Professor Sera Young explains that water security depends on availability, accessibility, quality, and reliability. A household may have water, but if access is restricted, unsafe, or unreliable, they still face water insecurity. To measure this, she developed the Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) and Individual Water Insecurity Experiences (IWISE) scales, now used in over 50 countries. Her research highlights why measuring water insecurity is key to solving it.

Professor Bierkens explains his work on water safety. He uses mathematical models with satellite and socioeconomic data to track water movement and storage in soil and groundwater. He shows that while overall water will be enough, some areas may face short-term shortages or quality issues. He also notes that climate change, through changes in rainfall and sea levels, affects water availability and quality.