Rohit Karnik named director of J-WAFS

Rohit Karnik, the Tata Teacher in the MIT Division of Mechanical Design, has actually been called the brand-new supervisor of the Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Equipments Laboratory (J-WAFS), efficient March 1. Karnik, that has actually functioned as associate supervisor of J-WAFS because 2023, does well establishing supervisor John H. Lienhard V, Abdul Latif Jameel Teacher of Water and Mechanical Design.

Karnik represents supervisor at a crucial time for J-WAFS, as it commemorates its 10th wedding anniversary. Introducing the visit today in a letter to the J-WAFS study area, Vice Head of state for Research Study Ian A. Waitz kept in mind Karnik’s deep participation with the laboratory’s study initiatives and programs, in addition to his honors as a scientist, instructor, leader, and coach. “I am pleased that Rohit will certainly bring his ability and vision to bear upon the J-WAFS objective, making certain the program maintains its straight assistance of study on university and its essential effect worldwide,” Waitz composed.

J-WAFS is the only program at MIT concentrated solely on water and food study. Given that 2015, the laboratory has actually made gives amounting to around $25M to scientists throughout the Institute, consisting of from all 5 institutions and 40 divisions, laboratories, and facilities. It has actually sustained 300 professors, study team, and trainees integrated. In addition, the J-WAFS Solutions Program, which sustains initiatives to market ingenious water and food modern technologies, has actually drawn out 12 business and 2 open-sourced items.

” We introduced J-WAFS with the purpose of constructing a neighborhood of water and food scientists at MIT, benefiting from MIT’s staminas in many self-controls that add to these most vital human demands,” creates Lienhard, that will certainly retire this June. “After a years’s job, that area is solid and noticeable. I am pleased that Rohit has actually accepted take the reins. He will certainly bring the program to the following degree.”

Lienhard has actually functioned as supervisor because establishing J-WAFS in 2014, in addition to executive supervisor Renee J. Robins ’83, that last autumn shared her intent to retire also.

” It’s a large modification for a program to pass on both the supervisor and exec supervisor duties at the very same time,” states Robins. “Having actually functioned along with Rohit as our associate supervisor for the previous number of years, I am considerably guaranteed that J-WAFS will certainly remain in great hands with a brand-new and stable management group.”

Karnik ended up being associate supervisor of J-WAFS in July 2023, an action that accompanied the beginning of a sabbatical for Lienhard. Prior to that time, Karnik was currently well involved with J-WAFS as a give recipient, customer, and area participant. As associate supervisor, Rohit has actually been important to J-WAFS procedures, preparation, and give monitoring, consisting of the proposition choice procedure. He contributed in preparing the 2nd J-WAFS Grand Obstacle give and led workshops at which scientists conceptualized proposition subjects and created groups. Karnik likewise involved with J-WAFS’ company companions, assisted strategy talks and occasions, and used job oversight.

” The experience offered me wide direct exposure to the fantastic concepts and study at MIT in the water and food area, and the partnerships and harmonies throughout divisions and institutions that make it possible for quality in study,” states Karnik. “The staminas of J-WAFS depend on having the ability to sustain primary private investigators in seeking study to attend to humankind’s water and food demands; in producing a neighborhood of trainees though the fellowship program and assistance of pupil clubs; and in bringing individuals with each other at workshops, workshops, and various other occasions. Every one of this is implemented by the endowment and a specialized group with close participation in the tasks after the gives are granted.”

J-WAFS was developed via a charitable present from Community Jameel, an independent, worldwide company progressing scientific research to aid areas prosper in a quickly transforming globe. The laboratory was called in honor of the late Abdul Latif Jameel, the creator of the Abdul Latif Jameel business and dad of MIT graduate Mohammed Jameel ’78, that started and chairs Neighborhood Jameel.

J-WAFS’ procedures are executed by a little however enthusiastic group of individuals at MIT that are committed to the objective of protecting water and food systems. That objective is more crucial than ever before, as environment modification, urbanization, and an expanding worldwide populace are placing remarkable tension on the globe’s water and food materials. These difficulties drive J-WAFS’ initiatives to activate the study, technology, and modern technology that can sustainably protect mankind’s most essential sources.

As supervisor, Karnik will certainly aid form the study program and crucial concerns for J-WAFS and bring in the program right into its 2nd years.

Karnik initially signed up with MIT as a postdoc in the divisions of Mechanical and Chemical Design in October 2006. In September 2007, he ended up being an assistant teacher of mechanical design at MIT, prior to being advertised to connect teacher in 2012. His study team concentrates on the physics of mini- and nanofluidic circulations and using that to the layout of mini- and nanofluidic systems for applications in water, health care, power, and the atmosphere. Previous tasks consist of ones on membrane layers for water filtering and chemical splittings up, sensing units for water, and water filters from waste timber. Karnik has actually functioned as associate division head and acting co-department head in the Division of Mechanical Design. He likewise acts as professors supervisor of the New Design Education And Learning Improvement (NEET) program in the Institution of Design.

Prior to concerning MIT, Karnik got a bachelor’s level from the Indian Institute of Innovation in Bombay, and a master’s and PhD from the College of The Golden State at Berkeley, done in mechanical design. He has actually authored many magazines, is co-inventor on numerous licenses, and has actually obtained honors and honors consisting of the National Scientific research Structure Occupation Honor, the United State Division of Power Early Profession Honor, the MIT Workplace of Grad Education and learning’s Devoted to Caring honor, and political election to the National Academy of Inventors as an elderly participant.

Lienhard, J-WAFS’ outward bound supervisor, has actually offered on the MIT professors because 1988. His study and instructional initiatives have actually concentrated on warmth and mass transfer, water filtration and desalination, thermodynamics, and splitting up procedures. Lienhard has actually straight managed greater than 90 PhD and master’s theses, and he is the writer of over 300 peer-reviewed documents and 3 books. He holds greater than 40 united state licenses, many marketed via start-up business with his trainees. Among these, the water therapy business Gradiant Company, is currently valued over $1 billion and utilizes greater than 1,200 individuals. Lienhard has actually obtained lots of honors, consisting of the 2024 Life time Accomplishment Honor of the International Desalination and Reuse Organization.

Because 1998, Renee Robins has actually dealt with the perception, launch, and advancement of a variety of huge interdisciplinary, worldwide, and partnership-based study and education and learning partnerships at MIT and in other places. She offered in duties for the Cambridge MIT Institute, the MIT Portugal Program, the Mexico City Program, the Program on Arising Technologies, and the Innovation and Plan Program. She holds 2 bachelor’s degrees from MIT, in biology and humanities/anthropology, and a master’s level in public law from Carnegie Mellon College. She has actually looked after considerable development in J-WAFS’ tasks, financing, staffing, and partnerships over the previous years. In 2021, she was granted an Infinite Mile Honor in the location of the Workplaces of the Provost and Vice Head Of State for Study, in acknowledgment of her payments within her duty at J-WAFS to aid the Institute execute its objective.

” John and Renee have actually done an amazing work in developing J-WAFS and bringing it as much as its existing type,” states Karnik. “I’m devoted to making certain that the crucial facets of J-WAFS that bring a lot worth to the MIT area, the country, and the globe remain to work well. MIT scientists and graduates in the J-WAFS area are currently having an effect on resolving humankind’s water and food demands, and I think that there is possibility for MIT to have an also better favorable influence on protecting humankind’s essential sources in the future.”