For the previous decade, the Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Meals Programs Lab (J-WAFS) has been instrumental in selling scholar engagement throughout the Institute to assist clear up the world’s most urgent water and meals system challenges. As a part of J-WAFS’ central mission of securing the world’s water and meals provide, J-WAFS goals to domesticate the subsequent technology of leaders within the water and meals sectors by encouraging MIT scholar involvement by quite a lot of packages and mechanisms that present analysis funding, mentorship, and different kinds of help.
J-WAFS presents a variety of alternatives for each undergraduate and graduate college students to interact within the development of water and meals methods analysis. These embody graduate scholar fellowships, journey grants for participation in conferences, funding for analysis tasks in India, video competitions highlighting college students’ water and meals analysis, and help for student-led organizations and initiatives centered on important areas in water and meals.
As J-WAFS enters its second decade, it continues to reveal college students throughout the Institute to experiential hands-on water and meals analysis, profession and different networking alternatives, and a platform to develop their modern and collaborative options.
Graduate scholar fellowships
In 2017, J-WAFS inaugurated two graduate scholar fellowships: the Rasikbhai L. Meswani Fellowship for Water Options and the J-WAFS Graduate Pupil Fellowship Program. The Rasikbhai L. Meswani Fellowship for Water Options is a doctoral fellowship for college kids pursuing analysis associated to water for human want at MIT. The fellowship is made attainable by Elina and Nikhil Meswani and household. Every year, as much as two excellent college students are chosen to obtain fellowship help for one tutorial semester. By it, J-WAFS seeks to help distinguished MIT college students who’re pursuing options to the urgent international water provide challenges of our time. The J-WAFS Fellowship for Water and Meals Options is funded by the J-WAFS Analysis Affiliate Program, which presents firms the chance to collaborate with MIT on water and meals analysis. A portion of every analysis affiliate’s charges helps this fellowship.
Aditya Avinash Ghodgaonkar, a PhD scholar within the Division of Mechanical Engineering (MechE), displays on how receiving a J-WAFS graduate scholar fellowship positively impacted his analysis on the design of low-cost emitters for inexpensive, resilient drip irrigation for farmers: “My J-WAFS fellowship gave me the pliability and monetary help wanted to discover new instructions within the space of clog-resistant drip irrigation that had a better threat aspect which may not have been possible to handle on an industrially sponsored undertaking,” Ghodgaonkar explains. Emitters, which management the amount and move charge of water used throughout irrigation, usually clog attributable to small particles like sand. Ghodgaonkar labored with Professor Amos Winter, and with farmers in resource-constrained communities in nations like Jordan and Morocco, to develop an emitter that’s mechanically extra proof against clogging. Ghodgaonkar stories that their energy-efficient, compact, clog-resistant drip emitters are being commercialized by Toro and could also be accessible for retail within the subsequent few years. The alternatives and funding help Ghodgaonkar has acquired from J-WAFS contributed drastically to his entrepreneurial success and the development of the water and agricultural sectors.
Linzixuan (Rhoda) Zhang, a PhD scholar suggested by Professor Robert Langer and Principal Analysis Scientist Ana Jaklenec of the Division of Chemical Engineering, was a 2022 J-WAFS Graduate Pupil Fellow. With the fellowship, Zhang was capable of deal with her modern analysis on a novel micronutrient supply platform that fortifies meals with important nutritional vitamins and vitamins. “We consumption micronutrients from mainly all of the wholesome meals that we eat; nonetheless, all over the world there are about 2 billion folks at present affected by micronutrient deficiency as a result of they don’t have entry to very wholesome, very contemporary meals,” Zhang says. Her analysis entails the event of biodegradable polymers that may ship these micronutrients in harsh environments in underserved areas of the world. “Vitamin A shouldn’t be very steady, for instance; we have now vitamin A in numerous greens however after we prepare dinner them, the vitamin can simply degrade,” Zhang explains. Nonetheless, when vitamin A is encapsulated within the microparticle platform, simulation of boiling and of the abdomen setting reveals that vitamin A was stabilized. “The significant elements behind this experiment are actual,” says Zhang. The J-WAFS Fellowship helped place Zhang to win the 2024 Collegiate Inventors Competitors for this work.
J-WAFS grant for water and meals tasks in India
J-WAFS India Grants are meant to additional the work being pursued by MIT people as part of their analysis, innovation, entrepreneurship, coursework, or associated actions. School, analysis employees, and undergraduate and graduate college students are eligible to use. This system goals to help tasks that can profit low-income communities in India, and facilitates journey and different bills associated to straight partaking with these communities.
Gokul Sampath, a PhD scholar within the Division of City Research and Planning, and Jonathan Bessette, a PhD scholar in MechE, initially met by J-WAFS-sponsored convention journey, and found their mutual curiosity in the issue of arsenic in water in India. Collectively, they developed a cross-disciplinary proposal that acquired a J-WAFS India Grant. Their undertaking is learning how ladies in rural India make choices about the place they fetch water for his or her households, and the way these choices affect publicity to groundwater contaminants like naturally-occurring arsenic. Particularly, they’re creating low-cost distant sensors to higher perceive water-fetching practices. The grant is enabling Sampath and Bessette to equip Indian households with sensor-enabled water assortment gadgets (“sensible buckets”) that can present them knowledge about fetching practices in arsenic-affected villages. By demonstrating the efficacy of a sensor-based strategy, the workforce hopes to deal with a serious knowledge hole in worldwide improvement. “It is because of packages just like the Jameel Water and Meals Programs Lab that I used to be capable of acquire the help for interdisciplinary work on connecting water safety, public well being, and regional planning in India,” says Sampath.
J-WAFS journey grants for water conferences
Along with funding graduate scholar analysis, J-WAFS additionally supplies grants for graduate college students to attend water conferences worldwide. Sometimes, college students will solely obtain journey funding to attend conferences the place they’re presenting their analysis. Nonetheless, the J-WAFS journey grants help studying, networking, and profession exploration alternatives for distinctive MIT graduate college students who’re fascinated with a profession within the water sector, whether or not in academia, nonprofits, authorities, or business.
Catherine Lu ’23, MNG ’24 was awarded a 2023 Journey Grant to attend the UNC Water and Well being Convention in North Carolina. The convention serves as a curated area for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to convene and assess knowledge, scrutinize scientific findings, and improve new and present methods for increasing entry to and provision of providers for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). Lu, who studied civil and environmental engineering, labored with Professor Dara Entekhabi on modeling and predicting droughts in Africa utilizing satellite tv for pc Soil Moisture Lively Passive (SMAP) knowledge. As she evaluated her analysis trajectory and profession choices within the water sector, Lu discovered the convention to be informative and enlightening. “I used to be capable of increase my information on all of the sectors and points which can be associated to water and the implications they’ve on my analysis subject.” Moreover, she notes: “I used to be actually impressed by the varied vary of those who had been capable of attend the convention. The worldwide perspective supplied on the convention supplied a beneficial context for understanding the challenges and successes of various areas all over the world — from WASH training in colleges in Zimbabwe and India to rural water entry disparities in america … Having the ability to have interaction with such passionate and devoted folks has motivated me to proceed progress on this sector.” Following commencement, Lu secured a place as a water sources engineer at CDM Smith, an engineering and building agency.
Daniela Morales, a grasp’s scholar in metropolis planning within the Division of City Research and Planning, was a 2024 J-WAFS Journey Grant recipient who attended World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden. The annual international convention is organized by the Stockholm Worldwide Water Institute and convenes main consultants, decision-makers, and professionals within the water sector to actively have interaction in discussions and developments addressing important water-related challenges. Morales’ analysis pursuits contain consuming water high quality and entry in rural and peri-urban areas affected by local weather change impacts, the results of municipal water shutoffs on marginalized communities, and the connection between regional water administration and public well being outcomes. When reflecting on her expertise on the convention, Morales writes: “Being a part of this occasion has given me a lot motivation to proceed my skilled and tutorial journey in water administration because it pertains to public well being and metropolis planning … There was a lot vitality that was collectively generated within the convention, and so many new concepts that I used to be capable of course of round my very own profession pursuits and my function as a future planner in water administration, that the final day of the convention felt much less like an ending and extra of the start of a brand new chapter. I’m excited to take all the data I realized to work in direction of my very own analysis, and proceed to construct relationships with all the brand new contacts I made.” Morales additionally notes that with out the help of the J-WAFS grant, “I’d not have had the chance to make it to Stockholm and take part in such a singular week of water knowledge.”
Seed grants and Options grants
J-WAFS presents seed grants for early-stage analysis and Options Grants for later-stage analysis that is able to transfer from the lab to the business world. Proposals for each kinds of grants have to be submitted and led by an MIT principal investigator, however graduate college students, and typically undergraduates, are sometimes supported by these grants.
Arjav Shah, a PhD-MBA scholar in MIT’s Division of Chemical Engineering and the MIT Sloan Faculty of Administration, is at present pursuing the commercialization of a water therapy expertise that was first supported by a 2019 J-WAFS seed grant after which a 2022 J-WAFS Options Grant with Professor Patrick Doyle. The expertise makes use of hydrogels to take away a broad vary of micropollutants from water. The Options funding allows entrepreneurial college students and postdocs to put the groundwork to commercialize a expertise by assessing use situations and exploring enterprise wants with precise potential clients. “With J-WAFS’ help, we weren’t solely capable of scale up the expertise, but in addition achieve a deeper understanding of market wants and develop a powerful enterprise case,” says Shah. Shah and the Options workforce have found that the hydrogels could possibly be utilized in a number of real-world contexts, starting from large-scale industrial use to small-scale, moveable, off-grid purposes. “We’re extremely grateful to J-WAFS for his or her help, significantly in fostering business connections and facilitating introductions to traders, potential clients, and consultants,” Shah provides.
Shah was additionally a 2023 J-WAFS Journey Grant awardee who attended Stockholm World Water Week that 12 months. He says, “J-WAFS has performed a pivotal function in each my tutorial journey at MIT and my entrepreneurial pursuits. J-WAFS help has helped me develop each as a scientist and an aspiring entrepreneur. The publicity and alternatives supplied have allowed me to develop important abilities resembling buyer discovery, monetary modeling, enterprise improvement, fundraising, and storytelling — all important for translating expertise into real-world affect. These experiences supplied invaluable insights into what it takes to carry a expertise from the lab to market.”
Shah is at present main efforts to spin out an organization to commercialize the hydrogel analysis. Since receiving J-WAFS help, the workforce has made main strides towards launching a startup firm, together with successful the Pillar VC Moonshot Prize, Cleantech Open Nationwide Grand Prize, MassCEC Catalyst Award, and participation within the NSF I-Corps Nationwide Program.
J-WAFS scholar video competitions
J-WAFS has hosted two video competitions: MIT Analysis for a Water Safe Future and MIT Analysis for a Meals Safe Future, in honor of World Water Day and Phrase Meals Day, respectively. In these competitions, college students are tasked with creating unique movies showcasing their modern water and meals analysis carried out at MIT. The chance is open to MIT college students, postdocs, and up to date alumni.
Following a assessment by a distinguished panel of judges, Vishnu Jayaprakash SM ’19, PhD ’22 gained first place within the 2022 J-WAFS World Meals Day Pupil Video Competitors for his video centered on eliminating pesticide air pollution and waste. Jayaprakash delved into the science behind AgZen-Cloak, a brand new technology of agricultural sprays that forestalls pesticides from bouncing off of crops and seeping into the bottom, thus inflicting dangerous runoff. The J-WAFS competitors supplied Jayaprakash with a platform to spotlight the common, low-cost, and environmentally sustainable advantages of AgZen-Cloak. Jayaprakash labored on comparable expertise as a funded scholar on a J-WAFS Options grant with Professor Kripa Varanasi. The Options grant, the truth is, helped Jayaprakash and Varanasi to launch AgZen, an organization that deploys AgZen-Cloak and different merchandise and applied sciences to manage the interactions of droplets and sprays with crop surfaces. AgZen is at present serving to farmers sustainably are inclined to their agricultural plots whereas additionally defending the setting.
In 2021, Hilary Johnson SM ’18, PhD ’22, gained first place within the J-WAFS World Water Day video competitors. Her video highlighted her work on a novel pump that makes use of adaptive hydraulics for improved pump effectivity. The pump was a part of a sponsored analysis undertaking with Xylem Inc., a J-WAFS Analysis Affiliate firm, and Professor Alex Slocum of MechE. On the time, Johnson was a PhD scholar in Slocum’s lab. She was instrumental within the improvement of the pump by engineering the volute to increase and contract to satisfy altering system move charges. Johnson went on to later develop into a 2021-22 J-WAFS Fellow, and is now a full-time mechanical engineer on the Lawrence Livermore Nationwide Laboratory.
J-WAFS-supported scholar golf equipment
J-WAFS-supported scholar golf equipment present members of the MIT scholar neighborhood the chance for networking {and professional} development by occasions centered on water and meals methods subjects.
J-WAFS is a sponsor of the MIT Water Membership, a student-led group that helps and promotes the engagement of the MIT neighborhood in water-sector-related activism, dissemination of knowledge, and analysis innovation. The membership permits college students to spearhead the group of conferences, lectures, outreach occasions, analysis showcases, and entrepreneurship competitions together with the previous MIT Water Innovation Prize and MIT Water Summit. J-WAFS not solely sponsors the MIT Water Membership financially, however presents mentorship and steering to the management workforce.
The MIT Meals and Agriculture Membership can also be supported by J-WAFS. The membership’s mission is to advertise the engagement of the MIT neighborhood in meals and agriculture-related subjects. In doing so, the scholars lead initiatives to share the modern expertise and enterprise options researchers are creating in meals and agriculture methods. J-WAFS assists within the connection of passionate MIT college students with those that are actively working within the meals and agriculture business past the Institute. From 2015 to 2022, J-WAFS additionally helped the membership co-produce the Rabobank-MIT Meals and Agribusiness Innovation Prize — a scholar marketing strategy competitors for meals and agricultural startups.
From 2023 onward, the MIT Water Membership and the MIT Meals and Ag Membership have been becoming a member of forces to arrange a mixed prize competitors: The MIT Water, Meals and Agriculture (WFA) Innovation Prize. The WFA Innovation Prize is a marketing strategy competitors for student-led startups centered on any area or market. The groups current enterprise plans involving a expertise, product, service, or course of that’s aimed toward fixing an issue associated to water, meals, or agriculture. The competitors encourages all approaches to innovation, from engineering and product design to coverage and knowledge analytics. The purpose of the competitors is to assist rising entrepreneurs translate analysis and concepts into companies, entry mentors and sources, and construct networks within the water, meals, and agriculture industries. J-WAFS presents monetary and in-kind help, working with scholar leaders to plan, set up, and implement the levels of the competitors by to the ultimate pitch occasion. This 12 months, J-WAFS is continuous to help the WFA workforce, which is led by Ali Decker, an MBA scholar at MIT Sloan, and Sam Jakshtis, a grasp’s scholar in MIT’s science in actual property improvement program. The ultimate pitch occasion will happen on April 30 within the MIT Media Lab.
“I’ve had the chance to work with Renee Robins, government director of J-WAFS, on MIT’s Water, Meals and Agriculture Innovation Prize for the previous two years, and it has been each immensely beneficial and a delight to have her help,” says Decker. “Renee has helped us in all areas of prize planning: brainstorming new concepts, considering by startup finalist choice, connecting to potential sponsors and companions, and extra. Above all, she helps us with ardour and pleasure; every time we meet, I look ahead to our dialogue,” Decker provides.
J-WAFS occasions
All year long, J-WAFS goals to supply occasions that can have interaction any within the MIT scholar neighborhood who’re working in water or meals methods. For instance, on April 19, 2023, J-WAFS teamed up with the MIT Vitality Initiative (MITEI) and the Environmental Options Initiative (ESI) to co-host an MIT scholar poster session for Earth Month. The theme of the poster session was “MIT analysis for a altering planet,” and it featured work from 11 MIT college students with tasks in water, meals, vitality, and the setting. The scholars, who represented a variety of MIT departments, labs, and facilities, had been available to debate their tasks and have interaction with these attending the occasion. Attendees might vote for his or her favourite poster after being requested to contemplate which poster most clearly communicated the analysis downside and the potential resolution. On the finish of the evening, votes had been tallied and the winner of the “Folks’s Selection Award” for greatest poster was Elaine Liu ’24, an undergraduate in arithmetic on the time of the occasion. Liu’s poster featured her work on managing failure cascades in methods with wind energy.
J-WAFS additionally hosts less-structured scholar networking occasions. As an illustration, throughout MIT’s Impartial Actions Interval (IAP) in January 2024, J-WAFS hosted an ice cream social for scholar networking. The casual occasion was a possibility for graduate and undergraduate college students from throughout the Institute to satisfy and mingle with like-minded friends working in, or fascinated with, water and meals methods. College students had been capable of clarify their present and future analysis, pursuits, and tasks and ask questions whereas exchanging concepts, partaking with each other, and probably forming collaborations, or on the very least sharing insights.
Looking forward to 10 extra years of scholar affect
Over the previous decade, J-WAFS has demonstrated a powerful dedication to empowering college students within the water and meals sectors, fostering an setting the place they will confidently drive significant change and innovation. PhD scholar Jonathan Bessette sums up the J-WAFS neighborhood as a “one-of-a-kind neighborhood that allows important analysis in water and meals that in any other case wouldn’t be pursued. It’s this kind of analysis that isn’t usually the main focus of main funding, but has such a powerful affect in sustainable improvement.”
J-WAFS goals to offer college students with the help and instruments they should conduct genuine and significant water and food-related analysis that can profit communities all over the world. This help, coupled with an MIT training, allows college students to develop into leaders in sustainable water and meals methods. Because the second decade of J-WAFS programming begins, the J-WAFS workforce stays dedicated to fostering scholar collaboration throughout the Institute, driving modern options to revitalize the world’s water and meals methods whereas empowering the subsequent technology of pioneers in these important fields.