Join us for a KAUST Innovation Industry Meet and Greet with Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC). SWCC is responsible for the desalination of seawater and supplying vast regions throughout the Kingdom with desalinated water. Learn more about challenges facing SWCC and the research collaboration opportunities with the KAUST Water Desalination and Reuse Center.

When: October 14, 2021, 12:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Where: Auditorium, between buildings 2&3
Registration: This event is open to KAUST Community members only to attend in person. Registration is required. REGISTER HERE

Agenda:

12 – 1pm: Lunch
1 – 2:30pm: Presentations by SWCC and KAUST

• Welcome, by Dr. Kevin Cullen, KAUST VP Innovation
• SWCC current & future challenges and opportunities, by Dr. Mohammed Al Namazi, Deputy Executive Director of Desalination Technologies Research Institute, SWCC
• Maximizing renewable energy use in desalination, by Eng. Friedrich Alt, Senior Expert, SWCC
• Coupling Solar CSP (Parabolic trough) with MED-TVC plant, by Eng. Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, chemical specialist, SWCC
• Digital plant operation via artificial intelligence, by Mr. Essam Al bishi, AI Unit Head, SWCC

2:30 – 2:45: Networking break
2:45 – 3:45: Panel discussion: SWCC Water Research Collaborations and AI Digital Transformation Challenges. Moderated by Mr. Paul Buijs, Industry Liaison Officer, KAUST Water Desalination & Reuse Center
Panelists:

• Noreddine Ghaffour, Professor, Environmental Science and Engineering
• Luca Fortunato, Research Scientist, Water Desalination & Reuse Center
• Friedrich Alt, Senior Expert, DTRI, SWCC
• Essam Al bishi, AI Unit Head, SWCC

Discussion areas:

• Renewable energy and desalination
• Membrane materials and fouling prevention
• Pre-treatment and post treatment
• Digital plant operations

3:45 – 4:00pm: Presentation of KAUST’s water technologies

Hadi Zulfiqar, Technology Deployment Specialist, Technology Transfer

4:00 – 4:30pm: Tour of KAUST Solar Center

Download the full agenda here.

Download all of the SWCC speaker bios here.