Basic and applied research in membrane science & technology; process development, design, control of membrane-based water treatment systems; water reclamation & reuse; process intensification; process automation; prototyping and pilot systems; distributed water systems and cyber-infrastructure;  fouling & mineral scaling;  membrane integrity; real-time membrane system performance monitoring; desalination concentrate treatment and salt harvesting; energy issues in water treatment and desalination processes; water treatment infrastructure for disadvantaged/remote communities.
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Development of advanced technologies in water treatment and desalination, including chemical enhanced seeded precipitation for RO concentrate treatment, novel integration and control of integrated UF-RO for seawater desalination, self-adaptive membrane-based water treatment and desalination, real time membrane integrity monitoring, real-time membrane fouling/mineral scaling monitoring, and flexible cyclic RO desalination process.

Current Projects

• Co-PI, Self-Adaptive High Recovery Desalination of Agricultural Drainage Water with Concentrate Salt Harvesting, Sponsor: California Department of Resources (Pending contract agreement).
• Co-PI, Overcoming Operating Pressure Barrier in High Recovery Membrane Desalination via Hybrid RO-NF Processes, Sponsor: US Bureau of Reclamation.
• Co-PI, Distributed Potable Water Treatment Infrastructure for Remote Communities, Sponsor: California State Water Resources Control Board
• Co-PI, Nanostructured High Performance Surface Responsive RO Membranes, Sponsor: US Army
  

​Related news articles:

• Scientists hope to use SIMS water treatment technology to tackle drought, Daily Bruin.
• Reimagining a smart water future for disenfranchised California communities, UCLA IoES.
• Who needs an ocean? San Joaquin Valley projects give new life to salty water, Fresno Bee.
• Desalination out of Desperation, MIT Technology Review.
• UCLA researchers unveil a better way to clean brackish water, LA Times.
• UCLA Engineering's mobile plant hits the road to treat polluted water, UCLA Newsroom.
• UCLA researchers combine techniques into new technology to create drinking water from the sea, Daily Bruin.

​More info coming soon...