Water: Engineering the World’s Most Vital Resource
Explore water engineering milestones, challenges, and innovations throughout history to secure a sustainable water future. Topics include purification, desalination, and resource recovery.
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Course Description
- Trace the milestone revolutions in water engineering, understanding how historical practices evolved into modern water infrastructure.
- Comprehend the intricacies of water conveyance, purification, and treatment, giving them insights into the importance of water in civilization.
- Recognize the challenges and solutions in desalination, water reclamation, resource recovery, and addressing contaminants, preparing them for future water-related endeavors.
- Appreciate the innovations and advances in water engineering, reinforcing the importance of preserving and managing this crucial resource.
What You Will Learn
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
Analyze the historical milestones in water engineering, from its early revolutions to innovations addressing waterborne diseases.
Understand the significance of water, its applications, and the paramount importance of its sustainable use.
Evaluate the environmental and public health impacts of untreated wastewater, appreciating the role of biology in mitigating these challenges.
Anticipate the future challenges and opportunities in water engineering, including sustainable management strategies and defenses against emerging threats.
Course Outline
Module 1: Introduction to our dependence on water
Module 2: First revolution In water engineering: Water conveyance
Module 3: Second revolution in water engineering: Drinking water purification
Module 4: Third revolution In water engineering: Wastewater treatment
Module 5: Water engineering today: The next frontiers
Instructors
Ngai Yin Yip and his research team are advancing technologies to address challenges at the nexus of water, energy, and the environment. The lab is currently developing new materials and methods for energy efficient desalination, investigating a novel membrane-based technique to harness low-grade heat, and exploring innovative physicochemical strategies for resource recovery from waste streams.
Professor Yip received his Ph.D., M.S., and M.Ph. in Chemical and Environmental Engineering from Yale University, and B.Eng. in Civil and Environmental Engineering (Minor in Business Administration) from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Please note that there are no instructors or course assistants actively monitoring this course.