EVENING of THURSDAY, MAY 20th & ALL DAY FRIDAY, MAY 21st

Events both days will take place in MIT Kirsch Auditorium
Stata Center, 32-123, 32 Vassar St. Cambridge, MA

THURSDAY MAY 20 EVENING
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

PUBLIC KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Charles Duhigg
New York Times Reporter and author of “Toxic Waters”

FRIDAY MAY 21 MORNING SESSION
9:00 am to 12:30 PM

OPENING REMARKS

Susan Hockfield
President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

WATER PROBLEMS & WORKSHOP AIMS

Presentations on Current and Future research in the Schools: Architecture & Planning; Engineering; Humanities and Social Sciences; Science; Sloan. Each presentation will address the following questions:

1. What research projects, academic programs, and agenda do you and colleagues in your School have that relate to water as a critical resource?

2. What do you see as critical water challenges in the coming decades?

3. How does your work connect with other Schools? At the Institute and institutions outside MIT?

4. What new expertise and resources do you need to invigorate the activities (e.g., faculty hires, seed funding, etc.)?

FRIDAY MAY 21 LUNCH SESSIONS
12:30 pM to 2:00 PM

BREAK-OUT SESSIONS ON:

1. Water in Metropolitan Landscape Design and Regional Environmental Planning

a. Historical analysis of water in human settlements
b. New technologies for metropolitan landscape design (e.g., constructed wetlands in ecosystem restoration, waste water treatment, and land reclamation)
c. Expanding the range of choice among design adaptations to climate change, sea level rise, and large-scale ecosystem change.
d. Comparative analysis of water policy conflicts and innovations in the U.S., Middle East, and South Asia

2. Water Technology, Engineering, and Innovation

a. Membranes in water purification
b. Leak detection in water distribution systems
c. Nanostructure surfaces and coating in water systems
d. Desalination technology
e. Clean water and sanitation for the developing world (and “off-the-grid”)

3. Scientific Problems in Water

a. Climate change and water cycle response
b. Water-energy nexus
c. Hydrologic sciences and sensor systems
d. Water, contamination, and human health

4. Water Policy, Economics, and Business

a. Water conflict and negotiation
b. Water valuation
c. Water and food security
d. Water and business

5. MIT’s Water Footprint

FRIDAY MAY 21 AFTERNOON
2:00 PM to 5:00 PM

CROSS-CUTTING PANELS ON:

Water - Energy - Food Nexus

Water, Sanitation, Heath and Technology

Climate, Hydrology, Risk, and Adjustment

Scaling and Diffusion of Water Solutions