Osmosis Engineering

Dr. Nidal Hilal is a Professor of Engineering and Director of NYU Abu Dhabi Water Research Center. He is a Chartered Engineer in the United Kingdom (CEng), a registered European Engineer (Euro Ing), an elected Fellow of both the Institution of Chemical Engineers (FIChemE), and the Learned Society of Wales (FLSW). He received his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering in 1981 followed by a master's degree in advanced chemical engineering from Swansea University in 1986. He received his PhD degree from Swansea University in 1988. In 2005 he was awarded a Senior Doctorate, Doctor of Science degree (DSc), from the University of Wales in recognition of an outstanding research contribution in the fields Water Processing including Desalination and Membrane Science and Technology. He was also awarded, by the Emir of Kuwait, the prestigious Kuwait Prize (Kuwait Medal) of Applied Science for the year 2005 and Menelaus Medal 2020, by the Learned Society of Wales, for excellence in engineering and technology. His research interests lie broadly in the identification of innovative and cost-effective solutions within the fields of nano-water, membrane technology, and water treatment, including desalination, colloid engineering and the nano-engineering applications of AFM. He has published 8 handbooks, 82 invited book chapters, and around 500 articles in the refereed scientific literature. He has chaired and delivered lectures at numerous international conferences and prestigious organizations around the world. Nidal sits on the editorial boards of a number of international journals, is an advisory board member of several multinational organizations, and has served on/consulted for industry, government departments, research councils, and universities on an international basis.

Professor Ahmad Fauzi bin Ismail is the Founding Director of the Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), UTM. He earned his Ph.D. in Chemical and Process Engineering from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom, under the Commonwealth Academic Staff Scholarship. Prof. Fauzi is the recipient of more than 200 prestigious national and international awards. Among his most notable accolades are the Mustafa Prize Award / (OIC/Muslim Nobel Prize) 2023 (the first Malaysian to receive the Award), The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) Prize in Engineering Sciences 2019, Merdeka Award 2014, Malaysian Toray Science & Technology Foundation Award 2013, and three consecutive Malaysia’s Rising Star Awards (2016–2018), Malaysian Young Scientist Award, 2001. He also received the ASEAN Young Scientist and Technologist Award 2000 and the Elsevier Groundbreaking Research Award, 2025.

Professor Mohamed Khayett is a world leading expert on membrane science and technology (membrane design and fabrication, membrane processes, emerging technologies), renewable energy applications (solar thermal and photovoltaic energy), nanocomposites, nanofibres and nanofluids among others. He is a co-editor of Journal Desalination.

Dr. Daniel Johnson is a researcher in the characterisation and development of membranes for water treatment, surface forces, osmometry and water treatment using membrane osmosis based processes.