Yokogawa and Rice WaTER Institute Partner on Autonomous Water Treatment

Yokogawa Corporation of America
Rice University

 
HOUSTON – (Nov. 14, 2024) – Yokogawa Corporation of America and the Water Technologies Entrepreneurship and Research (WaTER) Institute at Rice University announced today a new partnership in support of modular autonomous water treatment and reuse processes.
 

(Left to Right) Eric Willman, executive director of the Rice WaTER Institute and the Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT); Kevin McMillen, chief executive and global vice president of Yokogawa Corporation of America; Qilin Li, professor of civil and environmental engineering and co-director of the NEWT Center; Pedro Alvarez, Rice University’s George R. Brown Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering; and Steve Hayden, industry director of Yokogawa Corporation of America.
(Credit: Yokogawa Corporation of America)
 

The agreement will leverage the complementary expertise and unique capabilities of both partners, officials said. The WaTER Institute has researched and developed modular treatment solutions while Yokogawa is implementing system control and automation. The integration of these approaches sets the stage for more widespread adoption of autonomous water treatment processes.

“The agreement is mutually beneficial, providing Rice students with opportunities to engage in educational and research initiatives driven by real-world needs,” said Eric Willman, executive director of the WaTER Institute. “This practical experience will enhance their knowledge and skills, equipping them with the ability to shape a better future through entrepreneurship, research, and advocacy.”

Yokogawa and Rice plan to develop a consortium of organizations and institutions based on a shared commitment to implement safe, secure and sustainable water solutions in support of the United Nations’ sustainable development goal to “ensure available and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.” Prospective partners would provide experience and practical insights on economic assessment, community outreach, market research, laboratory analysis, industry approvals, manufacturing, and commercialization.

“Partnering with Rice will provide us with access to real-time operational data for analysis,” said Steve Hayden, Industry Director of Yokogawa Corporation of America. “The open, transparent market insights and technology validation will enable us to expeditiously bring the benefits of the technology to the industry. In addition, partnering in workforce development will provide Rice students with placement opportunities in a range of organizations.”

The partnership is guided by the vision of bringing together a diverse coalition of collaborators, shaping a framework for the consortium, and establishing guiding principles and priority tasks for the first year of operations, including determining funding sources, selecting a leadership team, and securing executive sponsorship.

Launched earlier this year, the Rice WaTER Institute leads cutting-edge, multidisciplinary research and technological innovation focusing on three key areas: public health, energy transitions, and resilient infrastructure. 

About Rice
Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of architecture, business, continuing studies, engineering, humanities, music, natural sciences and social sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 4,574 undergraduates and 3,982 graduate students, Rice’s undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction, No. 2 for best-run colleges, and No. 12 for quality of life by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.

About Yokogawa
Yokogawa provides advanced solutions in the areas of measurement, control, and information to customers across a broad range of industries, including energy, chemicals, materials, pharmaceuticals, and food. Yokogawa addresses customer issues regarding the optimization of production, assets, and the supply chain with the effective application of digital technologies, enabling the transition to autonomous operations.

Founded in Tokyo in 1915, Yokogawa continues to work toward a sustainable society through its 17,000+ employees in a global network of 126 companies spanning 60 countries. For more information, visit www.yokogawa.com.

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