Provost Recognizes Three Engineers
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The UA Office of the Provost selected three engineering faculty members for 2020 university-wide awards, which recognize excellence in research, teaching and outreach.
Vicky Karanikola Early Career Scholar
An assistant professor in chemical and environmental engineering, Karanikola researches water purification, particularly in the context of indigenous nations. She also collaborates with IndigeFEWSS, a program that addresses challenges faced by indigenous communities, and Engineers Without Borders, an organization that partners with disadvantaged communities to help residents meet their basic human needs.
Jonathan Sprinkle Distinguished Scholar
Sprinkle, the Litton Industries John M. Leonis Distinguished Associate Professor of electrical and computer engineering, is currently researching autonomous vehicles at the traffic system – rather than the individual car – level. He also co-founded the CAT Vehicle Research Experience for Undergraduates, which provides students across the country a chance to work with the Cognitive and Autonomous Test vehicle.
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Ricardo Valerdi Distinguished Outreach Faculty
Valerdi is a professor of systems and industrial engineering and faculty athletics representative for the PAC-12 and NCAA. He also founded the Science of Sport program, which has engaged more than 300,000 children in STEM activities through athletics. Valerdi has developed programs for 12 major league baseball teams, three NBA teams and four major league soccer teams.
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ARIZONA ENGINEER
Mikah Inkawhich, a graduate student in environmental engineering and civil and architectural engineering and mechanics, and Kerri Hickenbottom, assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering, are among researchers working on the desalination system,
Team Harnesses the Sun to Purify Concentrated Waste Streams
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REVERSE OSMOSIS IS one of the most common methods for purifying saline water, but the process produces limited results. About 20% to 50% of the water that enters the system remains as a concentrated waste stream. There are several methods for handling concentrate streams, but most are expensive, time consuming and energy intensive. A team of UA engineers and scientists is developing a solar-powered desalination system to more efficiently recover water from concentrated waste streams. The work is funded by $500,000 from the Department of Energy’s Rapid Advancement in Process Intensification Deployment manufacturing institute.
Hickenbottom’s work also includes exploring the water-energy nexus in data centers.
The system combines several types of technologies, including concentrated solar power, photovoltaics and membrane distillation. The process uses less energy at a lower cost than existing methods. It could provide more water for resource-scarce inland regions, like in Arizona, and can stand alone in off-grid areas, such as on tribal lands. “We can double the energy efficiency compared to existing thermal desalination systems,” said Kerri Hickenbottom, assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering and principal investigator for the project.
“We can double the energy efficiency compared to existing thermal desalination systems,” KERRI HICKENBOTTOM assistant professor, chemical & environmental engineering
Andrea Achilli, also an assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering, and Robert Norwood, a professor in the James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences, are involved with the research. The project reflects the UA’s 2020 designation in the Academic Ranking of World Universities as No. 1 in the United States and No. 2 globally in the category of water resources.
