Events

On 18 December, KCL-STAR lab hosted an international workshop on solar water technologies for sustainability and resilience at King’s College London’s Strand Campus, organized by Dr Wei He. The event brought together researchers, academics, and industry experts from Africa, India, and Europe, as well as an editor from Nature Water to tackle global water challenges. Presenters explored everything from thermal and electrochemical desalination, atmospheric water harvesting to water reclamation, aiming to merge groundbreaking lab discoveries with real-world applications.

One highlight was the call for stronger connections between fundamental research and actual community needs. Speakers shared innovative ways to capture and use solar energy for cost-effective desalination, showcased new materials for efficient water treatment, and examined how local policy and economic factors can speed or slow adoption in places like Nigeria and India. There was a special focus on capacity-building, particularly for African researchers, with advice on publishing in leading journals such as Nature Water to boost both research impact and global collaboration.

The workshop wrapped up with a laid-back conversation about where to go next, including sharing data, teaming up on new research, testing ideas in the real world, and a planning follow-up workshop likely in Germany in 2025. It is exciting to end the year of 2024 with possibilities for building stronger links between Europe, Africa, and India—anything to tackle water shortages and inequality together.

The workshop was funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering [grant number RF\201819\18\89].