Smallholder Farming: Strategies for Sustainability and Resilience

Smallholder farmers face numerous risks to their agricultural productivity around the world. The challenges they encounter can vary by region, and can include soil nutrient levels and fertilizer access, water supply, pricing and financing, and supply chain issues, among others. Join J-WAFS to learn about a few of the solutions being developed here to support these farmers. These strategies—affordable soil sensors, novel business models, and even a redesigned tractor—could provide avenues for sustainability and resilience for smallholder farmers around the world.

Event Organizer: J-WAFS
Date: Friday, February 8th, 3:00 - 4:30 PM
Location: 6-120, MIT

MIT Water Innovation Prize Final Pitch Night

The Final Pitch Event of the MIT Water Innovation Prize will be on April 18th from 6:00pm at the MIT Media Lab 6th Floor (E14-648, 75 Amherst Street, Cambridge). Come hear student entrepreneurs who are solving global water issues pitch for $30k in grant funding!

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club
Date: April 18th, 2019
Location: MIT Media Lab

Climate change and food security in the Asia-Pacific: Response and resilience 

Climate change is putting a large strain on food production, and that pressure is on track to increase. Join J-WAFS visiting scholar Md. Saidul Islam from Nanyang Technological University Singapore to discuss the regional initiatives being implemented in the Asia-Pacific to ensure resilient food supplies as the region prepares for various possible climate futures.

Event Organizer: J-WAFS
Date: Tuesday, December 4th, 2:30 - 3:30 PM
Location: 66-360, MIT

Rabobank-MIT Food & Agribusiness Innovation Prize Kickoff Dinner

The Rabobank-MIT Food & Agribusiness Innovation Prize, sponsored by Rabobank and supported by MIT J-WAFS and the MIT Food and Agriculture Club, is a premier business-plan competition for university and graduate students. Join us November 15th for the kickoff dinner!

Event Organizer: MIT Food and Agriculture Club
Date: November 15 6:00 PM
Location: 62-223, MIT

2019 Water Innovation Prize Kickoff Dinner

RSVP now to join MIT Water Club for an evening of food, fun and education as we celebrate the launch of 2019 MIT Water Innovation Prize with a roomful of industry leading investors, researchers, multinational corporations and startups.

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club
Date: November 15 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Location: MIT Media Lab

MIT Water Summit 2018: Thirsty Cities

Attend the MIT Water Summit for the opportunity to meet and hear from top people in the water sector. This year’s MIT Water Summit brings together representatives of industry, academia, government, and NGOs to reflect upon the unique water challenges facing cities from around the globe.

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club
Date: November 15-16
Location: Wong Auditorium, MIT

Urban food security in the age of vulnerability: The Singapore story 

Join visiting scholar Md. Saidul Islam from Nanyang Technological University Singapore for the second event in his guest lecture series. As the world's population grows, urban food security is becoming an extremely prevalent issue. Come hear Professor Islam address these issues in Singapore, as well as the strategies used to combat them.

Event Organizer: J-WAFS
Date: Wednesday, November 14th, 2:30 - 3:30 PM
Location: 66-360, MIT

Toward sustainable seafood: The limits and possibilities of aquaculture certification

Join visiting scholar Md. Saidul Islam from Nanyang Technological University Singapore for the first event in his guest lecture series. Save the date to learn about the sustainable seafood, the “blue revolution” and it’s numerous environmental and social implications.

Event Organizer: J-WAFS
Date: Wednesday, October 31st, 2:30 - 3:30 PM
Location: 66-360, MIT

The Water-Energy-Food Nexus in India

At this lecture, co-sponsored by J-WAFS, 2012 World Food Prize Recipient Dr. Mukeerji will discuss the unsustainable agriculture, groundwater, and electricity nexus in India. She will cover the interconnectedness of these three sectors, and how specific policy approaches can provide beneficial, sustainable solutions.

Event Organizer: Co-sponsored by J-WAFS and KSG
Date: Monday, October 22nd, 2:30 - 4:00 PM
Location: Nye Conference Center, Room A, Taubman 5th Floor, Harvard Kennedy School

J-WAFS Research Workshop (by invitation only)

The annual J-WAFS Research Workshop features presentations by currently funded J-WAFS principal investigators and their research teams. These project reports occur at all stages of the research process and include goals as well as outcomes of research conducted from 2016 – 2018, including project overviews by new PIs with funding beginning in September, 2018.

Event Organizer: J-WAFS
Date: September 14, 2018 and September 28, 2018 (contact arsutton@mit.edu for more info)
Location: Samberg Center

Climate Change, Agriculture, Water and Food Security: What We Know and Don't Know

This MIT Abdul Latif Jameel World Water and Food Security Lab is a two-day workshop focused on the expert review of the current understanding of possible impacts of climate change on agriculture and food security. Both climate’s impact on agriculture and agriculture’s impact on climate will be considered, including changes to water availability, changes to food crop productivity, and changes in GHG emissions driven by food production.

Event Organizer: J-WAFS
Date: May 8-9, 2018
Location: MIT Endicott House

J-WAFS IAP Seminar: Water Management for Future Climate Scenarios

Water quality and water supply reliability are challenged by climate change in ways that affect livelihoods and ecosystems alike. In fact, climate’s influence on water can already be seen through declining groundwater recharge; increased sedimentation and water contamination; intensified droughts, as well as many other indicators. While examples of these challenges manifest at an increasing rate across the globe, demand for water rises as well. Given the short- and long-term uncertainty—and the regional-differences—in ways climate affects water systems, what is to be done? Join J-WAFS for a panel that features research by MIT graduate students and postdocs that addresses this challenging water management issue.

Event Organizer: J-WAFS
Date: Jan. 31, 3:30 - 5:00 PM
Location: MIT Wong Auditorium

MIT Water Summit 2017: Food-Water Nexus

Save the date for the MIT Water Summit 2017: Food-Water Nexus.  Here, panelists and keynote speakers from academia, government, industry, and other sectors will reflect on the role of water in food production—both in agriculture and aquaculture—and the innovation, policy, and technologies required to support healthy and sustainable communities.  Keynote talks from Professor Chandra Madramootoo (McGill Water Innovation Lab), Rajiv Singh (CEO of Rabobank North America), and Christopher Briggs (Executive Director of the Water Footprint Network) will be featured.  Panelists will include water sector thought leaders such as Liese Dallbauman (PepsiCo), Steve Winnett (EPA), Steven Schonberger (World Bank), Eliza Roberts (Ceres), and more.  Tickets are required; attendees will receive 25% off for tickets purchased by October 24.

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club
Date: Nov. 6 - 7th
Location: MIT Wong Auditorium

MIT Water Innovation Prize Kickoff Dinner

The kickoff dinner for the 2017 MIT Water Innovation Prize will be on Oct. 23rd at MIT.  Attendees can learn more about water innovation, pitch ideas, or network with others to find teammates for a future water innovation team.  The dinner will include invited speakers who will discuss the world's water challenges and new innovations to address them.  Registration required.

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club
Date: Oct. 23rd, 6 PM
Location: MIT Media Lab (E14, 6th Floor)

Seventh Annual John H. Carlson Lecture with Susan Solomon: A Brief History of Environmental Successes

Join Susan Solomon, MIT's Lee and Geraldine Martin Professor of Environmental Studies, for a lecture at the New England Aquarium. Here, she will reveal how combinations of science, public policy, industry participation, and the engagement of citizens have succeeded in addressing past environmental challenges. She will use these to probe how the lessons learned help us understand how to better manage today’s environmental problems, including climate change. The John Carlson Lecture communicates exciting new results in climate science to the general public. Event is free of charge and open to the general public. Registration is required

Event Organizer: Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences and New England Aquarium
Date: Oct. 26th, 7 - 9:00 PM
Location: New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf, Boston, MA

7th Annual Babson Food Day

The Babson Food Day showcases the methodology of Entrepreneurial Thought & Action® as both a tool and a mindset to positively influence how eaters think about, select, and consume food, and how entrepreneurs learn, connect dots and build on their visions.

Event Organizer: The Lewis Institute at Babson College
Date: Oct. 18th, 3 - 7 PM
Location: Babson College, 231 Forest Street, Babson Park, MA

The Technology and Policy of Water Resource Development and Management in the Middle East: Lessons from the Front Line

Join the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change for a lecture about water resource development and management in the Middle East by experts working on these issues on the ground. The lecture will be given by Dr. Vahid Alavian, former WB water advisor and ;eader of the RED-DEAD project on the Jordon River, and Dr. Barbara Miller, former WB Nile basin expert and the co-primer mover of the Nile Basin Initiative.

Event Organizer: Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change
Date: May 23rd, 1 - 2:30 PM
Location: MIT Room E19-439, 50 Ames Street (or 400 Main Street), Cambridge, MA

“Food Evolution” Film Screening and Q&A with the MIT Food and Agriculture Club

Join the MIT Food and Agriculture Club for an MIT screening of Academy Award®-nominated director Scott Hamilton Kennedy's documentary film, "Food Evolution". Narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson, "Food Evolution" is set amidst a brutally polarized debate marked by fear, distrust and confusion: the controversy surrounding GMOs and food. Traveling from Hawaiian papaya groves, to banana farms in Uganda to the cornfields of Iowa, “Food Evolution" wrestles with the emotions and the evidence driving one of the most heated arguments of our time. The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with Sir Richard Roberts, a Nobel laureate who has written and spoken widely on the topic of GM foods.

Event Organizer: MIT Food and Agriculture Club (sponsored by J-WAFS)
Date: May 10th, 6 – 8 PM
Location: MIT Room 3-133
More info and RSVP

Rabobank-MIT Food and Agribusiness Innovation Prize award ceremony

Join us on May 2nd for the final pitch event and award ceremony of the second annual Rabobank-MIT Food and Agribusiness Innovation Prize. The prize is sponsored by Rabobank and supported by MIT J-WAFS and the MIT Food and Agriculture Club, and is a premier business-plan student competition. The student finalist teams will pitch their business plans to compete for $25,000 in prize money, RaboResearch advisory support, introductions to Rabobank global offices and corporates in Rabobank’s network, airfare to and participation in Rabobank’s F&A Next event in Holland, and other in-kind and start-up support services throughout the year.

Admission is free but RSVP is required. There will be a reception following the pitches and judges’ awards. For more information about the Prize, visit the MIT Food and Agriculture Club website.

Event Organizer: MIT Food and Agriculture Club (sponsored by J-WAFS and Rabobank)
Date: May 2nd, 7 – 10 PM
Location: MIT Samberg Conference Center, E52, 6th floor
More info and registration

MIT Water Innovation Prize final pitch night

On Monday, May 1st, watch finalists compete in the MIT Water Innovation Prize for their chance to win up to $30,000 in innovation grants. This prize is organized by the MIT Water Club and supported by J-WAFS along with other corporate sponsors. The finalist teams will pitch innovations that address the world’s water challenges. Attendees will join for dinner, the pitches, and keynote addresses by Mark Duey, Latin America Regional Director at Water for People, and Keri Waters, Co-Founder and CEO of Calliope.

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club with sponsors (including J-WAFS)
Date: May 1st, 6 – 9 PM (Dinner at 6, pitches at 6:30 PM)
Location: MIT Media Lab, 6th Floor (75 Amherst Street, Cambridge, MA)
More info and registration

Scaling Development Ventures

The 2017 Scaling Development Ventures conference brings together MIT entrepreneurs, faculty, staff, and members of the developing world entrepreneurship ecosystem for conversations on scaling impact ventures, ethics, fundraising, taking ideas from lab to factory, and collective problem solving. Teju Ravilochan, co-founder and CEO of the Unreasonable Institute, will be the keynote speaker. Networking opportunities include the Lunch & MIT Social Venture Showcase from 12:00-1:30 PM and the Networking Reception from 5:30-6:30 PM.

Event Organizer:  MIT Legatum, MIT D-Lab, MIT Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center, MIT Media Lab, MIT Practical Impact Alliance, International Development Innovation Network, Comprehensive Initiative on Technology Evaluation, and Radius
Date: April 28th, 8:30 AM-6:30 PM
Location: MIT Media Lab, 6th Floor (MIT Building E14)
More info and registration

MIT Sustainability Summit

The 2017 MIT Sustainability Summit: Funding the Future challenges conventional investment actors – from seed venture capital to public capital markets – to innovate and explore the rise of unconventional actors and financing mechanisms. With a theme of “Funding the Future,” the conference focuses on transitioning to a more sustainable future by linking finance to tackle climate change, water scarcity and food security. Some of the questions the conference will delve into revolve around: Why does sustainability matter in finance? What are the industry specific challenges and solutions in sustainable finance? How to measure sustainability? The Summit will feature speakers from Generation, TPG, BlackRock, Root Capital, Sustainalytics, and Acción, as well as distinguished professors from MIT and Harvard Business School.

Event Organizer:  Sustainability Summit
Date: April 28th
Location: MIT Building E52 - Samberg Conference Center
RSVP

Seeds of Disruption: How Food Technology Will Save the Planet

As populations and incomes rise, the world faces a mounting challenge in supporting a projected 9.5 billion people by 2050 while keeping climate change in check. In this talk, Bruce Friedrich, Executive Director of the Good Food Institute, will discuss why animal protein alternatives are gaining popularity with the biggest tech investors in Silicon Valley; how slaughter-free meat grown in a brewery will change how the world eats; and why the future of protein is directly linked to the future of the planet itself.

Event Organizer:  MIT Food and Agriculture Club
Date: April 27th, 5-6 PM
Location: MIT Building 3 – Room 163 (First Floor)
RSVP

Lecture: Speciation and Biogeochemical Cycling of Arsenic in a Minerotrophic Peat Wetland

Organic-rich sediments often contain high levels of arsenic, a potentially toxic and cancerogenic trace element, which can be released into groundwater or surface water. While the presence and effect of arsenic has been extensively studied in mineral soils, hydrothermal environments, and groundwater aquifers, much less is known about its effect on and in peat wetland ecosystems. In this lecture, Ruben Kretzschmar – Professor of Soil Chemistry at the Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich – will present his research on arsenic in one minerotrophic peatland in southern Switzerland. In addition to his findings, the possible implications for arsenic cycling in wetland systems overall will be discussed. This lecture will be hosted by Lydia Bourouiba and Benjamin Kocar, both Assistant Professors of Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT.

Event Organizer:  MIT Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Date: Monday April 10th, 5pm (pre-lecture reception: 4:30pm)
Location: 1-190
View poster

CEE and J-WAFS Water and Food Security Seminar: Frontiers in Groundwater Irrigation

Presented by Chandra A. Madramootoo (visiting professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), and visiting scholar, J-WAFS), the purpose of this seminar series is to provide senior undergraduate and graduate students in CEE, as well as other MIT graduate students, with a background on some of the challenges of global food security, particularly in relation to issues around water management engineering and agro-ecologic conditions.

The third and final seminar, titled "Frontiers in Groundwater Irrigation," will be held in Room 1-242, 12pm-2pm.

Event Organizer: Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE) and J-WAFS
Date: Thursday April 6, noon-2pm
Location: Room 1-242
More Info on the seminar series
View seminar poster

Talk: Hidden Linkages between Urbanization and Food Systems: Chinese and Global Transitions

From croplands to landfills, urban systems co-evolve with food systems. Rapidly urbanizing regions must systematically contend with agricultural land loss, increased meat consumption, diet diversification, and shifting patterns of food access and storage. Guest speaker Karen Seto - Associate Dean of Research, Director of Doctoral Studies, and a Professor of Geography and Urbanization Science at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies - will join for a joint Environmental Policy and Planning (EPP) / Sam Tak Lee (STL) discussion on how urbanization science and urban planning can inform debates over food security and sustainability.

Event Organizer:  MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning: EPP and STL
Date: Thursday April 6th, 3pm
Location: 9-354
Additional information and associated readings
View seminar poster

MIT Water Night

The MIT Water Club's 5th Annual MIT Water Night will be held on March 22nd, World Water Day. Water Night brings together researchers and industry professionals in the Boston area for a research showcase and provides a platform for individuals and groups to present their latest achievements in this field. Individual researchers and groups are invited to submit abstracts for their research poster presentation. Prizes are awarded for the best presentations in each category. Please register for the event in order to participate (whether or not you are presenting). Food and Refreshments will be provided.

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club
Date: Thursday, March 22nd, 5-8 pm
Location: Walker Memorial (Building 50), MIT
To Register

MIT Water Lunch and Learn Series:  Talk by Anna Rogers on the over-extraction from groundwater and earthquakes - Tools for Water Data Recovery, Publication and Collaboration

As part of the MIT Water club's monthly lunch and learn series, this month's seminar will be given by Anna Rogers on her research regarding over-extraction of groundwater in the role of triggering earthquakes.

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club
Date: Tuesday, March 21st, 12-1 pm
Location: Building 5, Room 233
More Info

MIT Water Lecture Series: Talk by Dr. Simon Choong on Young Leaders in the Industry - Introduction to the International Desalination Association's (IDA) Young Leaders Program (YLP)

International Desalination Association’s Young Leaders Program (YLP) allows emerging desalination leaders to connect, advance their careers, and promote interest in desalination around the world. The goals of this exciting initiative are to help promote opportunities in the industry, support career advancement, and provide a forum for communication and the exchange of ideas among young professionals and the industry at large. Come join Simon Choong, the Regional Coordinator in North America, to learn more about the opportunities with YLP.

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club
Date: Thursday, March 9th, 4-5 pm
Location: Building 4, Room 231
More Info

CEE and J-WAFS Water and Food Security Seminar: Big Data and Digital Agriculture Platforms

Presented by Chandra A. Madramootoo (visiting professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), and visiting scholar, J-WAFS), the purpose of this seminar series is to provide senior undergraduate and graduate students in CEE, as well as other MIT graduate students, with a background on some of the challenges of global food security, particularly in relation to issues around water management engineering and agro-ecologic conditions.

The second seminar in the Spring 2017 series, titled "Big Data and Digital Agriculture Platforms," will be held in Room 1-242, 12pm-2pm.

Event Organizer: Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE) and J-WAFS
Date: Thursday March 9, noon-2pm
Location: Room 1-242
More Info about the seminar series
View seminar poster

Dr. Joanne Kong, Food for Thought: How a Greener Diet Can Transform you and the Planet

Dr. Joanne Kong has been praised throughout the country as an advocate for plant-based nutrition, centered ethically in raising awareness that greater compassion for animals and our planet is vitally necessary for transformative growth and positive world change. This presentation addresses the critical impacts that animal agriculture and meat consumption have upon the environment, the sustainability of our plant, and our health. Going greener with your diet is an opportunity to become more consciously aware of our choices and connections to the world around us, and create powerful, positive change. Dr. Kong has given recent presentations at Yale University, Tufts University, Ohio State University and Virginia Commonwealth University.

Event Organizer: MIT Sloan School of Management, Sustainability Initiative (co-hosted with Net Impact)
Date: Thursday, March 9, 11:45am - 12:45pm
Location: Room E62-250 (100 Main St, Cambridge MA)
RSVP and More Info

Professor Ashok Gadgil: Inventing environmental technologies for the bottom of the pyramid: some lessons learnt

The “bottom of the pyramid” is the largest and poorest socioeconomic group on the planet – billions of individuals who make less than USD 2.50 per day. Many grave problems faced by this population have technological solutions, but while the science is universal, specific technologies and their social placement are commonly quite different from what is applicable in the first world. Prof. Gadgil has a successful history of work in this area. In this seminar he will describe his approach and illustrate it with some of his work towards providing safe drinking water to this population.

Event Sponsor: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the C.C. Mei Fund, MIT
Organizer: Prof. Lydia Bourouiba (lbouro@mit.edu)
Date: Monday, March 6, 5:00 pm; Pre-lecture reception at 4:30 pm
Location: Room 1-190
More info about this series

MIT Water Lecture Series: Workshop by CUAHSI

Cutting edge research surrounding interdisciplinary topics such as the food-energy-water nexus requires a combination of finding, managing, and analyzing data from multiple sources. This challenge has led the National Science Foundation to make strategic investments in developing community data tools that focus on water data because it is a central need for many of these research topics. CUAHSI (The Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc.) is a non-profit organization funded by the National Science Foundation to aid students, researchers and educators in using and managing data to support their research in water resources.

Tools for Water Data Recovery, Publication and Collaboration: This hands-on workshop will demonstrate data tools and resources that are available through the CUAHSI community that could help students, researchers, and educators discover new data, publish data, or collaborate with others around data and models. Participants will be guided through an activity that uses CUAHSI-supported tools and focuses on one water and energy related case study.

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club
Date: Tuesday, March 2nd, 5-7 pm
Location: Building 4, Room 231
More Info
Sign up here

CEE and J-WAFS Water and Food Security Seminar: An Irrigation Grand Challenge

Presented by Chandra A. Madramootoo (visiting professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), and visiting scholar, J-WAFS), the purpose of this seminar series is to provide senior undergraduate and graduate students in CEE, as well as other MIT graduate students, with a background on some of the challenges of global food security, particularly in relation to issues around water management engineering and agro-ecologic conditions.

The first seminar in the Spring 2017 series, titled "An Irrigation Grand Challenge: Salt management and drainage water disposal in irrigated areas," will be held in Room 1-242, 12pm-2pm.

Event Organizer: Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE) and J-WAFS
Date: Thursday February 23, noon-2pm
Location: Room 1-242
More Info on seminar series
View seminar poster

MIT IDEAS Generator Dinner

Working on a project that will contribute to a better world? Want to recruit new team members? Want to get involved, but don't yet have an idea? The IDEAS Generator Dinner is one of the best venues to find a team to join, pitch your idea, network, and recruit teammates. With the last chance to enter the MIT IDEAS Global Challenge just a few weeks away (March 2, 2017), get started at this event.  Learn more and register HERE.

Event Organizer: MIT Division of Student Life - IDEAS Global Challenge
Date: Thursday February 16, 7-9pm
Location: MIT Stratton Student Center, (W20) Lobdell, 2nd Floor (84 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge)
More Info

Visit with Xylem Inc. – Research Pitch and Mixer

Xylem Inc., a leading global water technology company with operations in more than 150 countries, J-WAFS' first corporate research affiliate, and one of the MIT Water Club's largest industrial sponsors and collaborators, is visiting the MIT campus on February 8th, and is interested in meeting with MIT students working on water research. The visit will involve a five minute research pitch by each student attendee, as well as a presentation by the Xylem team about their work, followed by a catered mixer.

If you would like to attend and showcase your water research, please fill out this form. More information will be provided to you shortly.

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club
Date: Wednesday February 8, 3:30-5:30pm
Location: TBD
More Info to come

MIT Water Lecture Series presents Professor Lars Montelius

Professor Lars Montelius, who is the CEO of the International Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) in Braga, Portugal, will speak on entrepreneurship opportunities and challenges as the nexus of the water and nano spaces. Prof. Montelius is a co-founder of eight different nano companies, one of which focused directly on water purification. The INL offers scientists with an interest in water an opportunity to prototype and commercialize their technologies using its facilities.

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club
Date: Tuesday February 7, 5-6pm
Location: Building 4, Room 265
More Info

ESI presents 2nd Annual Hackathon for Climate

The Environmental Solutions Initiative at MIT and Conservation International are teaming up for this year's Hackathon for Climate, where minds from across MIT come together to brainstorm, propose, and develop nature-based solutions to climate change.Teams can choose to problem-solve in one of three themes:

1. Hacking the material world: minerals and the environmental consequences of extraction, acquisition, processing and distribution
2. Hacking the digital world: environmental implications of digital things including data centers and the generation, storage, distribution, and consumption of information
3. Open track: for that groundbreaking idea you've been waiting to explore

All MIT students, faculty, alumni, and staff are welcome (MIT community only).  Registration is required, and ends January 20th.

Event Organizers:  MIT ESI and Conservation International
Date: Friday, January 27th, 8:30 am - 5:30 pm
Location: MIT Building E52
More Info and Registration

NEWEA 2017 Annual Conference & Exhibit

The New England Water Environment Association has always been recognized to convene the brightest minds and the most innovative water quality solutions in one place. These are the people who impact and improve your everyday life. There is no better demonstration of these influential industry leaders than at NEWEA’s Annual Conference. This prestigious conference, which consistently attracts over 2000 engineers, consultants, scientists, operators and students features a variety of technical sessions and over 200 exhibitor displays. The conference provides an opportunity for professional exchange of information and state-of-the-art concepts in wastewater treatment and other water environment issues. The NEWEA Annual Conference is a great forum to meet colleagues, professional allies, make new friends and exchange information.

Event Organizer:  NEWEA
Date: January 22 – 25, 2017
Location: Boston Marriott Copley Place, Boston, MA
More Info and Registration

Future of water: 2017

Join the New England Water Innovation Network on January 12th for a panel discussion with leaders from water-investment, water-policy, water-technology and water-services to discuss the Future of Water: 2017. President-elect Donald Trump has outlined a twenty-eight point 100-day action plan to Make America Great Again, reinforcing that his plan will restore honesty, accountability and change to the US political system. Some of these points are directly related to the future of investment in water-innovation and water-infrastructure. On January 21st 2017, the Trump administration will begin actions to protect American workers and to introduce and drive passage of broader legislative measures. Join NEWIN as they discuss the details of what, who, how and when.

Event Organizer: CIC Boston, NEWIN
Date: January 12, 2017, 5:00-7:30pm
Location: CIC, 50 Milk Street, Boston, MA 02109
More Info and tickets

Hult Prize @ MIT - 2017 Challenge

The Hult Prize is the largest student prize focused on social entrepreneurship with each year's award totaling $1M. This year's challenge is focused on the refugee crisis and reawakening human potential. Water and food are of key concern.

This year’s student pitches take place on Wednesday, December 7. Pitches are expected to be roughly six minutes. The winning team will have the opportunity to move into the regional finals in early 2017 in New York, which is an opportunity unique to the MIT pitch event.

Teams need to register by December 5 here:  http://www.hultprizeat.com/mit

Event Organizer:  Hult Prize @ MIT
Date: December 7, 2016
Location: Martin Trust Center, 1 Amherst St., Cambridge, MA
More Info and Registration

NEWIN 2016 Innovator & Innovation Award and Gala

Join the New England Water Innovation Network as it celebrates the hard work and success of the region's water innovation ecosystem with an evening of camaraderie, social and business networking. NEWIN is the New England water industry cluster accelerating water innovation to market and solving global water challenges through local innovation and collaboration.

Event Organizer: J-WAFS and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Date: Dec. 6, 5:30-8:30 pm
Location: Metropolitan Waterworks Museum, Inc., 2450 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02467
More Info

MIT Water and Food Security Student Symposium

This symposium will bring together students at MIT who have an interest in water and food security. Six graduate students from across various programs at MIT will provide a brief overview of their research in water and food security, together with the results and the impact of their findings, along with a discussion with the audience on the issues and potential solutions to the grand challenges in water and food security. A reception will follow.

Event Organizer: J-WAFS and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Date: Nov. 21st
Location: Room 2-139
Speaker list and more Info

MIT Water Summit - Early Bird tickets now available!

Early Bird ticket sales for the fifth annual MIT Water Summit have begun! This year's Summit will delve into the Future of Water Utilities and reflect on how the economic and policy infrastructure needs to evolve to support these changes. Apart from panel discussions featuring eminent personalities from the industry, academia and federal agencies, the Summit will also include a poster presentation session, working groups discussion and technology showcase. If you are interested in participating in any of these or wish to know more about the summit, please follow the links on our webpage! Ticket prices include breakfast, lunch and snacks over both days! This event by the MIT Water Club is sponsored by J-WAFS.

Event Organizer: MIT Water
Date: Nov. 17th & 18th
Location: MIT. Wong Auditorium, Tang Center (E51)
More Info

Generator Dinner for the Rabobank-MIT Food & Agribusiness Innovation Prize

The Rabobank-MIT Food & Agribusiness Innovation Prize, sponsored by Rabobank and supported by MIT J-WAFS and the MIT Food and Agriculture Club, is a premier business-plan competition for university and graduate students. Join us at the Generator Dinner for the Rabobank-MIT Food & Agribusiness Innovation Prize! The Generator Dinner is not a pitch competition, but rather an opportunity for students with ideas to share them and recruit team members, and for those interested in participating in the Prize to find students looking for teammates. All students with interest in the industry are welcome. The event is also open to students from other universities and industry experts from the Boston area.

Event Organizer: MIT Food and Agriculture Club (sponsored by J-WAFS and Rabobank)
Date: Nov. 16th, 6-8 pm
Location: MIT Stratton Student Center - Room W20-307
More Info and registration

MIT Water Innovation Prize (WIP) Kick-off Dinner

The annual MIT WIP will begin with a kick-off dinner where students will pitch their start-up ideas and form teams. Student teams will be mentored by industry veterans to develop a technology-to-road market map. The teams will pitch their business plan and compete for the grand prize in April! This event by the MIT Water Club is sponsored by J-WAFS.

Event Organizer: MIT Water
Date: Oct. 12th, 6:30-8:00 pm
Location: MIT. Silverman Skyline Room, 6th Floor, Media Labs
More Info

MIT IDEAS Generator Dinner

Each fall, the Generator Dinner is a space for students who are interested in innovation, social entrepreneurship, international development, and local public service to come together to brainstorm projects, network, and recruit team members.

Event Organizer: MIT IDEAS
Date: October 6th, 6:45-9:00 pm
Location: Morss Hall, Walker Memorial - 142 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02142
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MIT Water Club Lecture Series: Professor Chandra Madramootoo

Throughout the year, MIT Water Club will be hosting knowledgeable professionals from the water space for engaging talks. On October 6, Chandra Madramootoo, a professor in the Department of Bioresource Engineering at McGill University and a visiting professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT, will present. Professor Madramootoo's areas of expertise include water management, irrigation, drainage, and international agriculture development. For more information about the event, click here. Light refreshments will be served. This event by the MIT Water Club is sponsored by J-WAFS.

Event Organizer: MIT Water
Date: Oct. 6th, 4:30-6:30 pm
Location: MIT Room 4-321 - 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02115.
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MIT Water Club Lecture Series: Jon Pollak

Jon Pollak, Project Manager at CUAHSI will be giving a talk on 'Community Data Tools for Water Science and Education'. Like many fields, Hydrology and the related sciences have experienced a recent proliferation of data and data tools. This has led to innovative research and education that capitalize on these new resources in addition to new requirements from funding agencies like the National Science Foundation. CUAHSI (The Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc.) is a non-profit that receives funding to aid researchers and educators in using and managing data so that they can focus their efforts on doing and teaching science. This lecture will discuss the tools and support that are available through the CUAHSI community that could help you discover new data, publish your data, or collaborate with your colleagues (or students) around data and models. This event by the MIT Water Club is sponsored by J-WAFS.

Event Organizer: MIT Water
Date: Sept. 28th, 4:30-5:30 pm
Location: MIT. Bldg 2, Room 105, Cambridge, MA.
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MIT Water Club Lunch & Learn Series

This month's Lunch & Learn will feature Samantha McBride, who will be talking about how endocrine-disrupting compounds pose a risk to aqueous species. Specifically, this presentation will cover how trenbolone acetate, recently named the "zombie hormone" for it's ability to regenerate in the environment, is transported in soil and water. This event by the MIT Water Club is sponsored by J-WAFS.

Event Organizer: MIT Water
Date: Sept. 25th, noon-1:00 pm
Location: MIT. Bldg 3, Room 442, Cambridge, MA.
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New England Graduate Student Water Symposium: Abstracts Due July 1st

September 9-11, the University of Massachusetts Amherst will host the 2016 Graduate Student Water Symposium. Graduate and undergraduate students are invited to submit abstracts until July 1st. All presentations will be by students but post-docs, alumni, faculty, and industry representatives are welcome to attend!

Event Organizer: University of Massachusetts Amherst
Date: September 9th-11th
Location: The University of Massachusetts. Amherst, MA.
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CEE and J-WAFS Water and Food Security Seminar Series

Presented by Chandra A. Madramootoo (visiting professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), and visiting scholar, J-WAFS), the purpose of this seminar series is to provide senior undergraduate and graduate students in CEE, as well as other MIT graduate students, with a background on some of the challenges of global food security, particularly in relation to issues around water management engineering and agro-ecologic conditions. The first seminar, titled "Water Management for Food Security: Objectives of Water Management in Agriculture," will be held in Room 1-131, 12pm-1pm.

Event Organizer: Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE) and J-WAFS
Date: September 8th, noon-1pm
Location: Room 1-131
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MIT Innovation Initiative: Lab Lunch

On July 22nd, the MIT Innovation Initiative will host a Lab Lunch that is focused broadly on research regarding innovation in food safety. PhD candidates Charley Swofford and John Helferich will be presenting. Swofford is developing a bioassay-based approach to food safety in China that could serve as the basis for holistic regulatory decisions and enable proactive approaches to food quality control. Helferich’s research uses Behavioral Economics and Social Psychology concepts to understand how managers make food safety decisions and how feedback systems might be modified to help such managers make better decisions.

Event Organizer: MIT Innovation Initiative
Date: July 22nd, noon-1:30 pm
Location: MIT. Building E70, 12th Floor. One Broadway, Cambridge, MA.
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MIT Water: Open House Lunch

On May 10th, the MIT Water Club will host a lunch time open house for those interested in joining the MIT Water leadership to give an overview of their activities this past year as well as discuss their plans for the future. Come to meet the MIT Water Club current leadership and learn how you can get involved!

Event Organizer: MIT Water
Date: May 10th, noon-1:00 pm
Location: MIT. Bldg 3, Room 442, Cambridge, MA.
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The State of Hydropower Projects Today: Lessons from the Past for the Course Ahead

Hosted by the Displacement Research and Action Network and co-sponsored by the Abdul Latif Jameel World Water and Food Security Lab, the Department of Civil Engineering, and MISTI Brazil, this workshop will bring together academics, international NGO and community group representatives as well as representatives of international institutions such as World Bank to discuss the state of hydropower projects today. Special consideration will be given to a host of issues including access to energy for all, benefit sharing, and mitigating social and environmental consequences of dam building.

Event Organizer: Displacement Research and Action Network
Date: May 6th, 10:00 am
Location: MIT. Bldg 9, Room 450, Cambridge, MA.
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The New England Food Technology Forum: Research, Innovation and Emerging Companies

On May 5th, the Mass Tech Transfer Center will host the New England Food Technology Forum: Research, Innovation and Emerging Companies, an event that will highlight emerging local food-related companies and showcase recent discoveries in the food technology sector. The agenda for the forum includes a keynote speaker, experts on industry trends and needs, presentations by emerging companies, a poster session and networking reception. Join some of the sector's top investors, thought leaders and companies to discuss the exciting new developments and questions at the intersection of all things food.

Event Organizer: Mass Tech Transfer Center
Date: May 5th, 11:30 am-7:00 pm
Location: The University of Massachusetts Club. One Beacon Street, 32nd Floor, Boston, MA, 02108
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NEWIN's Water Pitch Night

The New England Water and Innovation Network (NEWIN)'s Water Pitch Night is an industry networking and innovation showcase event. Hosted by the MassCEC in downtown Boston, NEWIN provides a platform to highlight the work of leading innovators in our regions water industry. This May 4th, entrepreneurs, academics, technologists and investors are all welcome to join #WaterPitchNight to get a glimpse of local innovation and connect with other water professionals with an evening of water technology pitches and networking. Attendees will also hear a keynote address from Bruce Bishop, the managing director for Veolia Water Technologies.

Event Organizer: Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC)
Date: May 4th, 5:30-7:30 pm
Location: Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. 63 Franklin Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02110
Register: Click here to reserve free ticket
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Rabobank-MIT Food and Agribusiness Innovation Prize: Finalist Presentations and Award Ceremony

This new prize is intended to be the premier food and agribusiness business plan competition for university and graduate students. It is sponsored by Rabobank, a leading institution in agribusiness financing, and is supported by J-WAFS and the MIT Food and Agriculture Club. The two-stage competition will culminate with finalist teams presenting their business plans as they compete to win $25,000 in total prize money.

Event Organizer: MIT Food & Agriculture Club
Date: April 28, 7:00-10:00 pm
Location: MIT, Samberg Center (E52)
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Visiting J-WAFS scholar Dr. Chandra Madramootoo to speak on "Scaling Up Technology Delivery Systems"

On April 28th, Visiting J-WAFS scholar Dr. Chandra Madramootoo will be delivering an address on "Scaling Up Technology Delivery Systems" as part of the Harvard University's Weatherhead Center for International Affairs Workshop on the Sustainability of the World's Food and Farming Systems. The presentation will discuss potential pathways to the scaling up of various crop and water technologies, in order to tackle the challenges of water and food insecurity confronting the world food system.

Event Organizer: The Weatherhead Center for International Affairs
Date: April 28, 4:00-6:00 pm
Location: CGIS South Building, 1730 Cambridge Street, Room S050.
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MIT J-WAFS Food and Water Conference: Addressing the Global Food & Water Challenge through Innovation and Collaboration

Cosponsored by the Abdul Latif Jameel World Water and Food Security Lab (J-WAFS), this conference will highlight technology frontiers at the nexus of food, water, energy, and the environment. Participants will explore the impact of urbanization, development, and climate change on water and food systems and the decisions and planning required to meet these challenges. The conference will also feature MIT-connected startups in the water and food sectors, along with projects currently funded by the J-WAFS Solutions Program, which supports the commercialization of technologies developed at MIT, and address how multisector partnerships can provide opportunities in water-constrained regions.

Event Organizer: J-WAFS and MIT Industrial Liaison Program
Date: April 27-28
Location: MIT
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J-WAFS director John H. Lienhard V to deliver 2016 John R. Freeman Lecture at Northeastern University

In this talk, John Lienhard will discuss research directed at understanding the causes of energy inefficiency in various desalination processes and efforts to adapt concepts from thermal engineering to improve the design of both thermal and membrane desalination systems. Topics to be discussed include thermodynamic limits to performance, irreversibilities, and thermodynamic balancing, with examples drawn from reverse osmosis, humidification-dehumidification, forward osmosis, and the remediation wastewater from oil and gas production. Comparison will be made to the energy intensity of alternative sources of fresh water.

Event Organizer: The Environmental & Water Resources Institute (EWRI) Boston Chapter
Date: April 11, 6-8:30 pm
Location: Northeastern University. West Village Residence, Complex F, Rm 20, 40 A Leon Street, Boston, MA 02115
Register: Click here for free registration
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MIT Water Innovation Prize: Final Pitch and Awards Night

The MIT Water Innovation Prize is a solutions-to-market competition that awards the most groundbreaking and impactful ideas, products, and business models that pertain to the water sector. This year's competition has many worthy applicants from all over the world who will participate in the Prize's workshop series and mentorship program to continue building their solution. Innovation grants totaling $30,000 will be awards at the Final Pitch Night.

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club
Date: April 8, 2016
Location: MIT Kirsch Auditorium, Room 32-123
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Innovation in Agriculture: Systems Dynamics, Data Collection, and Mapping

Please join MIT's Innovation Initiative lab for Innovation Science and Policy for a lunch around innovation in agricultural systems. Discussion will follow short presentations on research, entrepreneurship, systems dynamics, technology and policy around agricultural innovation. Speakers include Dr. Chandra Madramootoo, J-WAFS 2016 Visiting Scholar, Dr. Chintan Vaishnav of the Tata Center for Technology and Design, Nikhil Vadhavkar, founder of Raptor Maps, and Dr. Albert Redo-Sanchez of MIT's Center for Terrestrial Sensing.

Please RSVP to: cfazio@mit.edu and laurahal@mit.edu.

Event Organizer: MIT Innovation Initiative
Date: March 11, noon-1:30 pm
Location: Moscow Conf. Room, E70-1244

MIT Water Night

Come to MIT Water Night, an annual research showcase on water-related problems hosted by the MIT Water Club. Anyone from the MIT community, other local universities, and local companies are invited to attend, present, and network. Attendance is free and food and drink will be provided. If you would like to present a poster, please submit an abstract here by 2/26.

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club
Date: March 11, 5:00-8:00 pm
Location: MIT, Walker Memorial Building (50)
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Spring Lecture Series: Water Innovation Opportunities
Local Innovation with Global Impact

In this Water Club lecture, Marcus Gay, Executive Director of the New England Water Innovation Network (NEWIN) will discuss how water innovation can be defined and measured at every stage right from technology development to market engagement. He will also talk about case-studies of companies which originated from the New England region over the last few decades.

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club
Date: March 1, 4:30-5:30 pm
Location: 3-333
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IAP Doctoral Research Seminar on Water Treatment and Purification Technologies

Join us for three doctoral student research presentations and discussion. Graduate students from Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering will discuss their research on various approaches to water treatment and purification, including electrochemical separation methods, reducing energy consumption in desalination, and nonporous membrane innovations. Brown bag lunch, light refreshments provided.

Event Organizer: J-WAFS
Date: January 2, noon-1:30 pm
Location: MIT Room E51-145
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IAP Water and Food Security Seminar Series

This seminar series will address a variety of global challenges around water and food security. Topics include limitations to water use in some selected large basins, surface water/groundwater interactions, the water-food-energy nexus, an overview of agricultural production systems in two agro-ecologic zones (tropical drylands and the wet humid tropics), and the linkage between food and nutrition security and health. Attendees are welcome at any or all sessions.

Event Organizer: J-WAFS
Date: January 11, 12, 13, and 14 from 10:00-11:30 am
Location: MIT Room E51-145
More Info | Powerpoint Slides: Seminar 1  Seminar 2  Seminar 3 Seminar 4

MIT live broadcast of Global Engagement Forum

The Forum will discuss how public, private, and social sector collaboration will contribute to progress on the new UN Sustainable Development Goals. One of MIT's very own students - John Lewandowski - will be among the speakers. MIT viewing is hosted by the Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center.

Event Organizer: PYXERA Global, with MIT viewing hosted by the Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center.
Date: Thursday, November 12th from 10:00 am-1:00 pm
Location: MIT Room 56-114
Register: Click here for free registration
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1st International Workshop on Alternative Potash

The first international workshop on alternative potash offers a unique platform to exchange ideas, and discuss research advancements in the field of affordable potash fertilizers, alternative to soluble salts. 

Event Organizer: Prof. Antoine Allanore, with the support of the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative
Date: November 11, 2015
Location: MIT
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2015 MIT Water Summit

Amid a changing climate, some regions prepare for more frequent and severe droughts, while others anticipate intense flooding. These changes will challenge the existing framework in which all water resource management has existed for generations.  The MIT Water Summit is a landmark event which is entirely organized by MIT students. The 2015 MIT Water Summit asks the following questions:

How can we better understand and cope with the water challenges we face? How can innovation in technology, research, and policy build a more resilient water system? With a greater understanding of the challenges and new tools available, how can we navigate organizational and geopolitical systems to build a more resilient world?

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club, sponsored by J-WAFS
Date: November 13-14, 2015
Location: MIT
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New England Graduate Student Water Symposium

This conference is for graduate students, postdocs and research-active undergraduates from universities within a 6-hr drive of Amherst to come and present their work in the form of oral or poster presentations.  Students interested in presenting should submit abstracts on water & wastewater treatment technologies, water chemistry & microbiology, hydrology, water resources, water quality modeling, etc.  The event will be held in conjunction with the Water Politics and Society Symposium and 50th Anniversary Dinner hosted on Friday by the Massachusetts Water Resources Research Center.

Event Organizer: University of Massachusetts, Amherst (Civil and Environmental Engineering Department's Environmental and Water Resources Program and the Massachusetts Water Resource Center)
Date: September 11-13, 2015
Location: University of Massachusetts, Amherst
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Symposium on Water Innovation in Massachusetts (SWIM)

This is a series of conferences held in Massachusetts to convent thought leadership on the outlook for water innovation, highlighting local New England innovation to answer global needs. SWIM 2015 will include speakers, panel discussions and workshops that consider the outlook and needs for water innovation in the coming years.

Event Organizer: New England Water Innovation Network
Date: May 20, 2015
Location: Northeastern University
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2015 MIT Sustainability Summit: Farming, Food and the Future: Changing the Shape of Agriculture Systems

The 7th Annual Sustainability Summit will focus on understanding—and offering solutions to—the complex problems facing local and global agriculture systems. This year’s Summit will tackle food and farming challenges through the lens of the “Circular Economy,” a systems-thinking approach that demonstrates that a flourishing, sustainable world is built on intentionally cycling resources between production and consumption: from farm to table and back again.

Event Organizer: MIT Sustainability Summit, sponsored by J-WAFS
Date: April 24-25, 2015
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2015 Water Innovation Prize

MIT’s 1st water startup competition, offering $20k in innovation grants

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club, J-WAFS Director John Lienhard judge
Date: April 6, 2015
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Food, Land & Water: the World and MIT

Prof. Dennis McLaughlin will give an overview of food security issues, including connections between food, land, water and climate. This will include what is happening in the field at MIT and beyond.

Event Organizer: MISTI
Date: March 30, 2015
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3rd Annual Water Night (Poster Session)

MIT Water Night is a flagship research showcase where individuals and research groups at MIT present their latest achievements and research in water-related fields. This event is a perfect opportunity to network with water researchers and professionals around refreshments.

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club
Date: March 5, 2015
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2014 MIT Water Summit

The MIT Water Summit is a landmark event which is entirely organized by MIT students. The event represents disciplines across MIT’s technology, business, and policy communities and brings together leaders and experts to discuss tomorrow’s most compelling issues in the water sector.

Event Organizer: MIT Water Club, sponsored by J-WAFS
Date: December 11-12, 2014
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