Wednesday 18 March 2026 1:30pm to 2:30pm
Lecture Theatre 1, Dept of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
About
Speaker: Dr Vasiliki Karanikola, Associate Professor - University of Arizona
Abstract
An estimated 1.8 billion people rely on contaminated water, driving interest in point-of-use water treatment disinfection. The KORES lab has developed solar nanofiltration and solar UV systems to address water treatment needs in remote, off-grid communities with minimal energy and chemical inputs.
Partnerships with the Navajo Nation have guided system design, revealing the importance of integrating water treatment with small-scale solar power and understanding how intermittent use affects membrane and UV performance. Field insights have also motivated studies on plastic-derived organic leaching and the treatment of emerging contaminants.
Speaker bio
Dr. Vasiliki (Vicky) Karanikola is an Associate Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of Arizona. She holds degrees in Mechanical, Civil, and Environmental Engineering from institutions in Greece, UC San Diego, and the University of Arizona, where she also earned her PhD. Before joining UA in 2019, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Yale University.
Her research focuses on sustainable water treatment technologies, with an emphasis on novel materials and processes at the water-energy nexus. Dr Karanikola’s work has been recognised with the 2021 U.S. APEC ASPIRE Prize by the US State Department, the UA Provost Early Career Award, and the Haury Faculty Fellowship for her collaborations with Tribal Nations
Part of CEB Bigger Picture Seminar Series