Brazilian Engineer Wins Worldwide Science Competition for Project Aimed At Ensuring Access to Clean Drinking Water.

Nadia Ayad

Even today in 2017, access to clean drinking water remains a constant struggle for people all over the world. Brazilian engineer Nadia Ayad hopes to change this through her groundbreaking research.

Ayad a recent graduate from the Instituto Militar de Engenharia (Military Engineering Institute or IME) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, took first place in the Sandvik global Graphene Challenge competition. Ayad developed a filtration device and system for desalinization that would provide clean drinking water for home systems. The device works by recycling water, which in turn reduces energy costs and conserves other resources needed in acquiring clean drinking water.

Ayad, who is of Sudanese descent, first become interested in engineering at a young age. Her interest led her to IME, where she also earned a Science Borders scholarship to study in England at the University of Manchester and later the Imperial College London. While in the UK, Ayad noted the nation’s cutting edge research facilities, which contain technology that she hopes to introduce to universities and labs in Brazil.

In addition to finding new alternatives for getting clean drinking water to homes all over the world, Ayad has made improving the state of science education in Brazil a major goal.