BEGIN:VCALENDAR PRODID:-//eluceo/ical//2.0/EN VERSION:2.0 CALSCALE:GREGORIAN BEGIN:VEVENT UID:92ec3629dd268d8208cf3bac3843c072 DTSTAMP:20260513T192722Z SUMMARY:IMSE Annual Lecture: Re-thinking Innovation and Engagement to Addre ss the Global Water and Sanitation Challenge by Professor Francis L. de lo s Reyes III (North Carolina State University) DESCRIPTION:Re-thinking Innovation and Engagement to Address the Global Wat er and Sanitation Challenge\nby Professor Francis L. de los Reyes III (Nor th Carolina State University)\n\nWhen and Where\nThe lecture will be held in City and Guilds Building Lecture Theatre 200\, Imperial College London \, South Kensington Campus on Thursday 15 June 16.00-17.30. The lecture w ill also be accessible online through YouTube.\nMore Information\nThe Ins titute for Molecular Science and Engineering’s invites you to attend the ir fifth Dr Theo George Wilson Annual Lecture :\nRe-thinking Innovation an d Engagement to Address the Global Water and Sanitation Challenge by Profe ssor Francis L. de los Reyes III (North Carolina State University)\nOur Dr Theo George Wilson Lecture is the flagship event in our calendar of activ ities\, with the aim of drawing together a diverse audience from across Im perial’s student and staff body as well as from our community of friends and stakeholders. Our objective with the Dr Theo George Wilson Lecture is to inspire and engage the IMSE community by increasing its awareness of w ider challenges and activities. For those who can attend in person there w ill be a drinks reception after the lecture in the City and Guilds foyer j ust outside of the lecture theatre where you will be able to network with our speaker and other guests.\nThis lecture is open to all.\nAbstract\nMos t people don’t think about or don’t want to think about what happens t o human waste- fecal material. Where do we poop\, where does it go? This i s a big\, global problem: 2020 WHO/UNICEF data show that 3.6 billion peopl e- 45% of the current global population- don’t use a toilet or latrine w here the fecal material is safely treated and disposed. Similarly\, access to clean drinking water is not universal. In 2020\, 771 million people st ill lacked even a basic level of drinking water service. Every minute\, on e child dies from diarrheal diseases\, which are strongly associated with poor water and lack of sanitation. More than one billion people in 14 coun tries suffer from neglected tropical diseases associated with poor water a nd sanitation\, such as helminthiases\, trachoma\, and schistosomiasis. Wh ile disparities to access are evident\, and most issues are in rural areas and Sub-Saharan Africa\, there are also populations in developed countrie s without access to water and sanitation.\nThe lack of success in meeting WaSH (water\, sanitation\, and hygiene) targets (identified in SDG6) highl ights the complexity of the water and sanitation challenges. Technology is just one aspect: the interconnected impacts of culture\, economics\, poli cy\, and human behavior on water and sanitation issues make the problems c omplicated. In this talk\, key factors in systematically addressing WaSH challenges will be discussed. A focus will be discussing how innovation a nd community engagement can be harnessed to meet the global WaSH challenge .\nBiography\nProfessor Francis de los Reyes is the Glenn E. and Phyllis J . Futrell Distinguished Professor of Civil\, Construction\, and Environmen tal Engineering and Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor at North Carolina State University.  He is also Faculty in Microbiology and Biote chnology\, and a University Faculty Scholar. He received his BS in Agricul tural Engineering (magna cum laude) from the University of the Philippines -Los Baños\, MS in Civil Engineering from Iowa State University\, and PhD in Environmental Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Ch ampaign.\nHis research focuses on biological processes in waste/wastewater treatment and conversion to resources\, environmental biotechnology and m icrobiology\, and global water\, sanitation\, and health (WaSH) in low- an d medium-income countries (LMICs). He has current research collaborations in the Philippines\, India\, China\, South Africa\, Pakistan\, Kenya\, Tan zania\, and Malawi. He established and currently leads the Global WaSH Fac ulty cluster at NC State University and is leading a 6-university research center effort in WaSH infrastructure for underserved communities in the U S and in LMICs. His research funding has been from the National Science Fo undation\, Gates Foundation\, US Department of Agriculture\, Environmental Research and Education Foundation\, Water Resources Research Institute\, utilities\, and wastewater industries.\nHe is a TED Fellow\, a WEF (Water Environment Federation) Fellow\, and a Board Certified Environmental Engin eer by Eminence by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Sci entists (AAEES). In 2020\, he was named Corresponding Member of the Nation al Academy of Science and Technology of the Philippines. He has received a wards for research\, teaching\, and service from the WEF\, the AAEES\, the Association of Environmental Engineering Science Professors\, NC State Un iversity\, the Philippine-American Academy of Scientists and Engineers\, U niversity of the Philippines\, and the Department of Science and Technolog y of the Philippines. His sanitation projects have won the RELX Group Envi ronmental Challenge Award and the US Patents for Humanity Award. Professor de los Reyes served on the editorial boards of Water Research and the Jo urnal of Environmental Engineering and is currently on the Editorial Board s of SciEnggJ and Transactions of the NAST-PHL. He is on the Board of the non-profit Gawad Kalinga USA\, which aims to combat poverty by transformin g the lives for the poorest 5 million families in the Philippines.\nAbout The Institute for Molecular Science and Engineering\nThe Institute for Mol ecular Science and Engineering (IMSE) is one of Imperial College London’ s Global Institutes\, drawing on the strength of its four faculties to add ress some of the grand challenges facing the world today. The Institute’ s activities are focused on tackling problems where molecular innovation p lays an important role.\nIf you have any questions about accessibility req uirements please email l.adamson@imperial.ac.uk (Leah Adamson IMSE Events and Communications Manager) URL:https://www.imperial.ac.uk/events/160919/imse-annual-lecture-re-thinkin g-innovation-and-engagement-to-address-the-global-water-and-sanitation-cha llenge-by-professor-francis-l-de-los-reyes-iii-north-carolina-state-univer sity/ DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20230615T160000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20230615T173000 LOCATION:City and Guilds Building Lecture Theatre 200\, City and Guilds Bui lding\, South Kensington Campus\, Imperial College London\, London\, SW7 2 AZ\, United Kingdom END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Europe/London BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20230615T160000 TZNAME:BST TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR