University of Houston
University of Houston is a university that is part of the pulse of the water sector. Here we bring together everything it publishes on Smart Water Magazine: its news, its blogs and the events it takes part in.
Scientists unveil model to predict estuarine water flow and pollution
When you're on a sandy beach or the banks of a river, transformed by rolling waves or slightly still waters, it's likely you're not thinking about what is happening just beneath the surface, where dirt and pollution are swirling and traveling to new destinations. But Hanadi Rifai does. The Moores Professor of Civil and Environmental […]
New membrane filter enhances desalination speed and cost-effectiveness
When you drink a nice refreshing glass of water, do you ever think, "Gee, I'm glad that polymeric desalination membrane did its job!" Probably not, but maybe you should. Those thin polyamide, or plastic-like, membranes work as filters that turn salty water into fresh drinkable water. The salt-blocking membranes are widely used to turn both slightly salty […]
Research reveals pre-collapse monitoring of Kakhovka Dam, Ukraine
On the morning of June 6, 2023, a substantial portion of the Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine—vital for water management and hydroelectric power generation—suffered a collapse while under Russian control. Russia had seized the dam early into its invasion of Ukraine, and though independent investigations suggested that Russia destroyed it to prevent a counterattack from Ukraine, […]
Atmospheric scientist explores new drought prediction models
NOAA-funded UH project targets drought predictability amid rising climate concerns.
Algae’s surprising potential to help ease climate change worries
Scientists may be on the verge of taking a big step closer to the net-zero carbon emissions goal, thanks to University of Houston research into algae. Hidden potential is being revealed in the major algae studies at the microbial products lab, located at UH at Sugar Land. The research project is detailed in a newly […]
Researchers turn to the power of native aquatic plants to clean coastal waters
UH-led research team develops efficient, cost effective methods for removing excess nutrients and metal salts along Gulf Coast.
New radar technology records Antarctic glaciers losing ice faster than ever documented before
In a new University of Houston study using an advanced remote imaging system known as synthetic aperture radar interferometry, three glaciers at the South Pole are being documented with levels of clarity and completeness never seen before. The new remote sensing data system is not just uncovering icy secrets from Earth's least explored continent, it […]
Engineers discover method to create upward water fountain in deep water
Fountain created by lasers, marangoni effect is the cause.
Researcher pushes limit of when water will freeze
Though it is one of the great mysteries of science, the transformation of water into ice often escapes people's minds as it is just assumed that's what happens. But how and why it happens is the subject of intense scrutiny by ice scientists like Hadi Ghasemi, Cullen Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Houston. In order to watch the process of crystallization of water into […]