December 12, 2024, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates –The inaugural Global Hackathon for
Sustainable Water Desalination concluded with an awards ceremony during the World Congress 2024
closing luncheon in Abu Dhabi. Organized by ACWA Power in collaboration with IDRA and hosted by
the Center for Membranes and Advanced Water Technology (CMAT) at Khalifa University, the event
showcased groundbreaking innovations addressing the global water crisis.
The hackathon culminated in a full-day ideation session, where participants collaborated to develop new
ideas and innovative solutions to advance sustainability in desalination and water reuse. This immersive
session fostered creativity, cross-disciplinary thinking, and practical strategies to tackle the challenges
of water scarcity on a global scale.
The Hackathon culminated in the recognition of three standout ideas that demonstrated ingenuity,
feasibility, and potential for real-world application.
1st Place: PureDrop – Portable Photothermal Membrane Desalination System
This team introduced a portable system using advanced photothermal membrane technology for
efficient water desalination.
Team Members
Mr. Ahmad Saud Jawed
Mr. Asaad Mohamad Matouk
Subject Matter Expert: Dr. Jehad Kharraz
2nd Place: Closed Loop GAC Adsorption Systems for PACs Removal
Aimed at removing persistent organic pollutants, this innovative system employs a closed-loop granular
activated carbon (GAC) adsorption mechanism.
Team Members
Ms. Yasmina Kamal Gomaa Alseksek
Ms. Anjali Goyal
Mr. Mujeeb Kareem
Ms. Malak Abu Zaid
Subject Matter Expert: Dr. Ravi Pandey
3rd Place: AI-driven Efficiency Optimization for Sustainable Water Desalination
Harnessing artificial intelligence, this solution optimizes water desalination processes to enhance
efficiency and sustainability.
Team Members
Ms. Athba Alshehhi
Ms. Shamma Almheiri
Mr. Ahmad Alblooshi
Subject Matter Expert: Eng. Abdul Hai
The hackathon reflects ACWA Power and Khalifa University’s commitment to fostering innovation for
global water sustainability. “The success of this event underlines the importance of collaboration
between academia and industry in solving pressing global challenges and IDRA was very proud to
support it as part of the IDRA World Congress 2024 Pre-Congress Programs,” said Shannon McCarthy,
Secretary General, IDRA.
As the world grapples with increasing water scarcity, these innovative solutions represent a significant
step forward in sustainable water management, offering hope for a future with clean and accessible
water for all.
