Rice Civil and Environmental Engineering brings together internationally recognized expertise in membrane engineering, advanced water treatment, contaminant destruction, resource recovery and climate hydrology to address the world's most pressing water challenges.
Home to the WaTER Institute
Home to the Rice Center for Membrane Excellence
#11 Environmental Engineering U.S. News & World Report
See How Rice is Shaping the Future of Water
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Research Across the Water Cycle
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Membrane Engineering & Desalination
Next-generation membranes and electrochemical technologies for desalination and water purification.
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Water Treatment & Contaminant Destruction
New approaches for removing emerging contaminants and improving drinking water quality.
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Resource Recovery
Transforming wastewater into a source of critical minerals and other valuable resources.
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Climate Hydrology & Water Infrastructure
Improving the resilience of water systems through hydrology, infrastructure and environmental modeling.
Meet the Faculty
Pedro Alvarez
George R. Brown Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
"What excites me the most is the potential to create clean water on demand, using intelligent systems that allow us to bring clean water pretty much everywhere in the world."
Qilin Li
Karl F. Hasselmann Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
"The resiliency of water and wastewater infrastructure in a world that's changing so rapidly is the biggest challenge we face."
Menachem Elimelech
Nancy and Clint Carlson Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
"Desalination technology is mature. The cost is only about 50 cents per 1,000 liters — the technology is there to transform water supply globally."
Shihong Lin
Associate Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering
"The WaTER Institute and Rice Membrane Center is the center for water research in the US — the critical mass of talent, expertise, and facilities here is unmatched."
Research Leadership
WaTER Institute
Rice University's Water Research Institute unites faculty across disciplines to advance solutions for global water security — from molecular-scale membrane engineering to planetary-scale climate hydrology. Born from the success of the NSF NEWT Engineering Research Center, the WaTER Institute brings together innovation, entrepreneurship, and world-class research infrastructure.
Rice Center for Membrane Excellence
The Rice Center for Membrane Excellence drives innovation in water purification, desalination, and resource recovery. With world-class facilities and faculty recognized globally for their contributions to membrane science, RiCeME is advancing the next generation of water treatment technologies.