Pedro J.J. Alvarez and Menachem Elimelech, professors in Rice University’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, have been elected full members of the European Academy of Engineering.
The academy announced its 2026 class of 147 newly elected members Aug. 3. Alvarez and Elimelech were recognized for research that has advanced water treatment, environmental sustainability and access to safe water.
“Pedro Alvarez and Menachem Elimelech are internationally recognized leaders whose work has transformed the fields of water treatment and environmental engineering,” said Luay Nakhleh, the William and Stephanie Sick Dean of the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing. “Their election to the European Academy of Engineering is a well-deserved recognition of their extraordinary scholarship, leadership and commitment to developing solutions that improve lives around the world. Their achievements exemplify our school's mission of solving for greater good.”
Alvarez, the George R. Brown Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, was elected for his influential contributions to environmental nanotechnology, sustainable water treatment and bioremediation.
His research connects fundamental environmental science with practical engineering solutions for clean water, pollution control, resource recovery and public health. His work spans the environmental applications and implications of nanotechnology, the fate and transport of toxic chemicals, water treatment and reuse, the water demands of energy systems and strategies for controlling antibiotic resistance. By integrating environmental chemistry, microbiology, materials science and process engineering, Alvarez and his collaborators have developed new approaches to removing contaminants, recovering valuable resources and improving the resilience and sustainability of water infrastructure.
Alvarez is director of the Rice WaTER Institute and founding director of the National Science Foundation Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT). Through those initiatives, he has helped build collaborations among universities, industry and public partners to translate discoveries in nanomaterials and environmental engineering into practical, energy-efficient water-treatment technologies.
His honors include election to the National Academy of Engineering and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and as a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. He has also received the Clarke Prize, the Perry L. McCarty Founders Award from the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors and the 2026 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Civil Engineering.
“This recognition reflects the collective work of the many students, researchers and collaborators I have had the privilege of working with throughout my career,” Alvarez said. “I am especially grateful to Rice for fostering an interdisciplinary environment where we can translate fundamental discoveries into practical solutions for clean water, environmental sustainability and public health.”
Elimelech, the Nancy and Clint Carlson Professor with joint appointments in civil and environmental engineering and chemical and biomolecular engineering, was recognized for his contributions to energy-efficient desalination, wastewater reuse, membrane science and advanced water-treatment technologies. He leads the Rice Center for Membrane Excellence (RiCeME).
Elimelech’s research focuses on membrane-based processes for desalination and wastewater reuse, as well as technologies for managing and recovering resources from concentrated brines. Combining transport science, materials engineering and environmental systems, Elimelech’s work seeks to reduce the energy use, environmental effects and costs associated with securing safe water.
His research has helped establish the scientific foundations for understanding membrane performance and has informed the development of more efficient technologies for water purification and reuse.
Elimelech’s honors include the 2015 Eni Award for Protection of the Environment and the Clarke Prize. He is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and the Canadian Academy of Engineering.
“I am deeply honored to join the European Academy of Engineering,” Elimelech said. “This recognition reinforces the importance of developing water-treatment technologies that are not only effective but also more energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable. I share this honor with the students, colleagues and collaborators whose creativity and dedication have made our work possible.”
The European Academy of Engineering brings together researchers and technology leaders from across disciplines and countries to promote engineering innovation, international collaboration and the exchange of scientific knowledge.