DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 11, 2025--
Professor Guihua Yu, a leading researcher from the United States, has been awarded the Innovative Individual Award (Distinguished Researcher category) during the fourth cycle of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award. The award recognises his groundbreaking work in developing soft materials and hydrogel-based systems for solar-powered water purification and atmospheric water harvesting.
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Supervised by the UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia UAE) under the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, the USD 1 million global award honours exceptional innovations that address water scarcity through renewable energy and sustainable technologies.
Professor Yu, an academic at the University of Texas and Director of the Centre for NanoTech for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, has pioneered a suite of technologies that include high-efficiency solar desalination using floating “energy hydrogels,” atmospheric water harvesting through hygroscopic microgels and biodegradable nanocellulose-based hydrogel filters capable of removing ultrafine particles with record efficiency.
His soft-material systems have achieved significant breakthroughs as the solar-powered hydrogel desalination system boasts over 95% energy efficiency under natural sunlight while the atmospheric harvester passively collects water from the air and releases it when heated by the sun. His filter technology, which requires no electricity and can be operated manually or via applied weight, offers a simple, scalable and sustainable method of water purification.
With an H-index of approximately 190 and over 20 key patents in the water purification field, Professor Yu’s work is widely recognised by academic and global institutions. He actively engages with the international community through lectures, guest essays and panel discussions hosted by platforms such as the World Economic Forum, BBC, Bloomberg and National Geographic, advocating sustainable water solutions and freshwater scarcity.
“As the global population and economy grow and climate change accelerates, the demand for clean energy and clean water becomes increasingly urgent. Developing effective solutions for sustainable water management is one of today’s greatest challenges. I appreciate His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for establishing this visionary award. It is a noble initiative that raises global awareness about the importance of water solutions and helps make this vital resource accessible to communities around the world,” said Professor Yu.
Source:AETOSWire
US researcher Guihua Yu wins Global distinction for pioneering solar and hydrogel water technologies (Photo: AETOSWire)
US researcher Guihua Yu wins Global distinction for pioneering solar and hydrogel water technologies (Photo: AETOSWire)
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — An ailing astronaut returned to Earth with three others on Thursday, ending their space station mission more than a month early in NASA’s first medical evacuation.
SpaceX guided the capsule to a middle-of-the-night splashdown in the Pacific near San Diego, less than 11 hours after the astronauts exited the International Space Station.
“It’s so good to be home,” said NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, the capsule commander.
It was an unexpected finish to a mission that began in August and left the orbiting lab with only one American and two Russians on board. NASA and SpaceX said they would try to move up the launch of a fresh crew of four; liftoff is currently targeted for mid-February.
Cardman and NASA’s Mike Fincke were joined on the return by Japan’s Kimiya Yui and Russia’s Oleg Platonov. Officials have refused to identify the astronaut who had the health problem or explain what happened, citing medical privacy.
While the astronaut was stable in orbit, NASA wanted them back on Earth as soon as possible to receive proper care and diagnostic testing. The entry and splashdown required no special changes or accommodations, officials said, and the recovery ship had its usual allotment of medical experts on board. It was not immediately known when the astronauts would fly from California to their home base in Houston. Platonov’s return to Moscow was also unclear.
NASA stressed repeatedly over the past week that this was not an emergency. The astronaut fell sick or was injured on Jan. 7, prompting NASA to call off the next day’s spacewalk by Cardman and Fincke, and ultimately resulting in the early return. It was the first time NASA cut short a spaceflight for medical reasons. The Russians had done so decades ago.
The space station has gotten by with three astronauts before, sometimes even with just two. NASA said it will be unable to perform a spacewalk, even for an emergency, until the arrival of the next crew, which has two Americans, one French and one Russian astronaut.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
This screengrab from video provided by NASA TV shows the SpaceX Dragon departing from the International Space Station shortly after undocking with four NASA Crew-11 members inside on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (NASA via AP)
This photo provided by NASA shows clockwise from bottom left are, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui gathering for a crew portrait wearing their Dragon pressure suits during a suit verification check inside the International Space Station’s Kibo laboratory module, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (NASA via AP)
This screengrab from video provided by NASA shows recovery vessels approaching the NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 capsule to evacuate one of the crew members after they re-entered the earth in a middle-of-the-night splashdown near San Diego, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (NASA via AP)
This screengrab from video provided by NASA shows the NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 members re entering the earth in a middle-of-the-night splashdown near San Diego, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (NASA via AP)
This screengrab from video provided by NASA shows the NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 members re entering the earth in a middle-of-the-night splashdown near San Diego, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (NASA via AP)
