On January 5, 2026, Professor Menachem Elimelech, a member of the US National Academy of Engineering, Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and the Nancy and Clint Carlson Professor at Rice University, was appointed as an Honorary Professor of Tsinghua University and delivered the 264th lecture in the Global Vision Lecture Series. Yang Bin, Vice Chairperson of the University Council, attended the event and presented the honorary professor appointment letter. The ceremony was hosted by Liu Shuming, Dean of the School of Environment, and attended by over 150 faculty and students from the School of Environment and other institutions.

Yang Bin Presents Honorary Professor Appointment Letter to Menachem Elimelech

Yang Bin read the decision on behalf of the university and conferred the honorary title to Elimelech, expressing the hope that he would contribute his wisdom and strength to the academic development of the university and further promote high-level research collaboration.

Professor Huang Xia from the School of Environment highlighted Elimelech’s academic achievements, describing him as a leading scholar in environmental engineering and membrane technology, with a series of pioneering research outcomes addressing critical challenges in sustainable water resources. Following this, Elimelech delivered a keynote lecture titled "Membrane Technologies for a Water-Scarce World," focusing on the global challenge of water scarcity and elaborating on the crucial role and future prospects of membrane technology in seawater desalination and wastewater recycling, providing important academic insights into addressing global water security challenges.

Elimelech Delivers Keynote Lecture

During the interactive session, faculty and students engaged in in-depth discussions with Elimelech on related frontier issues. Liu Shuming presented a commemorative plaque to Elimelech as part of the session.

Event Highlights

The Tsinghua Global Vision Lecture Series, featuring high-level international speakers, is a prestigious platform for the university community. Since its inception in 2007, it has held 264 lectures, featuring distinguished speakers including Nobel Laureates, renowned scholars, foreign dignitaries, leading university presidents, and senior executives from multinational corporations.