International Society for Water Solutions Announces New Leaders

The International Society for Water Solutions (ISWS), a technological community within the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), has named Kimberly Ogden, professor of chemical and environmental engineering at the University of Arizona, and Tracy Young, Core R&D Program Director for the Consumer and Infrastructure Solutions Division at The Dow Chemical Company, as its co-chairs.

Ogden and Young succeed Danny Reible, the Donovan Maddox Distinguished Engineering Chair at Texas Tech University, and Ralph Exton, chief marketing officer at GE Water & Process Technologies.

The International Society for Water Solutions tackles critical water-related issues — including optimizing water use and minimizing pollution — and collaborates with global stakeholders to raise awareness and share knowledge. The ISWS accomplishes these goals through conference programming, government outreach and public education and by serving as a liaison to other organizations involved in the water space.

Ogden’s research focuses on bioreactor design for production of alternative fuels from algae and sweet sorghum, as well as microbiological water quality. She is currently the Principal Investigator (PI) for the Regional Algal Feedstock Testbed (RAFT) funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The goal of that project is to optimize seasonal algal growth using impaired waters. Additionally, Ogden is involved in teacher outreach programs; she has run a U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Teachers program for more than 10 years and is also the principal investigator for an NSF K–12 engineering program.

As Core R&D Program Director for the Consumer and Infrastructure Solutions Division at The Dow Chemical Company, Young is responsible for leading the core research portfolio for energy and water, building solutions, automotive, electronics, coatings, and consumer care. Prior to this role, she was the Growth Technologies R&D Director for the Dow Water and Process Solutions business unit with global responsibility for new innovations and the development of applications for reverse osmosis membranes, ultrafiltration, and ion exchange. She has managed global laboratories in nine countries, including startup of two commercial scale water pilot research centers in Spain and Saudi Arabia. She is also a member of the Dow Corporate Water Strategy Team and actively leads sustainability programs to address the water-energy nexus. Additionally, Young works to advance a circular economy through breakthrough water reuse partnerships.