I have obtained my first (big) competitive funding with a proposal titled Enhancing Boron and Micropollutant Removal from Water by Molecular Layer Deposition Membranes (EMPOWERED). This is a BMFTR (formally BMBF)-MOST collaboration between Germany (Prof. Andrea I. Schäfer and me, KIT) and Israel (Prof. Tamar Segal-Peretz, Technion).
We will work together to enhance nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes fabricated via molecular layer deposition (MLD)—an exciting technology from Technion. MLD is environmentally-friendly and scalable, while offering precise control of membrane structure and composition. We will solve the challenges for high rejection of 1) micropollutants (MPs) such as steroid hormone, pesticide, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water reuse, and 2) boron in desalination.
I received the funding announcement from the Israeli side in December 2025. However, the German side still required a lot of revisions. The administrative tasks especially dragged on. Today, after around six months BMFTR issued the formal funding notice (Zuwendungsbescheid). The adrenaline has died out but I am happy so far.
The project will start on 1st July 2026. I will act as the project coordinator and my salary will be covered by this grant for two and a half years. This grant also subsidises a researcher from Technion to work at IAMT-KIT for six months.
The grant information will be published online, but I expect another wait of six months!
Abbreviations: BMFTR – Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space of Germany; MOST – Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology of Israel.