Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) held a “Special Seminar on Digital Seawater Desalination for Water, Energy, and the Environment” on Monday, June 8, at the Kookmin University Academic Conference Hall. Organized by Kookmin University, the Kookmin University Graduate School of Climate Change (KMU CORE), and the Korean Society of Water and Wastewater, and hosted by the PROMISE Research Group, the seminar was designed to discuss the future direction of next-generation digital seawater desalination technologies aimed at addressing water scarcity, rising energy demand, environmental pressures, and food production challenges in the era of the climate crisis.

The event began with opening remarks by Sohn JinSik, Vice President of Kookmin University. Vice President Son emphasized, “Water scarcity, rising energy demand, environmental pressures, and food production issues are now challenges that cannot be considered in isolation,” adding, “Seawater desalination technology is not only a core technology for ensuring a stable water supply but is also closely linked to energy efficiency, resource recycling, and sustainable agriculture.”

Professor Gary L. Amy, Chair Professor at Clemson University, delivered a special lecture on the topic of “Brackish Water and Partial Desalination Technologies Linked to Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA).” Professor Amy explained that when brackish water and partial desalination technologies are combined with controlled environment agriculture, they can improve water use efficiency and contribute to the establishment of a stable agricultural production system.

Next, Professor Emeritus Kim Seung-hyun of Kyungnam University shared his research direction and academic insights under the theme “On Research,” while Professor Lee Sang Ho of the Department of Construction Systems Engineering at Kookmin University’s College of Creative Engineering presented on “Digital Desalination and Brine Resource Recovery Technology,” outlining the potential for next-generation seawater desalination technology with a focus on artificial intelligence, data-driven operations, process optimization, and brine resource recovery.

Kookmin University plans to use this seminar as an opportunity to expand its convergence research and global cooperation across the fields of water, energy, and the environment, including digital seawater desalination, environmentally controlled agriculture, and the resource recovery of brine. Through these efforts, the university aims to fulfill its social responsibility in education and research by addressing climate change and water environmental issues, and to strengthen domestic and international cooperation systems for a sustainable water future.