Abdul Latif Jameel World Water and Food Security Lab (J-WAFS) has announced the signing of its first corporate research affiliate agreement with Xylem Inc., a leading global water technology company with operations in more than 150 countries. Xylem recently joined the MIT Industrial Liaison Program (ILP), and this represents a significant step up in their engagement with the MIT community.

The signing ceremony, following a day of lab visits and discussions between Xylem and MIT thought leaders, was attended by J-WAFS and Xylem senior leadership, as well as MIT associate provost Karen Gleason and ILP representatives. 

J-WAFS was established by the MIT administration in 2014 as an Institute-wide effort to bring MIT's unique strengths to bear on the many challenges of food and water supply. J-WAFS aims to improve the security, safety, and efficiency of the world's water and food supplies and works to reduce environmental impact of water and food systems. 

At MIT, J-WAFS stimulates and coordinates water- and food-related research across the entire Institute, by connecting sponsors and collaborators to faculty members and research groups working on problems of mutual interest, and by managing large-scale research relationships. J-WAFS' new research affiliate program offers companies the opportunity to partner with MIT around food and water research. The program is central to J-WAFS' efforts to engage across sector and disciplinary boundaries in solving real-world problems.

With headquarters in Rye Brook, New York, Xylem works globally to foster innovative solutions to meet the world's water needs. Building on its base of industry-leading brands and water solutions, Xylem seeks to develop new technologies that will improve the way water is used, conserved, and re-used in the future. 

With coordination and guidance by J-WAFS, Xylem will start out by identifying and refining two to three research projects to sponsor. Additional projects will be undertaken over the duration of the three-year agreement. Potential research topics include sensors for water contaminants, distributed energy management, sustainability, and data analytics.