The 34th edition of NAMS will take place in Nashville, Tennessee, from May 17th to 21th, 2025, at the Loews Nashville at Vanderbilt. Nashville, a vibrant city renowned for its rich musical heritage, particularly in country music, earning it the nickname “Music City”. Beyond its musical roots, Nashville boasts a thriving cultural scene, with an array of art galleries, historic landmarks, and a burgeoning culinary landscape that delights visitors. The city’s warm and welcoming community spirit, coupled with its scenic beauty and dynamic growth, makes Nashville a truly special place to explore.
The central theme of NAMS 2025 is Emerging Frontiers. A diverse group of international leaders from academia, industry, and national laboratories will deliver plenary lectures, discussing opportunities and challenges with the community, fostering connections, and encouraging collaboration.
We eagerly anticipate the participation of everyone at this exciting event!
Piran Kidambi, Vanderbilt University
Alexander Lopez, Rogers State University
Xiaobo Dong, Cytiva
We are delighted to invite the membrane community to the most anticipated event of the year: NAMS 2025!
Plenary speakers
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Dr. William Koros
Professor, Roberto C. Goizueta Chair for Excellence in Chemical Engineering, and GRA Eminent Scholar in Membranes
Georgia Institute of Technology
Dr. William Koros holds the prestigious Roberto C. Goizueta Chair for Excellence in Chemical Engineering and is a GRA Eminent Scholar in Membranes. His research expertise lies in the fundamentals of sorption, diffusion, and permeation in polymers, molecular sieve carbons, and hybrid materials.Dr. Koros’s work focuses on the engineering of advanced membranes, sorbents, and barriers. His research encompasses the creation and characterization of these materials, which are pivotal for applications such as selective permeation and barrier packaging. The underlying principles of his research are based on thermodynamically controlled partitioning of penetrants, such as carbon dioxide, into membranes, sorbents, or barrier packaging layers. In polymers, this process involves the cooperative motion of the matrix to enable diffusion. In contrast, highly rigid carbon molecular sieves and zeolites rely on the relative size of pre-existing pores and the penetrant molecule, as the matrix motion is negligible.
Dr. Koros’s group is at the forefront of developing materials that optimize the transport properties for specific components. For instance, they can engineer materials to act as barriers, selective membranes, or sorbents for a chosen penetrant like carbon dioxide. The group is also pioneering the formation of “mixed matrix composite” materials, blending metal-organic frameworks or other specialty components within a conventional polymer matrix. This innovative approach allows for enhanced optimization of transport properties while maintaining the processing ease associated with conventional polymers.
His research also delves into non-equilibrium thermodynamic and non-Fickian transport phenomena. His group studies the long-term conditioning effects of membranes and barriers exposed to high concentrations of certain penetrants and the protracted aging of glassy polymers, carbons, and inorganic membranes after formation or conditioning treatments. These phenomena often appear counterintuitive until one considers the expanded set of rules governing out-of-equilibrium materials.
Dr. Koros’s contributions to the field of chemical engineering have established him as a leading figure in the development of advanced materials for membranes, sorbents, and barrier applications.
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Dr. Beate Mueller-Tiemann
Chief Technology Officer
Cytiva
Dr. Beate Mueller-Tiemann’s career has reflected the entire pharma value chain from early target discovery, lead generation, lead optimization, cell line development, chemical manufacturing and control (CMC) production and commercial manufacturing for both Biologics and Synthetic Molecule therapeutics.
She applies her extensive experience in building R&D pipelines and her unapologetic optimism in science and technology to her leadership, as her teams create and bring high-quality products and innovative manufacturing and R&D processes closer to patients. Beate joined Cytiva in early 2023, having held senior leadership positions at Sanofi and Bayer.
A former athlete who held the 800-meter record from at Fort-Le-Boeuf school district for decades, she believes in setting the pace and measuring performance. She finds inspiration in her diverse teams, when she sees the power of differing perspectives, experiences, opinions, and ideas being unleashed.
Beate earned her PhD at the Leibniz Institute of Virology in Hamburg, Germany in the field of Molecular Oncology. She holds master’s degrees in biology and Biochemistry from the University of Bielefeld, Germany, and the University of Montpellier in France.
Beate is an elected member of the Board of the Dechema, German Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology. She supports female talents with mentoring programs and is a member of FiDAR, an association that works towards increasing the representation of women on German corporate boards.
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Dr. Winston Ho
Distinguished Professor of Engineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
The Ohio State University
Dr. W.S. Winston Ho is a Distinguished Professor of Engineering in the William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at The Ohio State University.
Winston has been a member of NAMS since its formation. He served as Director of NAMS, 2005 – 2011.
Currently, he has served as Separation Engineering Section Editor, Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering and on several advisory boards including the Journal of Membrane Science. He has chaired many membrane and separations sessions at NAMS and AIChE meetings. Moreover, he gave an invited plenary lecture at the NAMS 2016 Annual Meeting, and he has developed a membrane course and taught it every year since 1999 for educating next-generation membranologists and wide-spreading membrane knowledge.
Before teaching for 25 years in 2024, he had 28 years of industrial R&D experience in membranes and separation processes. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering, USA in 2002 in recognition of his distinguished contributions to engineering including the commercialization of gas treating technologies and the development of supported liquid membrane technology and membrane separation models. A New Jersey Inventor of the Year (1991), Winston holds more than 60 U.S. patents, generally with foreign counterparts, in membranes and separation processes.
He is a NAMS and an AIChE Fellow and has received several AIChE awards.
event program
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Dear NAMS student colleagues,
I am pleased to invite you to the NAMS Student workshop on Sunday, May 18, 2025, at 2:00 – 5:00 PM. The workshop will be held at Loews Nashville Hotel at Vanderbilt Plaza (Main conference location) in Southern Ground AB.
2:00 – 2:15 PM
Welcome + Announcements
2:15 – 3:15 PM
Soft skills workshop by Prof. Chenette
3:15 – 3:30 PM
Coffee break
3:30 – 5:00 PM
Panelist presentation + Q&A
If you are interested in attending, please fill out our survey
The goal of this workshop is to provide students with professional development skills as well as perspectives on careers in academia, government/national laboratories, and industry. The workshop will be facilitated by Dr. Evan Hatakeyama of Chevron. He is an R&D Portfolio Manager with experience in membrane desalination and wastewater treatment.
A soft skills workshop will be provided by Prof. Heather Chenette of Rose Hulman Institute of Technology. Her professional interests include leveraging qualitative methods to enhance student learning and creating opportunities for students to learn about polymers, membrane materials, and bioseparation processes through research experiences. She is a recent recipient of the NAMS Education Innovation Fellowship.
This will be followed by panel discussion with professionals from academia, national laboratory, and industry. They will give their perspectives and answer audience questions on career development. It is our pleasure to have NAMS colleagues on the panel:
Dr. Emily Rabe from Membrion: Director of Product Development leading R&D of water treatment process technology.
Prof. Mahdi Malmali from Texas Tech University: Co-chair of NAMS 2024 in Sante Fe, NM. Research includes novel membrane materials and processes for water treatment applications.
Dr. Nick Gregorich from Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Postdoctoral research associate with a focus on advanced materials for energy efficient carbon capture technologies.
Please email the workshop organizer (Evan Hatakeyama) if you have any questions.
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I. Membranes for Water Treatment & Reuse
The workshop will cover desalination and toxic pollutant removal/destruction techniques. The topics include membrane selection criteria, practical information regarding configuration, performance and operating conditions of membrane technology applied to desalination of brackish and seawater, and wastewater reclamation systems, mixed-matrix membranes, and advanced functionalized/responsive membranes from metal capture to emerging pollutants (PFAS) detoxification. The workshop also discusses the effects of feed water quality, pretreatment options, and performance of membrane units and hybrid options, economics of membrane systems and module design.
Workshop Instructors:
Ben Weaver (Toray Membranes )
Dibakar Bhattacharyya (U Kentucky)
Yoram Cohen (UCLA)
II. Measurement Methods for Membranes
This workshop provides an overview of the entire field of membrane science, technology, and applications through measurements, and is therefore an excellent resource for novices with a technical background, as well as seasoned veterans interested in broadening their scope. The workshop will provide a survey of the various physical and chemical properties of membranes (and membrane process characteristics) that are measured, and the equipment (instruments) and techniques used, along with their underlying principles. A mixture of classical, novel, and resource-intensive techniques are included.
Workshop Instructors:
Christine Duval (CWRU)
John Pellegrino (CU Boulder)
Uwe Beuscher (WL Gore)
III. Electrochemical Process Using Membranes
This workshop aims to give students and industry professionals an overview of the basics theory to understand how those electrochemical membrane processes are working and how they can be implemented in an industrial reality. We will be discussing the different applications, challenges, and limitations of electrochemical membranes and their associated electrochemical processes thanks to a panel of lecturers who have expertise in fundamental research (Universities), the applied research that bridges fundamental to real world applications (National Lab), and real applications at scale (Industry).
Workshop Instructors:
Christopher Arges (Argonne National Lab)
Lucy Mar Camacho (TAMU-Kingsville)
Marie-Eve Langevin (Ameridia)
IV. Membranes Gas Separations
This workshop will cover the entire spectrum of membrane-based gas and vapor separations: from the materials science of gas separation membranes and the fundamentals of membrane transport to the design and economics of industrial gas separation applications. This workshop should be of interest to membrane researchers as well as membrane practitioners.
Workshop Instructors:
Benny Freeman (UT Austin)
Glenn Lipscomb (U Toledo)
Tim Merkel (MTR)
V. Introduction to Modeling and Scale-up Concepts
This workshop provides the participants an opportunity to connect technical knowledge with modeling practices. The workshop includes introduction of (1) the fundamentals of the transport mechanism in membrane and key modeling parameters in modeling. (2) simulation software environment. (3) hands-on practice examples using simple, but insightful, membrane problems.
Workshop Instructors:
Mahadi Malmali (Texas Tech)
Nitish Mittal (ExxonMobil)
Udit Gupta (Siemens)
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NAMS 2025 Oral Presentation Guidelines
NAMS 2025 has five parallel and synchronous session tracks, and each session track will be moderated by Session Chairs. Due to the tight presentation schedule, you must adhere to the presentation guidelines and any additional instructions provided by the Session Chairs.
Submission platform: Microsoft CMT
Deadline: Jan 31st, 2025
We are extending the deadline to February 7, 2025, at the request of our community.
Presentation Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions for Presenters:
What is the duration of the Oral presentation slot?
Answer: The oral presentations slot are 30 minutes. Presenters should plan to speak for 25 minutes with the remaining time for Q&A and transition.
When should I arrive for the Session?
Answer: You must arrive at least 15 minutes in advance of the START of the session. Please report to the Session Chair/s or Student Volunteer/s who will help you in setting up your presentation.
Will a conference laptop be available for presentation? Can the presenters present from their own laptop?
Answer: We will provide a laptop in each session room for the presentation purposes. We strongly urge you to bring your presentation on a thumb drive and transfer to the session room laptop. Student volunteers and session chairs will be present to help you out. As using a different laptop can sometimes result in unforeseen issues, we also request you to bring your own laptop. Please work with student volunteers and session chairs if you prefer to present from your own laptop. Your laptop must have a HDMI port or be able to have an adapter to enable connection to a HDMI cable
Will a slide advancer be provided?
Answer: We will provide a remote slide advancer with laser pointer (if not lost during the conference operation), but you are welcome to use your own.
What is the preferred format of presentation slides?
Answer: PowerPoint slides should be prepared for best readability with our projection parameters. Please test the readability of your presentation before the meeting.
Will the presenters have access to internet and/or audio aid?
Answer: Presenters may have access to the convention center wi-fi. However, we strongly recommend not to rely on internet accessibility and audio aid for your presentation.
If you have any conference or presentation questions, please contact your session chairs or the tech support (to be set up soon) on Whova app.
NAMS 2025 Poster Presentation Guidelines
NAMS 2025 has one poster session scheduled as follows:
Monday May 19th 7:30 – 10:00 pm, Loews Nashville
Light refreshments will also be available during the poster sessions.
Presentation Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions for Presenters:
What is the size of the poster board?
Answer: The poster boards will be double sided on stands. Each poster presentation will have ONE-HALF SIDE of a panel. Please see the picture at the bottom of this page.
Your poster space should NOT EXCEED48” in width and 36” in height.
How should the poster look on the board?
Answer: Provide your own title-sign. Lettering should be about 2 inches (5 cm) high. Display materials should be legible from ~10 feet (3 m). Test the readability of your display before the meeting. Posters are requested to be prepared in English.
How do I put up poster/poster number on the board?
Answer: The poster should be mounted using pins. Please use lightweight materials (not cardboard) for the poster. We will also provide the poster number tag which you should be put up on right top corner using the pins. Pins will be provided. Pins will be provided.
When should I set up my poster and when should I take it down?
Answer: Posters can be put up during the entire day and at least 30 min before the start of the session. The posters can be left mounted during the entire duration of the conference but must be taken down before the end of Wednesday afternoon session. Posters left on the boards will be taken down and NOT returned.
If you have any conference or presentation questions, please contact session chairs (see contact emails below) or the tech support (to be set up soon) on Whova app.
NAMS 2025 Poster Session Chairs:
TBD
Announcement #1:
We are extending the deadline to February 7, 2025, at the request of our membrane community.
Announcement #2:
Please note that there is a specific Poster Only track for abstract submissions. If your oral presentation is not selected, it will automatically be considered for a Poster presentation unless you choose to withdraw.
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Please contact the President of NAMS if you are interest in exhibiting your products!
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Please contact the President of NAMS if you want to sponsor this exciting conference!
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attending the event
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Dear NAMS Members,
We are pleased to announce that abstract submission for the upcoming 2025 North American Membrane Society annual meeting will open on November 25, 2024. We invite you to contribute your latest research and innovations to our scientific community.
Key Dates:
Abstract Submission Opens: November 25, 2024
Abstract Submission Closes: January 31, 2025
Extended to Feb 7, 2025
Author Notifications: Late March 2025
Abstract Submission Procedure:
Submissions will be managed through the CMT platform, which can be found CMT platform. You can use your existing CMT account or create a new one if necessary. Please limit your abstract submission to 2000 characters, excluding any figures, illustrations, or tables.
This year, we are implementing a “bucket” approach for abstract submissions. Instead of the specific sessions from previous years, we have organized submissions into broader “big areas.” After all abstracts are received, the organizing committee will work with session chairs and co-chairs to arrange them into more focused sessions.
Submission Buckets:
Water and Liquid
Gas
Materials and Manufacturing
Energy and Sustainability
Transport Phenomena and Fundamentals
Healthcare and Biology
We encourage you to submit your abstracts and contribute to the success of our event. Your participation is essential for fostering rich and diverse scientific discussions.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We look forward to receiving your submissions.
Alex, Piran and Xiaobo (Max)
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The beautiful Loews Hotel located in Vanderbilt Plaza. Please use this link to reserve hotel rooms asap!
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Hotel rooms are available at the negotiated group rates (plus taxes) on the nights of May 17-21, 2025. The special rate expires by April 17th.
If you need to book the room through other website, please inform us!
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There are direct flights to Nashville from most major cities in the United States. We recommend using Uber instead of renting a car at the airport.
We strongly encourage carpooling if you are driving from out of town.
If you are traveling internationally and require a visa, please contact the conference chairs as soon as possible.
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The overnight parking fee at the Loews Hotel is $38 for NAMS hotel guests.
An alternative option is the Hayes Street Garage, located at 2011 Hayes St, Nashville, TN 37203, which is 0.2 miles away from the hotel and offers 685 parking spots. The garage charges $20 for overnight parking.
We encourage you carpool if you drive from out of town.
For those flying in, it is recommended not to rent a car, as Nashville is a city that is easy to explore on foot.
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Meeting Co-Chairs
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Piran Kidambi
Vanderbilt School of Engineering
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Alex Lopez
Rogers State University
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Xiaobo (Max) Dong
Cytiva
Event Sponsors
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Gale and Dibakar Bhattacharyya, Ph. D.
Friend of NAMS
Exhibitor
