Estelle Brachlianoff, Chief Executive Officer of Veolia and Anne Baranger, Interim Dean of the College of Chemistry at UC Berkeley. © Photo by Scott Buschman.
UC Berkeley’s College of Chemistry and Veolia, a global leader in environmental services and resource management headquartered in France, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore a long-term collaboration. This agreement marks the beginning of a shared journey to research and develop ways to detect even the tiniest traces of impurities in water. This is a crucial step for making the advanced chips used in the semiconductor industry.
Veolia will serve as a strategic industry and funding partner within this collaboration framework. On the UC Berkeley side, the initiative will be led by professor of chemistry and materials science Peidong Yang, a chemist and materials scientist whose research lies at the intersection of nanoscience, energy conversion, and synthetic biology. He is internationally recognized for pioneering work in semiconductor nanowires and the design of biohybrid materials that mimic natural photosynthesis.
The team will build custom-designed ‘molecular filters’ to hunt down, measure and capture stubborn pollutants. Unlike current tools, these new materials are engineered at the atomic level to capture even the smallest contaminants, such as TFA—a persistent chemical that escapes traditional cleaning methods. This technology could lead to a new generation of affordable systems that purify our water, air, and soil on a global scale.
“It’s very exciting to be starting this partnership with Veolia,” said Anne Baranger, interim dean of the College of Chemistry. “We have spent 150 years setting the global standard for chemical sciences, and it’s fitting that many of our goals align with Veolia’s. Combining our strengths in energy innovation, carbon capture and sustainability, and water purification, creates a clear synergy.”
Estelle Brachlianoff, Chief Executive Officer of Veolia and Anne Baranger, Interim Dean of the College of Chemistry at UC Berkeley, meet with Peidong Yang, professor of chemistry and materials science at UC Berkeley, along with Jyh-Sheng Chi, Business Development Director at Veolia and Chia-Chun Jay Chen, Research Chair Professor, Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan Normal University and UC Berkeley College of Chemistry alum. © Photo by Scott Buschman.
By aligning their expertise, the College and industry partners intend to leverage their combined strengths to address water shortage and purity and also open the door for additional innovation at the university-industry interface. While currently in the planning phase, this MOU signifies a formal commitment to working together toward decarbonization, depollution, and resource regeneration. “We look forward to exploring new possibilities and creating meaningful impact in the months and years to come,” said Baranger.
“Veolia is proud to partner with Berkeley on this forward-looking project, which reflects our shared commitment to excellence, continuous innovation, and the fight against pollution. By combining our expertise, we aim to deliver impactful solutions so the key industries can maintain resilient, efficient, and sustainable performance every day,” said Philippe Seberac, Technical and Scientific Director at Veolia.