Brendan Smith is a Materials Science and Engineering PhD student working in the Grossman Group at MIT. He is broadly interested in the development of early stage nanoscale materials and their transfer from the lab to industrial and societal applicability. His specific interests include, technologies involving water treatment, clean energy, and sustainable materials.

Brendan’s work involves the scaling and implementation of durable, low-maintenance filtration membranes for the removal of heavy metals such as arsenic from household drinking water in rural India. Ideally, the outcome of the project will have a positive impact on those inhabiting regions in India and other developing countries where safe drinking water is currently unavailable.

Outside of the lab, Brendan enjoys spending time in nature through hiking, camping, and snowboarding. He also loves to travel and experience new activities!

Brendan graduated from the University of Waterloo with a BSc. in Nanotechnology Engineering in 2013 and plans to finish his PhD in 2018.