CORNERSTONE Young Professionals: Imen Bousrih

Developing new water treatment technologies, optimising smart monitoring tools or validating the sustainability of solutions: In CORNERSTONE, many young professionals are doing their part to achieve the goals of the project. One thing they all have in common: They are highly motivated and passionate about their work. One of our "CORNERSTONE Young Professionals" is Imen Bousrih. She is a Post doctoral researcher at Aalborg University. Currently, she is researching Water and salt recovery using membrane distillation and membrane crystallization. Read more about Imen and her work in the interview!

What is your motivation and what excites you the most about your work?  

My motivation comes from the opportunity to turn scientific ideas into practical solutions for global water and resource challenges. What excites me most is working at the intersection of membrane distillation and crystallization, where innovative processes can transform wastewater into valuable resources such as clean water and recoverable salts. Every experiment brings new insights, and the possibility of contributing to sustainable technologies that can benefit both industry and society is deeply rewarding. Seeing research move from theory toward real-world application is what drives me every day.

Which impact do you think your research will have on the future?

I believe this research can play an important role in shaping a more sustainable future by advancing circular water management and resource recovery. Through membrane distillation and crystallization, wastewater can become a source of reusable water and valuable minerals rather than a waste stream. My hope is to help develop efficient and scalable technologies that reduce environmental impact, lower freshwater demand, and support industries in meeting sustainability goals. Ultimately, I want my research to contribute to cleaner production systems and smarter resource use worldwide.

What opportunities does the research project CORNERSTONE offer you as a young researcher in your early career? 

The CORNERSTONE project offers outstanding opportunities for an early-career researcher by providing access to an international network of experts, advanced research facilities, and strong industry collaboration. It allows me to work on real challenges with direct societal relevance while expanding my technical expertise in membrane processes. The multidisciplinary environment also helps me grow professionally through collaboration, knowledge exchange, and exposure to different perspectives.

What is the best thing about your job as a scientist in the CORNERSTONE project? 

The best part of being a scientist in the CORNERSTONE project is knowing that my daily work contributes to sustainable solutions for water and resource recovery. I enjoy the combination of problem-solving, experimentation, and discovering unexpected results that often lead to new ideas. One interesting reality of laboratory research is that systems rarely behave exactly as planned, sometimes an experiment that appears unsuccessful reveals the most valuable lesson. Those moments remind me that science is not only about answers, but also about curiosity, persistence, and continuous learning. 

Find Imen on LinkedIn!