Adam Uliana
Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, ChemFinity Technologies
Adam joins Breakthrough Energy’s Innovator Fellows program from ChemFinity Technologies in New York, New York. He is interested in materials chemistry, water purification, and separation technologies that can help combat issues related to environmental injustice. At ChemFinity Technologies, Adam is developing new porous membrane materials to create energy-efficient desalination and water purifications systems.
Desalination –the process of removing salts, minerals, and contaminants from salt water –is an energy-intensive process that increases our dependence on fossil fuels and, in turn, increases our carbon emissions. ChemFinity’s materials technology uses specialized, highly-selective adsorbents and membranes to avoid energy-intensive water treatment processes, reduce brine waste volumes and toxicity, and achieve resource recovery. Through the Fellows program, ChemFinity hopes to develop a fully scaled membrane and sorbent solution, mitigate technological risks in their processes, and receive valuable business and entrepreneurial mentorship.
Adam has always been fascinated by how the world works on a molecular level, which has inspired him to pursue chemical engineering. He sees water treatment as a way to combine his background with helping others and his interests in the environment. Prior to starting ChemFinity, Adam earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University, as well as a Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering from the Universityof California, Berkeley.
Q&A
What is your favorite word and why?
Gratitude. Acknowledging the people who help us on our journeys shares and builds kindness. Acknowledging the systems we benefit from sparks a desire to help those who lack such privileges.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Learn and practice at least one new sport every year. I have done this every year for the past decade or so.
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