Ronan K. McGovern

I'm Ronan, or Rónán to some, an Irish PhD student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where I research next generation desalination systems offering lower energy and improved economics.

It is fascinating to me that our world's resources are finite - water, air, metals, oil, wood - that we are challenged to grow and consume but yet save enough for tomorrow. It is striking that our economic system and technology is as developed as is and yet leaves much room for improvement. It fascinates me that there is an urge to keep alive our culture and traditions but also a challenge to develop uniqueness and creativity.

My vision is of playing a role in facing these challenges, in managing natural resources, developing economies and technology, and fostering cultural creativity and tradition.