Brendt Stephens is passionate about incorporating sustainability into engineering design and research. He is particularly interested in investigating the role of desalination in the energy industry and in combating the effects of climate change within communities. During his 2019 MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) summer Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) project, he explored the viability of a contactless solar evaporation structure to support the generation of clean water for communities in need. He has continued this interest in water and is currently working on a MITEI UROP project with the Lienhard research group, modelling how membranes foul and fail in desalination processes. As a member of the MIT Undergraduate Energy Club (UGE), Stephens supported the annual Energy Career Fair and was a moderator for the MITEI/UGE Working the Energy Transition conference. He has participated in and mentored incoming first-year students through the MITEI Discover Energy First-Year Pre-Orientation Program. He is majoring in Course 2, with a minor in environment and sustainability.

Brendt Stephens ’22 is speaking at MIT Better World (Sustainability) on March 16, 2021.