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November 2025 First Friday: Diana Yousef – Sewerless sanitation using NASA-inspired technology to make waste disappear
Revolutionizing Sanitation: The Science Behind the iThrone
Half the world’s population lives without access to sewer plumbing—unable to flush and forced to rely on septic systems or open dumping of human waste. The result: over 80% of human waste globally is discharged untreated into the environment, poisoning waterways, accelerating climate change, and threatening public health.
At our next First Friday, Dr. Diana Yousef, founder and CEO of change:WATER Labs, will share how her groundbreaking work is tackling one of humanity’s most urgent challenges: providing safe, sustainable sanitation to billions without plumbing, pipes, or pollution.
change:WATER Labs’ award-winning innovation, the iThrone, is a waterless, sewerless toilet that rapidly shrinks human waste by up to 95% in just one day. Using a proprietary membrane—nicknamed “shrink-wrap-for-crap”—the iThrone evaporates the liquid content of waste without heat, transforming it into pure water vapor. The result is a clean, odorless, and compact solution that protects communities, safeguards oceans, and cuts greenhouse gas emissions—all without requiring water or infrastructure.
Dr. Yousef will explore the global sanitation crisis, the science behind evaporation-based waste treatment, and how innovations like the iThrone can drive climate resilience and health equity for communities worldwide.
About Dr. Diana Yousef
Diana Yousef is the founder and CEO of change:WATER Labs, a social-impact venture developing breakthrough sanitation solutions for underserved and off-grid communities. A biochemist and environmental innovator, she has worked at the intersection of science, technology, and sustainability for over two decades. Her work has been recognized by the UN, NASA, and the World Bank, and her mission is to make safe sanitation accessible to everyone, everywhere—without plumbing.
When: Friday, November 7th 3rd, 7:30-9 AM
Where: Cape Cod Community College, Lorusso Applied Technology Building