Muhammad Wakil Shahzad

Muhammad Wakil Shahzad is a mechanical engineer, innovator, and academic leader whose work spans sustainable cooling, water treatment & generation, advanced energy systems, and circular economy solutions. He is internationally recognised for pioneering next-generation technologies with a strong emphasis on real-world deployment, commercialisation, and global impact.

Since 2019, Shahzad has served in Mechanical Engineering at Northumbria University, where he is now Professor and Chair of Advanced Energy and Sustainability. Prior to joining Northumbria, he held senior research leadership roles at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, including Senior Research Scientist and Postdoctoral Fellow, where he contributed to major advancements in sustainable desalination, thermal systems, and integrated energy–water technologies.

He earned his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the National University of Singapore and has strengthened his academic and leadership portfolio through an Executive Leadership Programme and a PGCert in Academic Practice.

Shahzad is the founder of EcoTechX, a Northumbria spinout developing award-winning technologies in water-from-air generation and energy-efficient cooling. His innovations and contributions have been recognised through numerous national and international accolades from CIBSE, ASHRAE, IET and others. A Chartered Engineer and thought leader in sustainable engineering, he leads several multi-million-pound initiatives focused on climate resilience, resource efficiency, and next-generation clean technology solutions for global markets.