LEE KUAN YEW WATER PRIZE FACT SHEET - TU Delft

LEE KUAN YEW WATER PRIZE
FACT SHEET
The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize is the highlight of the Singapore International Water Week
(SIWW), a global platform for water solutions. Launched in 2008, this prestigious Water
Prize recognises outstanding contributions towards solving global water problems by either
applying groundbreaking technologies or implementing innovative policies and programmes
which benefit humanity.
Named after Singapore’s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, the award comes with a cash
prize of SGD300,000, an award certificate and a gold medallion. The award is solely
sponsored by the Singapore Millennium Foundation, a philanthropic body supported by
Temasek Holdings that has pledged SGD1.5 million over five years since 2008.
The Lee Kuan Yew Prize award ceremony and banquet will be held at the Marina Bay
Sands, on 2 July 2012 during the Singapore International Water Week 2012. As the winner
of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2012, Prof van Loosdrecht will deliver the 5th Singapore
Water Lecture prior to the award ceremony, where both the Water Prize and the World Cities
Prize will be presented to the respective laureates.
The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize – Past Winners
2008: Dr Andrew Benedek
The award was given for Dr Benedek’s outstanding work in pioneering the development of
low-pressure membranes in water treatment. Dr Benedek has redefined the way water can
be treated and shown how drinking water can be produced from different water sources,
even those that are highly polluted. It is a big leap that benefits mankind, for those in both
developed and developing countries.
2009: Professor Gatze Lettinga
Professor Gatze Lettinga was awarded the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2009 for his
breakthrough, environmentally sustainable solution for the treatment of used water using
anaerobic technology. His revolutionary treatment concept enables industrial used water to
be purified cost-effectively, and produces renewable energy, fertilisers and soil conditioners.
2010: Yellow River Conservancy Commission
The Yellow River Conservancy Commission (YRCC) was honoured in 2010 for its
outstanding accomplishments in integrated river basin management. YRCC’s innovative
policies and solutions have brought about widespread and sustainable social, economic and
environmental benefits.
2011: Dr James. L Barnard
Father of Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) technology, Dr James L. Barnard was
honoured with the Water Prize in 2011, for his groundbreaking invention of the
environmentally sustainable, biological method to treat used water. Dr Barnard’s BNR
technology revolutionised used water treatment processes by using naturally occurring
micro-organisms instead of conventional chemicals, protect water quality in lakes and rivers
worldwide.
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Selection Process
The nominations undergo rigorous selection by the Nominating Committee which comprises
chief executives of multi-national water companies, leading academics and government
officers. The Nominating Committee’s recommendations are then endorsed by the Water
Prize Council, which is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean. The following lists
the chairman and members of these two distinguished panels.
Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize Council
DPM Teo Chee Hean
Mr Teo Chee Hean chairs the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize council. Mr Teo Chee Hean is the
Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore Singapore and the Chairman of National Research
Foundation.
Professor Lim Pin
Professor Lim Pin is the Deputy Chairman for the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize council. He is
currently the Chairman for the Singapore Millennium Foundation. Professor Pin is also a
Senior Consultant Endocrinologist and Professor of Medicine at the National University of
Singapore (NUS). Professor Pin previously served as Vice Chancellor at National University
of Singapore.
Professor Clayton Christensen
Professor Clayton Christensen is the Kim B. Clark Professor of Business Administration,
Harvard Business School at the Harvard Business School, with a joint appointment in the
Technology & Operations Management and General Management faculty groups. He is also
currently a board member at Singapore's Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council.
Dr Sadayuki Sakakibara
Dr Sadayuki Sakakibara, is the Chairman of Toray Industries Inc..
Lord Ronald Oxburgh
Lord Oxburgh is a member of the United Kingdom’s House of Lords Select Committee on
Science & Technology. He is a graduate of the Universities of Oxford and Princeton. He is
also a member of A*star (Advisory Committee on Science, Technology and Research for
Singapore). Lord Oxburgh has been a member of the Science and Engineering Research
Council, the Natural Environment Research Council, and the Advisory Council for Science
and Technology. Lord Oxburgh has also served as Chairman of The Shell Transport and
Trading Company.
Professor Tommy Koh
Professor Tommy Koh is currently Ambassador-at-large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Singapore. He is also the Director of the Institute of Policy Studies, Chairman of the National
Heritage Board and Chairman of the Chinese Heritage Centre.
Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize Nominating Committee
Mr Tan Gee Paw, Chairman
Mr Tan Gee Paw is the Chairman of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize Nominating Committee.
He is also Chairman of the PUB, the national water agency of Singapore. Mr Tan also
serves as an Advisor for the Centre for Water Research and Adjunct Research Professor for
the Division of Environmental Science & Engineering at the National University of Singapore.
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He is also on the Advisory Panel of Nanyang Technological University for the Clean Water
Programme, and Co-Chairman of the Environmental & Water Technologies International
Advisory Panel of Singapore's Ministry of the Environment & Water Resources.
Dr Andrew Benedek
Dr. Andrew Benedek is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Benedek Group of
Companies. In 2008, Dr. Benedek was awarded the inaugural Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize
for his outstanding work in pioneering the development of low-pressure membranes in water
treatment. In 1980, Dr. Benedek founded ZENON Environmental Inc., and under his
leadership, ZENON has invented many of the key membrane technologies used for water
and used water treatment and has become the global leader in this field. He is also a
Research Associate of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography of San Diego at the Scripps
Institute of Oceanography of San Diego. He is currently also the CEO of UTS BioEnergy
LLC.
Professor Bertil Andersson
Professor Bertil Andersson is President of Nanyang Technological University . He is a plant
biochemist of international reputation and the author of over 300 papers in photosynthesis
research, biological membranes, protein and membrane purification and light stress in plants.
From 1989 to 1997, he was member of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry (Chair 1997),
later becoming a member of the Nobel Foundation (2000-2006) and he is currently a
member of the Board of Trustees of the Nobel Foundation.
Professor Perry McCarty
Professor McCarty is currently a Professor Emeritus of Civil and Environmental Engineering
of Stanford University. He has written over 300 publications, and is co-author of the
textbooks, Chemistry for Environmental Engineering and Science and Environmental
Biotechnology - Principles and Applications. His current interests are on aerobic and
anaerobic biological processes for control of hazardous chemicals, advanced used water
treatment processes, and movement, fate, and control of groundwater contaminants.
HE Dr Mahmoud Abu Zeid
Dr Mahmoud is the President of Arab Water Council and the former Minister of Water
Resources & Irrigation of Egypt. He is also the Honorary President of World Water Council
and a Member of the UN Advisory Board on Water Supply and Sanitation.
Mr Daniel McCarthy
Former President and CEO of B&V Water and a member of the Black & Veatch Board of
Directors, Mr Daniel McCarthy oversees the company’s global water business. He currently
serves as a board member of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, an advisory
group member for the Singapore International Water Week and chair of the Water
Environment Federation International Program Committee.
Professor Chen Jining
Professor Chen Jining is currently the President of Tsinghua University and holds an
honorary first degree in Environmental Engineering from Tsinghua University (1986) and a
PhD in Environmental Systems Analysis from Imperial College, London (1992). His research
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areas include environmental systems analysis, water resources and environmental policy,
integrated river basin planning and management, non-point sources pollution control, and
sustainable cities.
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