Congratulations to the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2024 Laureate, Professor Gertjan Medema 👏 With a career spanning from the 1990s, Professor Medema's expertise has been foundational in establishing wastewater-based epidemiology as a tool for public health surveillance, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Singapore benefitted from Professor Medema’s work through the testing of wastewater for SARS-CoV-2 shortly after he discovered its potential as an epidemiological tool and early warning system for outbreaks. As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded in 2020, NEA’s Environmental Health Institute (EHI), together with PUB, Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX), and other collaborators from the local universities and research institutes embarked on the WBE process quickly. As a result, Singapore has been able to ramp up its testing to hundreds of sites, including workers’ dormitories, residential areas, town centres, student hostels, and welfare homes. The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize honours outstanding contributions towards solving the world’s water challenges by developing or applying innovative technologies, policies or programmes which benefit humanity.
🏅Last evening, at the iconic and heritage site, Clifford Pier, Prof Gertjan Medema received the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2024 medallion from Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of the Republic of Singapore, in a grand award ceremony and banquet. Witnessed by Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, and Prof Leo Tan, board member of Temasek Foundation, Prof Medema also received a certificate and a cash prize of S$300,000. Attended by over 270 global water leaders, the participants also engaged in a dialogue session with President Tharman. Moderated by Robin Hu, Advisor Senior Director, Temasek, the dialogue examined the way we manage and value water, and its intrinsic role in addressing climate change and other global challenges. The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2024 is awarded to Professor Medema from the KWR Water Research Institute for his significant contributions in the field of wastewater-based epidemiology. His timely research breakthrough has global impact and enabled the use of wastewater surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic to fight the spread of the virus. Presented in partnership with Temasek Foundation, the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize honours outstanding contributions by individuals or organisations towards solving the world’s water challenges by developing or applying innovative technologies, policies or programmes. Prof Medema will deliver his prize lecture at #SIWW2024 today, 19 June 2024, 2:15pm at Room 9B, Level 3, Sands Expo and Convention Centre.
