Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s (NP) Environmental & Water Technology Centre of Innovation (EWTCOI) will be collaborating with national water agency PUB to explore innovative solutions to water issues.
To seal the five-year partnership, Mrs Tam Li Phin, the Director of Ngee Ann’s EWTCOI, and Mr Harry Seah, the Director of PUB’s Technology & Water Quality Office, will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Wednesday, 6 July.
The ceremony, which will be held against the backdrop of the Singapore International Water Week,1 will be witnessed by Mr Chia Mia Chiang, the Principal of NP, and Mr Chan Yoon Kum, the Deputy Chief Executive of PUB.
Possible areas of collaboration between the two parties include optimization of membrane systems in water treatment as well as new biological and advanced engineering techniques of water purification.
“As part of our aspirations to develop Singapore into a hub for water technologies, PUB works closely with tertiary and research institutions on research and development of new technologies. This collaborative MOU with EWTCOI of Ngee Ann Polytechnic is therefore timely for downstream applied research, with PUB as the end user and water companies as technology and solution providers,” said Mr Seah.
Said Mrs Tam: “With our expertise and dedicated lab facilities, Ngee Ann’s Centre of Innovation is well-placed to engage in applied research to build Singapore’s capabilities in water treatment. We are therefore excited to work with PUB to develop feasible solutions for the industry.”
Established in 2006, EWTCOI is a joint initiative of the polytechnic and SPRING Singapore. EWTCOI engages in applied Research & Development and provides expert advice as well as consultancy services to assist the industry, particularly SMEs, in developing innovative, environmentally friendly and commercially viable solutions in four focus areas. These are Water & Wastewater Treatment, Waste Management, Pollution Control and Clean Energy.
Equipped with a state-of-the-art laboratory, EWTCOI has about 30 full-time R&D engineers, scientists and technology development staff with multidisciplinary capabilities. EWTCOI also provides internship opportunities for engineering students from the polytechnic to give them hands-on training in research projects.
1 The Singapore International Water Week will be held from 4 to 8 July.