Water treatment gurus visited KTH
WaterCentre@KTH had the pleasure of welcoming the two Laureates of this year’s prestigous Stockholm Water Prize; professors Mark van Loosdrecht of Delft University and Bruce Rittmann of Arizona State University, who spent an entire morning at KTH, which included an Open Lecture at the KTH Library.
On 28 August WaterCentre@KTH had the pleasure of welcoming two international trail-blazers on the water research arena; professors Mark van Loosdrecht of Delft University and Bruce Rittmann of Arizona State University. The two Laureates of this year’s prestigous Stockholm Water Prize spent an entire morning at KTH, holding a well attended Open Lecture at the KTH Library and discussing with expert panelists Elzbieta Plaza, KTH and Klara Westling, IVL. The lecture was followed by a ”Swedish fika” in the WaterCentre exhibition lounge on Teknikringen 10B, and an informal discussion with professionals from academia, the industry, public agencies, and civil society.
In their talks, van Loosdrecht and Rittmann both underscored the importance of science and wide collaborations for finding sustainable solutions, but also that long-term commitment is needed. Change happens slowly and our knowledge evolves gradually, sometimes in new and unexpected ways. Their own research, for instance, has pushed the envelope of wastewater treatment into as diverse areas as polymer-based production (van Loosdrecht) and human health (Rittmann). With tens of thousands of citations, there is no doubt these two scientists deserve the Stockholm Water Prize both for their impact and for the originality of their achievements.
Truly, an inspiring morning at KTH! We thank SIWI, the Stockholm International Water Institute and our partner IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute for co-organising the event, and of course our two eminent guests for sharing their insights and their time.