SINGAPORE – A National University of Singapore researcher has become the first winner of the inaugural Global Climate Research Prize for his innovative work in reusing floodwaters to reduce water scarcity during droughts. Assistant Professor He Xiaogang, a researcher in the university’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, edged out three other finalists from Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley and University of Toronto to clinch the award on June 10. Founded by Clare Hall of University of Cambridge and LUT University, the prize is
a biennial, philanthropic initiative to recognise researches that combat climate-induced effects. Such effects can include flooding, droughts and spread of infectious disease. Tapping 67 years of global drought and flood data, He’s work shows how droughts and floods increasingly occur in rapid succession, posing risks to food and water security. He has developed frameworks to improve the prediction and management of water-related hazards. His research also explored how floodwaters can be stored and reused during dry periods, helping to strengthen groundwater supplies and improve drought
resilience. “To address hazards threatening global food security, he has developed frameworks that enhance drought resilience and groundwater sustainability, with implementation spanning from California to Southeast Asia,” said Clare Hall and LUT University in a joint statement on June 11. The prize of €200,000 (S$297,000), will be given to NUS to support the continuation of the research. The funders of the prize include the City of Lappeenranta and Marjatta ja Eino Kollin Säätiö, a Finnish foundation that supports scientific and applied research, according to the
Global Climate Research Prize’s website. “Winning the inaugural Global Climate Research Prize is beyond anything I could have imagined, especially being selected alongside such distinguished researchers. including Nobel Laureate Prof Omar Yaghi of University of California, Berkeley, whose pioneering work on materials that harvest water from desert air using solar energy continues to inspire and complement my own research on climate extremes,” He told The Straits Times. He said that the prize money will focus on building solutions to strengthen water, food and energy security
across the region. A key priority is training the next generation of local climate scientists and equipping them with the skills to tackle the defining environmental challenges of our time, he added. He said he also intends to expand research collaborations across borders and scientific disciplines – from climate and hydrology to economics and AI – and hope to establish NUS as a world-leading centre for tropical climate science. South-east Asia faces a medley of risks and hazards like rising sea levels, heat and extreme
weather events intensified by climate change. He was up against three other finalists from Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley and University of Toronto. Their projects tackled some of the most urgent challenges linked to climate change and global resilience such as advancing greenhouse gas monitoring, developing solar-powered water technologies and understanding how climate change is reshaping the spread of infectious diseases.
NUS, He Xiaogang, Global Climate Research Prize, floodwaters reuse, drought resilience, groundwater sustainability, Clare Hall, LUT University, climate research