2016 International Symposium on Alternative Water Resources Development & Opening Ceremony of the Int’l AWR Center successfully held in Xi’an, China

Updated on April 2016

The 2016 International Symposium on Alternative Water Resources Development and Opening Ceremony of the Int’l AWR Center was successfully held on April 1-3, 2016 in Xi’an, China. Over 140 representatives and scholars from the government, universities, research institutes and enterprises attended the symposium.

The Opening Ceremony of the Int’l AWR Center was held on the morning of April 2, 2016. Prof. Xiaochang Wang, Director of the Int’l AWR Center, chaired the opening ceremony. Prof. Sanqing Su, President of XAUAT, gave a welcome address on behalf of the host University. Mr. Xiaoming Jin, Mr. Gaoling Shi, Mr. Xufeng Zhu and Dr. Tao Li successively addressed the symposium and indicated their strong intentions to support and cooperate with the Int’l AWR Center in solving water environmental problems.

Afterward, the nameplate of the Int’l AWR Center was formally unveiled, and Certificates were then awarded to each member of the International Advisory Committee, Academic Committee, and Managerial Committee. All these symbolized the full start of the Int’l AWR Center.

After the opening ceremony, Prof. Glen Daigger, US National Academy of Engineering from the USA, Prof. Qu Jiuhui and Prof. Ren Nanqi, Members of Chinese Academy of Engineering from China, Prof. David Garman, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee from the USA delivered their keynote addresses, respectively. The audience warmly welcomed the comprehensive presentations by the four keynote speakers together with their pioneering thinking.

In the afternoon of April 2, 2016, at the second part of the International Symposium, a panel discussion was held on alternative water resources development and the activity of the Int’l AWR Center. Prof. HuuHao Ngo, Vice Chairman of the Academic Committee, chaired the panel discussion. Prof. Xiaochang Wang presented a report, on behalf of the Int’l AWR Center, entitled “Urban Alternative Water Resources Development for the Future.” After Prof. Wang’s presentation, Prof. Hallvard Ødeggard, Prof. Peter Cornel, Prof. Moo Young Han, and Prof. Glen Daigger gave their comments and made presentations, respectively.

An International Advisory Committee and Academic Committee meeting was held after the panel discussion. During the round-table meeting, all the committee members expressed their ideas on alternative water resources development and how to run the newly established Int’l AWR Center.

On April 3, a technical visit was arranged to an urban water environmental site in Xi’an. Named as Guang-Yun-Tan (meaning “Wide fortune pool” in Chinese), this site is one of the water landscapes within the “Eight-Rivers” project, which includes the rehabilitation/reconstruction of 8 river channels, 2 ancient moats, 28 lakes and a number of wetlands in and surrounding the central urban area of Xi’an. The research team led by Prof. Xiaochang Wang has been involved in the conceptual plan of this project.

The 2016 International Symposium on Alternative Water Resources Development and Opening Ceremony of the Int’l AWR Center symbolized the good start of this institute. With a group of world-leading scientists working as advisors and academic leaders, the Int’l AWR Center will fully utilize its wide connection with IWA and many top universities and institutions to keep its R&D activities at the world level and provide a unique platform for international exchanges, scientific research, technological development, technical transfer and engineering consultation in the field of urban water environment.