The Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering enjoyed the honor of hosting the International Water Association's 7th International Young Water Professionals Conference here at NTU during December 7-11. Assembling nearly 350 scholars from Taiwan and around the world, the conference provided the perfect opportunity for young water scientists to present their research, engage in discussions and exchanges, and establish connections with some of the world's leading water scholars.

Both NTU President Pan-Chyr Yang and the IWA's President Helmut Kroiss addressed the audience during the opening ceremony of the conference. Further underscoring the significance of the conference, Taiwan's President Ma Ying-Jeou spoke about the current state of Taiwan's water resources, focusing on the importance of water treatment and water resources in Taiwan's national development.

The five-day conference featured 200 oral and poster presentations as well as four pre-conference workshops, which covered the publication of research papers, career planning, future urban planning, and cross-strait exchanges. During two plenary discussions, the participants brainstormed about ways of communicating their research findings to the general public in clear and simple language.

The conference's keynote speakers were Prof. Jianzhong He of the National University of Singapore and Prof. Richard Valentine of the University of Iowa. Prof. He presented the lecture "Fighting Emerging Contaminants in Groundwater." Meanwhile, Prof. Valentine, in addition to sharing his insights regarding the submission of papers to international academic journals, also gave a speech on "Reactions of Chloramines and Chlorine in Drinking Water."

Besides academic activities, the conference offered a number of social events, including dinner parties, a happy hour, and several technical tours. The activities gave the young scientists the chance to build personal contacts with scientists working in a range of water related fields around the globe.