Public Lecture by LKY Water Prize 2026 Laureate
and Panel Discussion on 18 June 2026

NUS Environmental Research Institute (NERI) was pleased to jointly host, with NUS Civil and Environmental Engineering, the Public Lecture by the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2026 Laureate and Panel Discussion on 18 June 2026 at the National University of Singapore.

The event opened with welcome remarks by Assoc Prof Sanjay Swarup, setting the stage for an engaging and timely discussion on global water safety and sustainability.

We were honoured to welcome Professor Joan B. Rose of Michigan State University, recipient of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2026, who delivered an insightful public lecture titled Risky Business: The Science of Safe Water. Her presentation highlighted the continuing global challenge of water contamination, from long-standing threats such as cholera to emerging pathogens, and underscored the importance of Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) in bringing together science, engineering, management and policy to support better decision-making.

The lecture was followed by a panel discussion chaired by Professor Karina Gin Yew-Hoong. Panellists included Professor Joan B. Rose, Assistant Professor Tan Soo Jie-Sheng, Ms Jennifer De France, and Professor Ana Maria de Roda Husman. Emceed by Assistant Professor Pan Weiyi, the discussion offered valuable perspectives on water safety, public health, resilience and sustainability in the face of global change.

NERI extends its sincere thanks to all speakers, panellists and participants for contributing to a meaningful and thought-provoking event.