The Center For Water Research (CWR) at Peking University is joining forces with New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) to co-organize a conference addressing “Water Management and Global Challenges” in Beijing on Oct. 16.

Co-sponsored by the Environment & Public Health Network for Chinese Students and Scholars, the School for International Software at Wuhan University, the World Environment Center, the Jordan University of Science and Technology, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs’ “Water for Life” Decade, HDR, and Coca Cola, the conference is gathering distinguished experts to discuss the global challenges of water management. Speakers include government officials, NGO leaders, academics, and members of leading global and water technology companies, among others.

The conference will focus on “Advances in Technology, Innovation, Health, and Policy.” A detailed agenda and list of speakers is available at nyit.edu/water2012.

Founded by internationally renowned hydrogeologist Professor Chunmiao Zheng in 2006, CWR conducts integrated studies of all major components of the hydrologic cycle, promotes and facilitates substantive collaboration with leading international water research institutes, and  addresses research problems  that are of major importance to the nation’s economic development and the sustainable use and management of China’s water resources.

Keynote addresses will feature presentations by UN and Chinese government officials including:
?   Honorable Ning LIU, Vice Minister of Water Resources, Ministry of Water Resources of the People's Republic of China
?   Kenza KAOUAKIB-ROBINSON, Secretary of UN-Water, Senior Sustainable Development Officer, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
?   Xikun YUAN, Distinguished Chinese Artist (UNEP Patron for Arts and Environment); Standing Member, Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC); Goodwill Ambassador, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

NYIT President Edward Guiliano, Ph.D., will deliver opening remarks at the conference. Faculty members from the NYIT School of Engineering and Computing Sciences also are among the speakers, including its Dean, Nada Marie Anid, Ph.D..

Associate Dean of the College of Engineering, Prof. Xiaolei Wu, Assistant Dean and Director of Dean’s Office, Ms. Yongmei Li, will lead the participation of the faculty and graduate students from Peking University. Prof. Chunmiao Zheng will deliver a featured presentation at the conference.