Professor strives for water quality

Guo Zhenren, a 62-yearold professor from China, is hoping to leave an enduring academic legacy in Brunei as he joins a drive by local authorities to improve the water quality of rivers in the Southeast Asian country.

The sole professor at the faculty of engineering at the University of Technology Brunei said he feels a sense of responsibility to provide valuable insights to the country’s authorities, which have entrusted him with studying the water quality of the rivers.

“We all hope that we can find the best way to improve this water quality ... through the establishment of mathematical models,” Guo said.

An established expert on hydro-environment studies in China, Guo decided to join the faculty at the university six years ago, when it was recruiting professors in the discipline globally.

“I hope I have really made a difference here. I use my expertise to help the government’s decision-making,” he said.

The water quality of Brunei’s rivers has been a source of public concern in recent years. In February, residents found colored particles in tap water, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The authorities in Brunei later reassured the public that the country’s tap water still met the World Health Organization standard.

As part of the government’s efforts to improve water quality, Guo was granted a fund of about $1 million for a program aimed at finding the source of pollutants in rivers.

Guo said his research found that the scattered population in Bandar Seri Begawan, capital of Brunei, and the large number of paved areas had made it difficult to gather wastewater in the city for treatment before it was discharged into rivers.

I hope I have really made a difference here.” Guo Zhenren, a 62-year-old professor from China in Brunei

“We are not only trying to understand the problem, but also trying to come up with a solution to it,” he said.

Guo said his team is preparing a report that will propose the best way to solve the water pollution problem.

“It is not realistic to expect that it will be solved completely, rather to find the areas that policymakers can focus on,” he said.

Guo, who has served as dean of graduate studies and research at his university, is also hoping to help train more local talent in environmental engineering.

“I had to start from scratch when I arrived years ago, but now we have an environmental engineering laboratory that can handle large experiments,” he said.

“I believe that more highcaliber talent will come here in the near future as the country steps up its talent recruitment drive,” he said.