On June 25th, the list of recipients for the 15th Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Prize was announced at the 17th Annual Academician Conference of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Among the honorees was Qu Jiuhui, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Distinguished Professor at School of Environment, Tsinghua University, and a researcher at the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, recognized for his outstanding contributions to environmental engineering.

Qu Jiuhui is a Distinguished Professor at Tsinghua University, where he also serves as the Director of the Center for Water and Ecology. He is a researcher at the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Deputy Director of the National Expert Committee on Ecological and Environmental Protection. Professor Qu has long been dedicated to research on technologies ensuring water quality and ecological safety. His work spans from fundamental theories to engineering applications, leading to systematic and innovative achievements that have made significant technological contributions to the safety of urban and rural drinking water and advancing the fight against water pollution. His accolades include one First Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award, four Second Prizes of the National Science and Technology Progress Award and the State Technological Invention Award, four Provincial and Ministerial-level Science and Technology First Prizes, the Distinguished Science and Technology Achievement Award of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Ho Leung Ho Lee Fundation for Science and Technology Progress Award, and two IWA Global Project Innovation Awards. In 2023, he was honored with the National Award for Innovation. He was elected as an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2009, a Distinguished Fellow of the International Water Association (IWA) in 2014, a Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) in 2018, and a Foreign Member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering in 2019.

The Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Prize, initiated by the Chinese Academy of Engineering, has been awarded since 1996. This biennial prize recognizes Chinese engineering and technology experts who have made significant contributions and achieved outstanding accomplishments in the fields of engineering science and technology, as well as engineering management. It is currently the highest honor in China’s engineering sector established by non- public institutions.