Nanyang Technological University young technopreneur scientist wins inaugural Don Quixote Fund Award

NTU's Dr. Adrian Yeo Piah Song is the first recipient of the Don Quixote Fund Award 2009, which was set up last year by the first winner of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize, Dr. Andrew Benedek

The developer of novel membrane instrumentation and optimisation technology, Dr Adrian Yeo Piah Song from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), is the first recipient of the Don Quixote Fund Award 2009. The Don Quixote Fund was set up last year by the first winner of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize, Dr Andrew Benedek.

The Fund provides start-up venture capital to enable graduate students and early career scientists to develop high risk innovative technology ideas that have the potential to dramatically impact the water sector in the future, but who may not have access to funding by other sources. In the future the Fund will be administered by the International Water Association

The US$100,000 award will help Dr Yeo's company, Membrane Instruments and Technology Pte. Ltd. (MINT), a spin-off from NTU, to improve the design and operation of membrane processes. Using the award as seed money, MINT will begin commercialisation of Dr Yeo's novel invention, the Membrane Integrity Sensor.

"MINT's flagship product, the Membrane Integrity Sensor, is a device that provides real time information on the state of membranes used in the water purification process. It is more sensitive than any other instruments currently available. It has successfully undergone pilot plant testing and the prize money will be used to "productise" the integrity sensor for installation into large scale water treatment plants," said Dr Yeo, elaborating on his invention.

Dr Yeo, 32, has previously invented a simple hand-pumped membrane based water filter that played an important part in easing the shortage of drinking water for many victims of the December 2004 tsunami in Aceh, Indonesia. A testimony of his ingenuity and enterprising spirit, he personally delivered some 8,000 litres of drinking water in Aceh and trained locals to operate his water filtration system.