Qilin Wang may be a young water professional, but he’s already a Senior Lecturer at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and an Australian Research Council (ARC) DECRA Fellow.

Wang joined UTS in 2018, after receiving his Environment Engineering PhD (Dean’s Award) from the Advanced Water Management Centre at The University of Queensland (UQ), and working at UQ and Griffith University.

He has has been globally recognised for his excellence in academic research, having published more than 100 journal papers and securing seven research grants, including the ARC DECRA Fellowship and an ARC Discovery Project. He is also the editor or an editorial board member on four academic journals.

To add to this list of achievements, Wang has received more than 20 awards during his relatively short career, including being named one of the 2018 MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 (Asia Pacific Region) and winning the 2018 International ‘Water’ Young Investigator Award.

With the commercialisation of multiple technologies developed through his research, and his involvement in various industry projects, Wang has a close connection to the water industry. As an educator, he’s passionate about sharing his excitement with a new generation of young water professionals.

Wang was recently nominated for the Australian Water Association’s New South Wales (NSW) Young Water Professional of the Year Award, which will be presented at the NSW Water Awards.

“I feel very honoured and excited,” Wang said about the nomination.

“As an academic, it is inspiring to have my work recognised among plenty of amazing work in the water industry.”

The Australian Water Association’s NSW Young Water Professionals team asked Wang about being Bill Gates for a day and his water saving tips.

What excites you in the industry right now?

The Australian Water Association organises plenty of social activities for water industry people to establish networks and learn from each other. For a young water professional like me, I really benefit a lot from these social activities by communicating with both junior and senior water industry people.

If you could be anyone for a day, who would you choose and why?

Bill Gates. If I could be Bill Gates for a day, I would allocate a large amount of money to support the water industry and water-related research.

Have you got any tricks for saving water?

I always collect bath water at home for toilet flushing. I also share my water saving tricks with my friends. I believe joint efforts will make a big difference.

If there was one piece of advice you could give yourself on your first day of full-time work, what would it be?

Speak up about your ideas and opinions bravely. Do not be afraid to share ideas because you are new.

Can you sum up what the water industry means to you in three words?

 Water is life.

To learn more about the Australian Water Association’s Young Water Professionals program, click here.