SINGAPORE, May 20, 2010 -- GE and the National University of Singapore (NUS) today announced the appointment of Adil Dhalla as the new co-chair and director for the NUS-GE Singapore Water Technology Center. Dhalla has a distinguished academic background and recently served as the technical director of the polymer science and technology team at GE's John F. Welch Technology Center in Bangalore, India. In his new role he will lead the center's efforts to expedite research and industry innovation in water treatment and industrial wastewater reuse to help address global and regional water scarcity issues.
Dhalla will play a key role in liaising with regional government agencies and universities on collaborative efforts relating to technology development, while ensuring that GE's technology efforts in Singapore are aligned with the company's business focus.
"As the need for power and water grows throughout the Asia Pacific region and the entire world, the Singapore Water Technology Center needed a leader with the ability to guide and oversee product development, application and launch, as well as being skilled enough to understand the nuances of how to collaborate with the right groups to ensure growth. Adil Dhalla's impressive background and experience made him the ideal candidate for the position," said Christine Furstoss, general manager, technology -- water and process technologies for GE Power & Water.
Prior to his role in Bangalore, India, Dhalla was the technical director of GE's chemistry and characterization team. Since joining GE in 2000, he established and led technical centers of excellence in both materials and process technologies.
After completing his five-year integrated master's degree in chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay, Dhalla earned a doctorate in chemistry from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. After a post-doctoral stint at Penn State University, he was a research fellow at the Bristol-Myers Squibb PRI in Princeton, N.J., and a senior manager in the research and technology division of Ciba Specialty Chemicals in Mumbai, India.
Dhalla has co-authored 16 issued U.S. patents, more than 30 GE internal reports and several publications in peer-reviewed international journals. Some of the key awards he has won include the GE India President's Award for expertise, the GE Plastics Global Technology Innovation Award and the JRD Tata Award for building the reputation of GE's John F. Welch Technology Center in Bangalore.
He will work closely with Professor Ong Choon Nam, director of the NUS Environmental Research Institute and co-chair of the NUS-GE Singapore Water Technology Center. The two institutions will collaborate to develop innovative low carbon footprint technologies for water treatment, water reuse and water quality monitoring.
Together, GE and NUS invested SGD$150 million (US$100 million) in the center, which houses GE scientists and engineers who develop new solutions for low-energy seawater desalination, water reclamation and more efficient water reuse. The center focuses on solving some of the most pertinent water challenges, including alleviating the increasing water stress found in many parts of the world, including regions in China, India and the Middle East.
A leading global university centered in Asia, the NUS (www.nus.edu.sg) is Singapore's flagship university which offers a global approach to education and research, with a focus on Asian perspectives and expertise. NUS has 14 faculties and schools across three campuses. Its transformative education includes a broad-based curriculum underscored by multi-disciplinary courses and cross-faculty enrichment. Over 30,000 students from 100 countries enrich the community with their diverse social and cultural perspectives.
NUS has three Research Centers of Excellence (RCE) and 22 university-level research institutes and centers. It also is a partner in Singapore's fifth RCE. NUS shares a close affiliation with 16 national-level research institutes and centers. Research activities are strategic and robust, and NUS is well-known for its research strengths in engineering, life sciences and biomedicine, social sciences and natural sciences. It also strives to create a supportive and innovative environment to promote creative enterprise within its community.
Dhalla will be at Singapore International Water Week from June 28 through July 2, 2010, at GE's booth E24.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) is a diversified infrastructure, finance and media company taking on the world's toughest challenges. From aircraft engines and power generation to financial services, health care solutions, and television programming, GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs about 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.
GE serves the energy sector by developing and deploying technology that helps make efficient use of natural resources. With nearly 85,000 global employees and 2009 revenues of $37 billion, GE Energy www.ge.com/energy is one of the world's leading suppliers of power generation and energy delivery technologies. The businesses that comprise GE Energy -- GE Power & Water, GE Energy Services and GE Oil & Gas -- work together to provide integrated product and service solutions in all areas of the energy industry including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as water, wind, solar and biogas; and other alternative fuels.
###
