ALEXANDRIA, VA, April 18, 2008 -- John Anthony Allan, the 2008 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate and a professor at King's College London and the School of Oriental and African Studies, will deliver the keynote address during the Opening General Session of WEFTEC®.08, the Water Environment Federation's 81st annual technical exhibition and conference, later this year in Chicago, Illinois.
Professor Allan is recognized for introducing the concept of "virtual water" which measures how water is embedded in the production and trade of food and consumer products. This concept has major impacts on global trade policy and research, especially in water-scarce regions, and has redefined discourse in water policy and management.
Over the course of his career, Professor Allan has built essential knowledge and communication tools for sustainable and efficient water resource management and policy. His research deploys a wide range of environmental, economic, social, and political theory to give insights on global water resources and the extent to which they can be made sufficient to meet the needs of future populations. Because of his work, policy makers, scientists, water professionals, and the general public have greater awareness of the role of water in the production of different types of products and its impact on global trade and economy. Virtual water remains a central and active component of scientific research and policy formulation, and has empowered individual consumers to affect water management on a global scale.
Professor Allan will anchor a program of speakers from both inside and outside the industry who will share dynamic presentations on the hottest water-related topics. Scheduled for Sunday, October 19 from 4:45 pm to 6:15 pm, this high-profile event sets the tone for the conference that draws thousands of water quality professionals from around the world each year.
With a world-class technical program of 115 technical sessions, 31 workshops and 10 facility tours, WEFTEC is the largest conference of its kind in North America and offers the best water quality training and education available today. Also recognized as the largest water quality exhibition in the world, the WEFTEC exhibition provides attendees with unparalleled access to the latest water quality developments, research, regulations, solutions, and cutting-edge technologies.
Formed in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization with more than 34,000 individual members and 81 affiliated Member Associations representing an additional 50,000 water quality professionals throughout the world.
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