The CWATER 'managing water resources better' bid was nominated for honours in both the 'Water Management and Supply' and the 'Bioprocessing' categories, with the team receiving the accolade of 'Highly Commended' in the later.

The membrane research at Swansea University has pioneered a 'from physics to practice' approach to developing membrane science and technology. The team first develop a clear understanding of the colloidal properties of the fluid, particulates and membrane materials, and the nature of the particle/membrane interaction. This is then used to develop and select the right membrane and solution (or pre-treatment) using combinations of microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO). The research group has published over 200 peer reviewed articles, several textbooks, patented several processes and has created a spin out company 'Membranology Ltd.'

The IChemE 2013 Awards and Annual Dinner provides a platform to recognise and reward chemical engineering innovation and excellence. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the IChemE Awards programme celebrates both team and individual achievement across every aspect of the chemical and process industries It is widely recognised as the most prestigious chemical engineering awards in the world.

Professor Nidal Hilal says: "We are honoured to have been Highly Commended for this prestigious award, which reflects the hard work and achieved research at Swansea University in the area of membrane separations. This work was initiated by Professor Richard Bowen, FREng, in the late 1980’s and has grown into an internationally recognised centre of excellence. The event attracted a total of 65 nominations from both industry and academia around the world."