The first Klaus Toepfer Environmental Innovation Competition, with the theme of "Water saving Technology and Water Resource Management", was held for undergraduate and graduate students majoring in environmental related majors in universities nationwide. On the morning of November 14th, awards were presented at the Siping Road Campus of Tongji University. The research results of four doctoral students majoring in environmental science from the School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Wu Yinan, Teng Minmin, Jia Min, and Ahmed A. Taha, titled "Preparation of Mesoporous Fiber Membrane Based on Electrospinning and Its Application in Water Treatment", won the first prize in the competition; Five student science and technology innovation works from five universities, including Chongqing University, Donghua University, and Shandong University, won second and third prizes respectively.

German Consul General in Shanghai, Rui Wufeng, Vice President of Tongji, Wu Zhiqiang, and General Manager of Hainan Yijing Environmental Protection Co., Ltd., Pan Dekou, who provided sponsorship for the competition, attended the award ceremony and presented awards to the award-winning students.

The 2011 Klaus Toepfer Environmental Innovation Competition was jointly organized by the United Nations Environment Programme Tongji University School of Environment and Sustainable Development and the German Consulate General in Shanghai. Dr. Klaus Toepfer, former Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, former Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, and Chief Professor of Environment and Sustainable Development at our university, provided support and guidance for the competition.

This competition has collected nearly a hundred entries from students from universities across the country, including various forms such as papers, scientific and technological objects, and scientific research reports; The participants are mainly undergraduate students, with some also being master's and doctoral students.

The innovative work "Preparation of Mesoporous Fiber Membrane Based on Electrospinning and Its Application in Water Treatment" won first prize by Wu Yinan and other classmates in Tongji proposed a method for preparing functionalized porous fiber membranes using silicon-based materials under high-voltage electrostatic conditions. The prepared fiber membrane material can effectively adsorb and remove heavy metals and organic pollutants when applied to wastewater treatment. Compared with powder and particle adsorbents, it has the advantages of simple preparation, low cost, strong adsorption performance, and easy regeneration and use. It can not only be used in the water treatment process system of urban water plants, but also as a substrate laid on the anti-seepage layer of landfill sites to intercept and absorb heavy metals in waste incineration fly ash, with good application prospects.

The other five environmental innovation works that won the second and third prizes in the competition are: Chongqing University's "A Comprehensive Recycling and Utilization Device for Bathing Hot Water", Donghua University's "Five pore Membrane Technology and Virtual Water Management in the Textile Industry", Shandong University's "Research on the Effect of Dithiocarbamate Flocculation Treatment on Simulated Oilfield Polymer Flooding Oil Production Wastewater", Liaoning University's "School Rainwater Collection and Utilization System - i.e. Rainwater Collection and Utilization and Water Saving Toilet System", and Lanzhou Jiaotong University's "Safety Inspection and Exploration of Water Quality Improvement Methods for Water Cellars in Cold and Dry Mountain Areas".

At the award ceremony held on the same day, the award-winning students presented their respective environmental innovation projects on site.

Professor Li Fengting, Vice Dean and Environmental Expert of the School of Environment and Sustainable Development at Tongji University of the United Nations Environment Programme, stated that the purpose of organizing this environmental innovation competition is to promote the concepts of resource conservation and environmental friendliness among today's college students, encourage and guide them, especially young students related to environmental majors, to participate in environmental protection and construction with their unique scientific and technological concepts and innovative practices.