The presentation of the Young Engineer of the Year Award 2011 was also made at the 36th Annual Dinner. This year's Award went to Ir Harry H W Lee. The award is to honour an outstanding young engineer who has made commendable contributions to the engineering profession, to the community and to the Institution.

Ir Harry Lee is a chemical engineer specialising in membrane technologies for desalination and reclaimed water applications. He received his BEng (first class) and MPhil in chemical engineering from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Ir Lee's career is devoted to environmental consulting and water engineering with a unique understanding of the balance between engineering and the environment.

Ir Lee played major roles in pilot desalination and reclaimed water demonstration projects – key water supply initiatives under Hong Kong's Total Water Management programme. His successful delivery of these projects confirmed their technical viability while the process parameters were optimised in preparation for their future large-scale applications in Hong Kong. As a Senior Engineer at Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Ltd, he is currently responsible for various aspects of the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme Stage 2A upgrading works, the largest sewerage infrastructure in Hong Kong.

Due to his technical excellence, Ir Lee has also been invited to deliver prominent water projects overseas. He commissioned the world's first full-scale large-diameter seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant in Singapore as well as two desalination package plants in Maldives as part of the tsunami relief programme.

Ir Lee is a strong advocate of his profession and is keen to facilitate its further development. He speaks and publishes widely to share his expertise and elevate the profile of the chemical engineering discipline. He is actively involved in various training and mentoring programmes to enlighten and nurture junior engineers with his own experience.

Ir Lee is currently the Honorary Secretary of the HKIE Chemical Discipline Advisory Panel and a registered mentor with the Institution of Chemical Engineers. He has served as committee members of the HKIE Training Review Sub-committee (Group II) and Chemical Discipline Advisory Panel – one of the youngest members taking such roles. By promoting the Chemical Discipline, Ir Lee aspires to diversify the engineering profession's capacities to improve water resilience in Hong Kong and beyond.

This year, three young members, Ir Chris C S Kum, Ir Rachel H C Law and Ir Michelle M S Tang were also presented the Certificate of Merit.

Ir Harry H W Lee (R) receiving the Young Engineer of the Year Award from President Ir Prof Reuben Chu

The President presenting Certificates of Merit – Young Engineer of the Year Award to Ir Chris C S Kum and Ir Michelle M S Tang