The 2008 Delta Competition nominees, as selected by the Panel of Judges (in random order):
Team nominees:
- Double channel and tidal power stations: engineering measures for rising sea
levels that threaten deltas
Wang Fei, Han Bo and Li Yuan, from HoHai University, China;
- Design and deployment of aquaponic grid communities
Duc Tung Nguyen, Karthik Ramanathan and Sameer Vohra; from the University of
Toronoto, Canada; and
- Building with nature: finding a balance between natural and human processes
in deltas
Marten Hillen, Jos Kuilboer, Pieter Nordbeck and Roald Treffers; from Delft
University of Technology, Netherlands.
Individual nominees:
- Mangroves: natural defence against natural disasters in model simulations
Fang Yenn Teo, from the University of Wales, Cardiff; and
- Adapting to climate change and sea level rises in deltaic regions: an enhanced
framework and proposals for the adaptation of support initiatives
Paula Posas, from the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom.
It promises to be an exciting presentation. In the opinion of the panel the quality of the papers is extremely high. The chairman of the judges, Professor Julian Hunt, is really impressed by the quality of the papers sent in. ‘You can sometimes tell from the quality that it’s far from easy to capture an unusual, innovative idea in a compact paper. However, I’m impressed by the suprising, innovative solutions that are being presented. For example, someone came up with the idea of floating, compartmentalized vegetable gardens so that essential harvests won’t be lost after a flood. Or underground accommodation in tropical delta areas that are regularly struck by the disastrous consequences of typhoons. And how about houses with glass walls on the ground floor that can be sacrificed when there’s a flood so that the water can flow through the house without a problem?’
Paula Posas is one of the nominees. ‘Whatever the outcome, I’ve really learnt a lot from immersion in the research about deltas and coastal vulnerability,’ she says. ‘The knowledge is something I’ll be able to share and use to make better informed decisions in my professional life. Royal Haskoning should be commended for the extraordinary selection panel for this competition.’ Paula adds. ‘It's truly humbling to know that these amazing people might read something that I and other students have written.’
See more information on
www.deltacompetition.com
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