Professor Enrico Drioli. (COURTESY PHOTO)

By LONG Yun

    Today, membrane science and engineering represents one of the most visible research areas widely applied in industrial, medical, and biotechnological sectors. The enormous growth in the scientific community formed over the years has shown their worldwide acknowledged importance.

    Enrico Drioli，who serves as the Emeritus Professor of University of Calabria, Italy， is one of the pioneers advancing membrane science and engineering, helping to make it more accessible to the public. In 2021, Drioli received the Chinese Government Friendship Award for his outstanding contribution to promoting China's membrane science. He was proud that the Chinese government recognizes the significance of  the  field  in  which  he  and  many Chinese researchers have been working for the last decades.

    In a recent interview, Drioli shared his enthusiasm and insights in membrane science and engineering with Science and Technology Daily.

    A problem-solver in membrane science

    Drioli's interest in science stemmed from his personality. "I like to solve problems that aren't relaxing at all, because it's a lot more fun and gives me a lot more satisfaction," he said.

    His first coming to China happened in the 1980s for academic exchange with Chinese counterparts. He enjoys the way of life in Weihai and Nanjing, cities which he says are similar to where he lived in Italy and is a big fan of Chinese cuisine.

    Even when asked about the challenges he has encountered in his scientific career, he still emphasized his satisfaction after solving problems the world faces. "When I was a young student, I have already decided to spend my time, future, and life in research. I am never bothered by the challenges, as I am sure that I will find the appropriate approach to dealing with them," he said.

    "The most important part of the scientific research is that my research has been realized in real big factories, not just in publications," he said, noting that science cannot be just restricted to the academic environment.  In fact, the "big picture" challenges that membrane science seeks to address include water purification, wastewater treatment, desalination and so on.

    Drioli hopes to make the voice of science heard throughout the world. "I'm suggesting that we should take actions in the education sphere. We should encourage students to understand the impact that science can have on our daily life as early as possible," he said.

    The function of international cooperation

    Membrane science and engineering are becoming more generally acknowledged and promoted worldwide for their critical roles in achieving sustainable development through the concerted efforts of researchers.

    But it was quite different decades ago. "When I was a student, the role of membrane science was not fully realized," said Drioli. According to him, at the turn of the century, significant progress was made in this subject by addressing environment  -related issues such as wastewater treatment.

    In addition to the research progress, Drioli applauded the function of international cooperation and scientific societies to strengthen the bonds among researchers in different countries.

    "These days, international cooperation is largely recognized," he said, adding that he is proud that he has been promoting international collaboration since the 1980s when it was not so common, and even met opposition.

    Along with the growth of international cooperation, a significant number of scientific conferences and exhibitions also play essential roles to make membrane science understandable to the public.

    "Although significant and positive progress has been made in the last thirty to forty years, the impact of membrane science and engineering on our modern society is still in its early stages,"said Drioli.

    Industrialization is a push to scientific progress

    Researchers in China have made great progress in membrane science. For example, many universities have created research centers in this field. "Today, the contribution to the Journal of Membrane Science from Chinese scientists outnumbers that of the United States.  And I'm delighted that China is now collaborating on an international level on an actual project in membrane science," he said.

    However, as he always advocated, the scientific progress in this field lies not only in publishing papers, but also in realizing its continuous contribution to addressing environmental problems and energy production.

    Drioli marvels at China's initiatives to transfer scientific results to actual industrial activities. He mentioned the recent establishment of the Membrane Science and Technology Industrial Parks in Weihai and other places in China is a practical approach to promoting the development of membrane science and technology.