Andrew Benedek of Zenon and Scripps Institute of Oceanography, Winner of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize

A leader in membrane research and technology, Andrew Benedek founded ZENON Environmental to develop cost-effective membrane solutions for water treatment, which are being applied to wastewater, reclaimed water, industrial uses, home appliances, and desalination, as well as drinking water.

During a brief period in the petrochemical industry, he came to see the effect of pollution on the environment and decided to specialize in environmental engineering for his post-graduate work.

In 1978, Dr. Benedek coordinated the internationally recognized Wastewater Research Group, an organization known for its excellence in research in the field of water treatment technologies. Recognizing that overuse and contamination seriously threatened the world's water sources, he founded ZENON Environmental Inc., a company dedicated to solving water quality problems, through the use of advanced membrane technologies.

ZENON Environmental Inc. was formed in 1980 on his vision of a world where cost effective membrane technology could ensure humanity's survival, with safe and superior quality water. Under his leadership, ZENON has grown steadily and become a global leader in membrane technology for water and wastewater treatment.

Dr. Benedek was among the first to believe that membrane technology would one day become a practical way to treat water; many did not hold his view. Today, with an ever-increasing array of microbial parasites not treatable by conventional means, increasing numbers of people are convinced that membranes are the critical technology to safeguard the world's water supply. A growing number now subscribe to the belief that cost effective and simple membrane technology is also the key to reusing water, thereby alleviating water shortages.

Noted as a leading authority on global water related issues, he has written over 100 scientific papers on different water and wastewater treatment technologies and lectured extensively as keynote speaker to learned societies around the world.

Benedek serves on several corporate and advisory boards and is a research associate at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography in San Diego.

ZENON's "Water for Humanity" employee program, in 2003 donated a drinking water treatment plant  to a community in Vietnam that was built by ZENON employees who volunteered their time.

In June of 2006, ZENON became a member of GE Water & Process Technologies to enhance GE’s current water scarcity platform by providing pre-treatment technology for reverse osmosis desalination and water reuse.

www.zenon.com