Dr. Bin Fan, associate professor of Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and North Research Center for Rural Wastewater Treatment Technology, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, won a fund of Grand Challenges Explorations project, announced by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation at April 29th, 2011. The initial funding will be US$100,000 for the investigation and research on a low-cost decentralized sanitary system basing on the incorporated vacuum collection and reuse of excrements and kitchen wastes.

Grand Challenges Explorations (GCE) funds scientists and researchers worldwide to explore ideas that can break the mold in how we solve persistent global health and development challenges. The GCE project mainly focuses on disease and health aspects in the previous five rounds, while recruits the next generation of sanitation technologies in the sixth round. Dr. Fan’s project is one of 88 Grand Challenges Explorations in the sixth round and he is the only Chinese researcher awarded.

GCE was launched in 2008 and the total fund has achieved US$100 million. Till now, GCE already funded nearly 500 researchers from over 40 countries. The GCE is opened globally, no matter what scientific disciplines and affiliations. The initial fund awardees have the opportunity to receive further US$1 million in maximum funding.