30 minute read

About the WISE CDT

gOVERNmENT Of SOUTH AUSTRALIA AND PACIfIC COmmUNITY

Exeter Cohort 4 student Jessica Penny travelled to both Australia and Fiji for her research visit in the summer of 2022. The Coronavirus pandemic had significantly disrupted Jess’ PhD project, including her case study sites, so key motivations for this visit were to obtain the required data from her eventual case study locations and to meet with local stakeholders. Additionally, Jess was keen to work with her industrial supervisors in person, rather than solely through online meetings.

In Adelaide Jess was hosted by Steve Barnett, Principal Hydrogeologist in the Government of South Australia’s Department for Environment and Water (‘DEW’). Jess presented her research findings to governmental and university personnel and conducted fieldwork, including interviewing local farmers and water allocators. This information exchange enhanced Jess’ understanding of changes in groundwater use over time, the impact of climate change on sites and the extent and impact of land use change - all of which has helped to refine her PhD thesis.

In Suva, Fiji Jess worked with Dr Carlos Ordens, Hydrogeologist with the Pacific Community’s Geoscience, Energy and Maritime Division. In addition to working closely with Dr Ordens, Jess met with local people to learn first-hand about land use change, current challenges and a nature-based solution to combat coastal flooding. Jess observed that this was ‘a very humbling experience’.

Jess feels she benefited greatly from the in-person contact with her industrial supervisors, their groups and local stakeholders. She has already produced one paper and has a second in progress. Jess’ hosts also appreciated her visit, commenting that it demonstrated ‘the type of research that can be done to help improve land use change and water management’.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE Of CHOLERA AND ENTERIC DISEASES, kOLkATA, INDIA

Kolkata in India was the destination for Exeter Cohort 4 student Deborah Shackleton in June-July 2022. Debbie’s research visit was hosted by the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (‘NICED’) under the supervision of Dr Shanta Dutta. Debbie’s PhD research focuses on ‘Mathematical Modelling for the Effects of Climate Change on Cholera in the Bengal Delta’ and a key aim of her visit was to work on a modelling chapter for her thesis.

Debbie was given access to NICED datasets, including vital cholera datasets that are difficult to get hold of through other means. She worked from an NICED office, so benefited from frequent meetings with colleagues, who also advised on local practices. In return for her hosts’ amazing hospitality, Debbie delivered a lecture on ‘Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases’. Away from the office Debbie toured sewage and drinking water sites and met with a local medical charity in order to better understand water and sanitation practices in slum areas and their potential impacts on cholera transmission.

Debbie considers that her experience of life in a major developing country has been invaluable, both personally and professionally. In addition to producing a co-authored paper, Debbie has been invited to present at a NICED-organised conference. She believes that both the University of Exeter and NICED have profited from her research visit and that there is the real potential for ongoing collaboration, which will benefit both organisations.

7 LAkES ALLIANCE AND COLBY COLLEgE, mAINE, USA

Bath Cohort 5 student James Rand made the most of his brief research visit to the USA in June 2022. James was hosted by the 7 Lakes Alliance and Colby College in Maine. Working with a group of summer research students, James spent a month conducting experiments, learning the practical craft of lake science and meeting up with different research groups.

In addition to his core experimental work, James carried out water quality monitoring and follow-up laboratory work, which enhanced his theoretical understanding and put his knowledge into practice. He benefited greatly from discussions with a wide range of lake scientists, oceanographers and citizen scientist volunteers and he established contacts with the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences. James also collected sufficient data to write his second journal paper.

In his free time James explored several Maine coastal villages, visited historical sites, fished on the lakes and walked part of the Appalachian Trail.

Reflecting on his experience, James considers that being able to discuss his research with diverse groups of people - including being challenged on certain aspects - was invaluable. James also took the opportunity to make new contacts for possible future research collaborations.

COLUmBIA UNIVERSITY, NEW YORk, USA

Bristol Cohort 5 student Daniel Power had an invaluable research visit to Columbia University in New York, USA over the summer of 2022. Dan was hosted by Professor Pierre Gentine in the Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering.

Dan’s PhD is focused on ‘Increasing our Understanding of Land-Atmosphere Interactions using Cosmic-Ray Neutron Soil Moisture Sensors and Machine Learning’. Dan relished his time with the Gentine Lab Group, taking the opportunity to participate in weekly meetings, present his research, utilise unpublished data and collaborate with other researchers. Working with the cross-disciplinary group demonstrated that there are many ways to approach machine learning research in the earth sciences and that the choice of method - and the pitfalls - are often universal. Dan is already working on new academic papers as a result of his visit, and he plans to present at AGU in late 2022.

Dan assessed his research visit as a ‘great experience’, which energised him after the challenges of working on a PhD during a pandemic. From a personal perspective Dan made new friends and connections and took every opportunity to explore New York City and neighbouring areas during his free time.

Dan considers that his research visit has benefited both the University of Bristol and Columbia University and he envisages that collaborations between the two institutions will continue.

Outreach

One of EPSRC’s key objectives is to "generate public awareness; communicate research outcomes; encourage public engagement and dialogue; and disseminate knowledge".

EPSRC therefore expects and encourages its researchers to engage with the public. The WISE CDT has done this in a variety of ways, with the aim of both stimulating interest and educating. Public outreach activities require students to develop their communication skills in order to disseminate their research in a way that everyone can understand. Students also find these experiences enjoyable and wholly worthwhile. Some recent outreach activities are described below.

RATLAB: AN INTERACTIVE SHOW ABOUT BIOmECHANICS

In July 2021, James Rand (Bath, Cohort 5) joined a new initiative called ‘RATLab’, a pop-up interactive show about biomechanics, aimed at 7-11 year olds. Several in-person training sessions for the engineers took place over the summer, in preparation for the new school year and in conjunction with the easing of Coronavirus restrictions. These were designed to encourage the engineers to explore alternative methods of public engagement, primarily through acting and puppetry. Equipped with their inflatable pop-up theatre, the ‘lab’ started touring local primary schools in September, to showcase their unique and fun puppet show.

RATLab is a partnership between Green Ginger and the University of Bath, with funding from the Royal Academy of Engineering, and is designed to challenge negative associations with engineering and re-frame it as an exciting study and career path.

ENgAgINg CHILDREN THROUgH SOUNDART RADIO

On 12 April 2022, Exeter Cohort 5 student Daisy Harley-Nyang and peers from the University’s Biosciences Department spent time away from their desks to chat with local school children about their research, in partnership with Soundart Radio. Topics ranged from beach cleans and microplastics, to basking sharks and even plasticfree croissants, with some sound advice from one young person in particular – “think about what you are buying”.

…AND A LITTER PICk

Daisy has also used her weekends to engage in outreach. As part of her local library’s Fun Palaces event on 1 October 2022, Daisy took a group on a litter pick around South Molton, collecting an impressive amount of items in a short time. Daisy made sure her group took a scientific approach to the task, by taking photographs and recording and classifying everything.

Daisy’s PhD research is on ‘Microplastics in Wastewater Treatment Works’. She is supervised by Professors Fayyaz Memon and Tamara Galloway OBE in collaboration with Nina Jones from UKWIR.

fUTURES 2022: A fESTIVAL Of DISCOVERY

Bath Cohort 5 student James Rand’s latest outreach activities were at FUTURES 2022. FUTURES, a free ‘festival of discovery’, is a public engagement collaboration between the universities of Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Bath Spa and Plymouth and takes place at venues throughout the region in late September. The festival aims to bring science, culture and research together to create a memorable experience for visitors. James was based in Bristol on the historic ship SS Great Britain, where he engaged with both school groups and families to make his research on ‘Micro Underwater Vehicles for Autonomous Lake Inspection’ accessible to all ages. James’ essential props were an ecoSUB prototype underwater glider and fake poo!

Conferences

WISE CDT students have the chance to attend and present at a range of UK and overseas conferences. This offers fantastic networking opportunities and valuable preparation for future careers.

Sizeable groups of students and academics have presented at significant international conferences over the past year. The easing of Coronavirus restrictions has allowed students to travel and participate in person once again - with some going to only their first conference. Information on recent key conferences is detailed below.

THE gENETIC AND EVOLUTIONARY COmPUTATION CONfERENCE

The Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference (‘GECCO 21’) took place online from 10-14 July 2021 and was attended by Sabrina Draude (Exeter, Cohort 3). Sabrina’s virtual poster was entitled ‘Wastewater Systems Planned Maintenance Scheduling using Multi-Objective Optimisation’.

9TH INTERNATIONAL SYmPOSIUm ON ENVIRONmENTAL HYDRAULICS

In July 2021, the 9th International Symposium on Environmental Hydraulics (‘ISEH’) was held at Seoul National University in South Korea (and online) under the theme of ‘Advances in HydroEnvironments for an Era of Big Change’. This conference brought together researchers from all aspects of applied hydraulic flows - atmosphere, oceans, engineering and science - including Stephanie Müller (Cardiff, Cohort 4). Stephanie gave a virtual presentation on her PhD research on ‘Fish Swimming Behaviour and Kinematics in the Wake of a Vertical Axis Turbine’. Stephanie was also awarded the conference’s Best Paper Award – see page 44 for further details.

AQUA≈360: WATER fOR ALL - EmERgINg ISSUES AND INNOVATIONS

The University of Exeter’s Centre for Water Systems was proud to host the AQUA≈360: Water for All - Emerging Issues and Innovations international conference from 31 August to 2 September 2021. This virtual event was co-organised by WISE PhD supervisors Professor Fayyaz Memon and Professor Albert Chen with CDT Director Professor David Butler. Key themes spanned water quality, water quantity, water treatment, wastewater treatment, and water and wastewater infrastructure. Several Exeter WISE students took part in AQUA≈360, with presentations from Jessica Penny (Cohort 4), and Arran CooperDavis and William Addison-Atkinson (both Cohort 5). Student organising committee members included Paul Wills (Cohort 3) and Deborah Shackleton (Cohort 4). WISE Programme Management Group members Professor Raziyeh Farmani, Dr Tom Arnot, Professor Slobodan Djordjević and Professor Reza Ahmadian, plus PhD supervisor Professor Guangtao Fu, all chaired parallel sessions.

2ND INTERNATIONAL SYmPOSIUm ON WATER SYSTEm OPERATIONS

The 2nd International Symposium on Water System Operations took place online from 1-3 September 2021, having been postponed by a year due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The conference brought together researchers and practitioners in the field of monitoring, modelling and optimisation of water systems operations for a mix of invited talks, panel discussions and interactive sessions. WISE CDT student Elisa Coraggio (Bristol, Cohort 4) attended and presented her PhD research on ‘Investigating Water Quality Sampling Frequency in Urban Surface Freshwater’.

NORTH AmERICAN LAkE mANAgEmENT SOCIETY 2021 VIRTUAL SYmPOSIUm

In November 2021, Bath Cohort 5 student James Rand participated in the North American Lake Management Society (‘NALMS’) 2021 Virtual Symposium. Under the theme of ‘Valuing Water: Economics, Ecology, & Culture’, participants networked with some of the most knowledgeable leaders in lake and watershed information and technology via a blend of synchronous and asynchronous content. James presented his PhD research as a pre-recorded oral presentation, followed by a live Q&A session. His presentation was entitled ‘Manually Collected Data from Lake Water Quality Sampling Programmes May Contain Significant Weather Biases’.

BI-NATIONAL CONfERENCE ON THE INTERSECTION Of CLImATE CHANgE AND WATER, AgRICULTURE AND ECONOmICS

In November 2021, Exeter Cohort 4 student Jessica Penny presented her research at the Bi-national Conference on the Intersection of Climate Change and Water, Agriculture and Economics. This is a UK-Mexico conversation aimed at promoting bilateral co-operation in the fight against climate change.

WISE Programme Management Group member Professor Raziyeh Farmani and PhD supervisors Professor Albert Chen and Professor Akbar Javadi also participated in this event.

SOCIETY Of ENVIRONmENTAL TOXICOLOgY AND CHEmISTRY EUROPE 32ND ANNUAL mEETINg

Exeter Cohort 5 student Daisy Harley-Nyang enjoyed her very first conference at the 32nd Annual Meeting of The Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (‘SETAC’) in Copenhagen, Denmark in May 2022. Daisy was able to engage with other scientists working in the microplastics field and share her PhD research. Her poster presentation was entitled ‘Investigation and Analysis of Microplastics in Sewage Sludge and Biosolids: A Case Study from One Wastewater Treatment Works in the UK’.

EgU gENERAL ASSEmBLY 2022

The 2022 EGU General Assembly made its much anticipated inperson return, taking place in Vienna, Austria from 23-27 May. As usual, the WISE CDT was well represented, with participants including Bristol students Elisa Coraggio and Georgios Sarailidis, plus graduates Dr Barnaby Dobson, Dr Sebastian Gnann, Dr Simbi Hatchard, Dr Laurence Hawker, Dr Wouter Knoben, Dr Lina Stein (all Bristol), Dr Laura Ramsamy (Exeter) and Dr Ioanna Stamataki (Bath). Bristol WISE CDT Co-Director Dr Ross Woods and CoInvestigator Dr Rafael Rosolem also took part.

Georgios’ EGU 2022 conference presentation illustrates the strong links between the WISE CDT and industry partners. His presentation explored the importance of input uncertainty and sensitivity analysis in flood modelling for flood risk estimation and was produced as part of collaboration with JBA Risk Management, JBA Trust and the University of Potsdam.

39TH INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION fOR HYDRO-ENVIRONmENT ENgINEERINg AND RESEARCH WORLD CONgRESS

In June 2022, Cardiff Cohort 5 students Nicolas Hanousek, Samuel Rowley and Santiago Martelo Lopez experienced their first in-person conference in Granada, Spain at the 39th International Association for Hydro-environment Engineering and Research (‘IAHR’) World Congress. IAHR is the largest conference on hydraulics, with this year’s theme ‘From Snow to Sea’ focusing on the importance of the water cycle in addressing present and future global water challenges.

I had an amazing time at the IAHR 2022 World Congress in Granada… Additionally, the weather and food in Granada was fantastic. All in all the conference was a big success.

Sam Rowley, Cardiff University (Cohort 5)

Nick gave an oral presentation on ‘Assessing the Sensitivity of Tidal Range Energy Models to Water Level Accuracy’, whilst Sam presented on ‘InChannel Natural Flood Management Approach to Flood Risk Management: Modelling Applications on a Small Catchment in the UK’. Santi presented two papers: ‘Computational Modelling of Coastal Flooding in Torquay due to Wave-Overtopping’ and ‘Large Eddy Simulation of Two Phase Over Different Cylinder Configurations’. Nick was also awarded 3rd place in the John F. Kennedy Student Paper Competition - see page 45 for further details.

The conference experience was excellent, with the city of Granada offering vast amounts of scenery, good food, tapas, and culture. I am very glad to have gotten the opportunity to meet so many interesting and impressive people at the Congress having made friends and connections I hope to hold on to going forward, perhaps we will all see each other next year in Vienna!

Nick Hanousek, Cardiff University (Cohort 5)

14TH INTERNATIONAL CONfERENCE ON HYDROINfORmATICS

Exeter Cohort 5 student William Addison-Atkinson presented his PhD research at the 14th International Conference on Hydroinformatics (‘HIC’), in Romania, Bucharest from 4-8 July 2022. Will’s presentation was entitled ‘A Stochastic Sewer Model to Quantify Health Risks to Residents from Sewer Flooding with Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment’.

WISE Programme Management Group member Professor Raziyeh Farmani and PhD supervisor Professor Albert Chen also presented and co-chaired several parallel sessions.

2ND WDSA-CCWI JOINT CONfERENCE

In July 2022, the 2nd International Joint Conference in Water Distribution Systems Analysis & Computing and Control in the Water Industry (‘WDSA-CCWI’) took place in Valencia, Spain and brought together industry professionals and researchers from around the world under the theme of ‘Smart Water and Circular Economy’. Exeter students Vasileios Koukoravas (Cohort 4) and William Addison-Atkinson (Cohort 5) both presented their research, with Vasilis also competing in the conference’s 9th ‘battle’, where competitors were challenged to find the best solution to an intermittent water supply system.

WISE Programme Management Group members Professor Raziyeh Farmani and Professor Dragan Savić also took part, chairing several parallel sessions. In addition, Professor Farmani gave a keynote lecture on ‘Intermittent Water Supply Systems: Challenges, Opportunities and Solutions’.

DŵR CYmRU WELSH WATER INNOVATION EVENT 2022

Bath students David Birt (Cohort 4) and James Rand (Cohort 5) submitted research posters as part of Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water’s 2022 Innovation Event. These events focus on building collaborations and partnerships in order to deliver both immediate innovation needs and longer term goals. The 2022 virtual conference involved presentations, Q&A sessions, workshops and posters.

Fig 1: Llandegfedd Observations. Stratifying during the summer

Modelling Llandegfedd Reservoir In Future Climates

David Birt

1. Introduction

- Llandegfedd Reservoir is a monomictic reservoir (Fig 1) in South East

Wales (Fig 2). - Reservoir stratification prevents reoxygenation benthic regions potentially causing water quality issues - Studies have found as the climate warms in the future these issues are likely to intensify - This is likely to have consequences on future water supplies

Fig 3: Monthly Average Temperature during modelled years

3. Results

- The most intense stratification occurs in the 2080 simulation (Fig 4), This is seen in other simulations where stratification gets stronger in the future - A synthesis of many simulations suggests that the reservoir will remain stratified for longer in the future under climate change. - The water column gets warmer in the future, most visible after the summer (Fig 4). This may have implications for ecosystems within the reservoir.

4. Conclusions

- Llandegfedd Reservoir was modelled using a 3D model,

AEM3D, to explore how it will be influenced by climate change - The model was calibrated and validated on the observations with an error of 1° C – 1.2 ° C . - This model was then forced with local projected climate data from 2021, 2040, 2061 and 2080 (Fig 3). - Stratification strength is shown by surface-bottom temperature differences (Δ),

Placements, fieldwork, Seminars and Workshops

The WISE CDT’s philosophy of ‘guided freedom’ allows students to take part in a wide range of courses, events and activities, which help them gain valuable skills, explore new ideas and methodologies and meet new contacts from both industry and other academic institutions.

Some projects involve a considerable amount of fieldwork and practical experimentation, which also develop new skills and connections. WISE has additionally supported initiatives such as UKRI’s Policy Internship Scheme, with two students having completed rewarding and enjoyable placements with influential policy organisations. Below are some examples of recent placements, seminars, workshops and fieldwork.

EmHP WASTEWATER mONITORINg PROgRAmmE PLACEmENT

Upon completion of her PhD in early 2021, Bristol WISE CDT graduate Dr Anna Lo Jacomo spent 6 months working on the Environmental Monitoring for Health Protection (‘EMHP’) wastewater monitoring programme, led by the Joint Biosecurity Centre. This programme aimed to help identify the prevalence of Coronavirus in England, via wastewater sampling.

Anna used her experience in data analysis to extract information from over 200 wastewater treatment plants across England, with her findings helping to inform national strategy, localised action and future public health action. Anna also contributed to the analysis and writing of two research articles, one focusing on the uncertainty and variability of COVID-19 wastewater monitoring and the second on the use of machine learning in the analysis of wastewater data.

Anna considered this placement to be a great experience and particularly enjoyed working with a diverse research team - encompassing epidemiology, water engineering, mathematics, computer science, neuroscience and even astrophysics. The group found that a good dose of humour was critical to working as a remote team. For example, whilst brainstorming ways in which to achieve a clearer viral signal from wastewater, one team member advocated for more synchronised toilet use, with a one-letter variation to the ‘Clap for the NHS’ slogan!

27TH WAVES IN SHALLOW WATER ENVIRONmENT mEETINg

In September 2021, Nefeli Makrygianni (Cardiff, Cohort 4) travelled to Bergen in Norway to participate in the 27th Waves In Shallow Water Environment Meeting (another ‘WISE’!). This annual meeting aims to enhance the knowledge and understanding of the physical processes involved in wave development and evolution from basin scale to the nearshore coastal environment. It is also a forum for participants to present and discuss novel techniques aimed at improving the numerics and reliability of wave models. The meeting does not require written proceedings, with the aim of enabling participants to freely present and discuss their latest results.

mICROPLASTICS SAmPLINg: IN SOIL, SEWAgE SLUDgE AND BIOSOLIDS

Throughout the 2021-22 academic year, Daisy Harley-Nyang (Exeter, Cohort 5) has been out-in-the-field, collecting data for her PhD project on ‘Microplastics in Wastewater Treatments Works’. This has involved taking samples of soil (with the help of her 5-year old son, who proved to be a great field assistant!), as well as sewage sludge and biosolids from a local wastewater treatment works, to determine the presence of microplastics in the terrestrial environment. The data Daisy has gathered has led to several ‘firsts’, including a journal article published in ‘Science of the Total Environment’ and her inaugural in-person conference in Copenhagen, Denmark – further details on page 40.

‘ENRICH 2’ TECHNICAL DISSEmINATION WORkSHOP

In April 2022, Jessica Penny (Exeter, Cohort 4) presented her research at the ‘ENRICH 2’ final technical dissemination workshop in front of a virtual audience of ninety-five participants, spanning government departments, universities, and research and international organisations.

The NERC-funded ENRICH 2 project has been a collaboration between the University of Exeter, led by WISE CDT CoInvestigator Professor Slobodan Djordjević, and the Asian Institute of Technology (‘AIT’). The project aimed to extend the scope of the earlier ‘ENRICH 1’ project (which focused on drought) to include flooding, as this is an equally critical hydro-meteorological extreme facing South East Asia and beyond. Jess’ WISE CDT PhD has been aligned with both ENRICH projects: she is researching the impact of land-use changes on hydrological regimes, specifically in relation to the Mun River Basin in Thailand.

BLAgDON RESERVOIR fIELD EXPERImENTS

In May 2022, Bath students Jack Waterhouse (Cohort 3), David Birt (Cohort 4) and James Rand (Cohort 5) were able to leave their desks to conduct a range of field experiments at Blagdon Reservoir in Somerset, all under the watchful eye of their joint supervisor Dr Lee Bryant.

In particular, two thermistor chains and a weather station - which had been deployed the previous year and had somehow survived despite being used as a mooring by fishermen (!) - were successfully retrieved, cleaned and re-deployed. Jack and David are now using this data to inform their lake models.

In addition, several sediment traps were deployed on behalf of Sally Pearl (Cohort 5) and will be used to monitor the rate at which manganese is being deposited. The team plan to return to the reservoir every few months to empty and analyse the data from the traps. Meanwhile, James used the opportunity of being at Blagdon Reservoir to take some EXO Sonde (water quality monitoring platform) profiles in order to obtain additional data for his model.

Prizes, Awards and Achievements

The WISE CDT has deliberately incorporated an element of competition within the programme, setting both group and individual challenges. These have included ‘best poster’ and ‘best presentation’ competitions, as well as varied Summer School group challenges, often in association with industry partners. In going on to submit papers or posters to journals and conferences, students are also exposed to competition at a national or international level.

WISE is proud to celebrate the many and varied achievements of our students and graduates, as detailed below.

ISEH 2021 BEST PAPER AWARD: STEPHANIE mÜLLER

Stephanie Müller (Cardiff, Cohort 4) won Best Paper Award at the 9th International Symposium on Environmental Hydraulics in July 2021, for her “outstanding” extended abstract on ‘Fish Swimming Behaviour and Kinematics in the Wake of a Vertical Axis Turbine’. This abstract resulted from a multidisciplinary research project involving Dr Valentine Muhawenimana, Dr Catherine Wilson, Professor Jo Cable and Guglielmo Sonnino Sorisio (all Cardiff University), and Dr Pablo Ouro (University of Manchester) and investigated the impact of a single vertical-axis turbine on wake hydrodynamics and fish movement using scaled, laboratory experiments.

UNIVERSITY Of BRISTOL 2021 DOCTORAL DISSERTATION PRIZE: SEBASTIAN gNANN

In November 2021, Bristol graduate Dr Sebastian Gnann (Cohort 3) was awarded a Doctoral Dissertation Prize for his PhD thesis: ‘Baseflow Generation at the Catchment Scale – An Investigation using Comparative Hydrology’. The University of Bristol’s Research Degrees Examination Board awards an annual prize for outstanding excellence within each faculty. The six winners for 2021 were picked from a pool of 510 submissions, with Seb winning the Faculty of Engineering prize.

WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH 2020 EDITORS’ CHOICE AWARD: WOUTER kNOBEN

Announced in December 2021, Bristol graduate Dr Wouter Knoben (Cohort 1) was the recipient of the Water Resources Research 2020 Editors’ Choice Award for his final PhD paper on ‘A Brief Analysis of Conceptual Model Structure Uncertainty using 36 Models & 559 Catchments’. Wouter now works as a Research Associate at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada.

NALmS kENNETH H. RECkHOW STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP: JAmES RAND

In December 2021, James Rand (Bath, Cohort 5) was awarded a Kenneth H. Reckhow Student Scholarship by the North American Lake Management Society (‘NALMS’); a non-profit organisation focusing on the management and protection of lakes and reservoirs. James was one of the first-ever recipients of this scholarship, awarded to graduate students to support their research.

IAHR JOHN f. kENNEDY STUDENT PAPER COmPETITION 3RD PLACE: NICOLAS HANOUSEk

Cardiff Cohort 5 student Nicolas Hanousek was awarded 3rd place in the John F. Kennedy Student Paper Competition at the 39th IAHR World Congress, held in June 2022. This biennial award was established in memory of Professor John F. Kennedy, former IAHR President, who is particularly remembered for his efforts to foster younger-member membership and participation.

Nick was one of twelve finalists, shortlisted from a total of ninety-one applicants, who presented their work at a special Congress session and were all acknowledged by the jury for their achievements. Nick’s winning paper was entitled ‘Assessing the Sensitivity of Tidal Range Energy Models to Water Level Accuracy’.

UNIVERSITY Of EXETER 2022 STUDENT EmPLOYEE Of THE YEAR NOmINEE: CRISTINA COkER

The University of Exeter’s Student Employee of the Year award aims to recognise and celebrate students who successfully combine study with part-time or temporary work. Cohort 5 student Cristina Coker was nominated under the 2022 ‘Community’ award category for improving community engagement.

Research Outputs: Theses

Dr Simbi Hatchard

Modelling the Viability of Small Hydroelectric Power on the Zambezi Basin

University of Bristol

Dr Laura Ramsamy

Flood Forecasting in a Large Catchment with Limited Data

University of Exeter

Dr mikkel Bue Lykkegaard

Multilevel Delayed Acceptance MCMC with Applications to Hydrogeological Inverse Problems

University of Exeter, August 2022

Download thesis Dr Stephanie müller

Impact of Leaky Barriers and Hydrokinetic Turbines on Channel Hydrodynamics and Fish Movement

Cardiff University, July 2022

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Dr Nefeli makrygianni

Evaluation of the Performance of the Wave Boundary Layer Model with the OpenIFS

Cardiff University, July 2022

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Dr Sabrina Draude

Optimised Maintenance Scheduling for Wastewater Systems

University of Exeter, May 2022

Download thesis Dr giulia giani

On the Objective Characterization of the Rainfall-Runoff Transformation

University of Bristol, March 2022

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Dr Andrew Barnes

Machine Learning Methods for the Analysis of Precipitation Patterns

University of Bath, March 2022

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Dr giovanni musolino

Flood Modelling and Hazard Assessment for Extreme Events in Riverine Basins

Cardiff University, January 2022

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Dr Arthur Hajaali

Flow Separation Characteristics within Rectangular and Conical Diffusers

Cardiff University, January 2022

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Dr Charles West

Investigating Groundwater Recharge and Dynamics at Continental Scales using Comparative Hydrology

University of Bristol, December 2021

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Dr Eirini Nikoloudi

Event Management and Event Response Planning for Smart Water Networks

University of Exeter, October 2021

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Dr Alex Stubbs

The Physical and Numerical Representation of Turbulent Flow over a Porous Riverbed

Cardiff University, September 2021

Download thesis Dr Dolores gonzalez Olias

Self-Powered Biosensors for Water Quality Monitoring: Sensor Development and Signal Treatment

University of Bath, July 2021

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Dr Lina Stein

Using Hydrological Process Knowledge to Assess Flood Generation and Changes on a Global Scale

University of Bristol, June 2021

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Dr Sebastian gnann

Baseflow Generation at the Catchment Scale – An Investigation using Comparative Hydrology

University of Bristol, June 2021

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Dr Elli mitrou

Large-Eddy Simulations of Multi-Phase Plumes in Crossflow and Stratified Flow

Cardiff University, May 2021

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Dr Cain moylan

Sensitivity, Uncertainty and Refinement of a Global Flood Model

University of Bristol, May 2021

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Dr Stephen Clee

3D Hydrodynamic and Morphodynamic Modelling of Offshore Sandbanks

Cardiff University, May 2021

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Dr Anna Lo Jacomo

Multi-Hazard Exposure of Cities and Implications for Urban Infrastructure

University of Bristol, January 2021

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Dr Rosanna Lane

National-Scale Hydrological Modelling of High Flows Across Great Britain: Multi-Model Structures, Regionalisation Approaches and Climate Change Analysis with Uncertainty

University of Bristol, January 2021

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Dr Stamatis Batelis

The Impact of Groundwater Representation in Land Surface Models under Current and Future Scenarios in Great Britain

University of Bristol, January 2021

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Coastal Protection and Nearshore Evolution under Sea Level Rise

University of Bath, October 2020

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Sewer Systems of the Future: Developing a Stochastic Sewer Model to Support Design of Sustainable Wastewater Systems

University of Bath, September 2020

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Assessment and Mitigation of Stormwater Runoff in an Informal Settlement

University of Bath, July 2020

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Dr Ioanna Stamataki

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Flash Floods and their Interaction with Urban Settlements

University of Bath, June 2020

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Dr Olivia milton-Thompson

Developing a Risk Assessment Model using Fuzzy Logic to Assess Groundwater Contamination from Hydraulic Fracturing

University of Exeter, March 2020

Download thesis Dr Ludovica Beltrame

Simulating the Risk of Liver Fluke Infection in the UK through Mechanistic Hydro-Epidemiological Modelling

University of Bristol, January 2020

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Dr maria Xenochristou

Water Demand Forecasting using Machine Learning on Weather and Smart Metering Data

University of Exeter, November 2019

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Dr Nejc Coz

Numerical and Experimental Modelling of Tidal Range Structures with Focus on Conservation of Momentum through Hydraulic Structures

Cardiff University, October 2019

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Dr Jonathan king

Investigation and Prediction of Pollution in Coastal and Estuarine Waters, using Experimental and Numerical Methods

Cardiff University, October 2019

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Dr Laurence Hawker

Regional Flood Models and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) Uncertainty

University of Bristol, June 2019

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Dr Wouter knoben

Investigating Conceptual Model Structure Uncertainty: Progress in Large-Sample Comparative Hydrology

University of Bristol, June 2019

Download thesis Dr mariano marinari

Quantification and Valorisation of Agricultural Bioresource Residues in England

University of Bath, May 2019

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Dr James Webber

Reliable and Resilient Surface Water Management through Rapid Scenario Screening

University of Exeter, April 2019

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Dr Barnaby Dobson

Uncertainty in Modelling and Optimising Operations of Reservoir Systems

University of Bristol, March 2019

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Dr Joshua myrans

Automated Analysis of Sewer CCTV Surveys

University of Exeter, March 2019

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mPHIL AWARDS

Aidan Barry

Identification and Characterisation of Luxury Uptake Proteins in Chlamydomonas for Enhanced Wastewater Phosphorus Removal

University of Bath

Research Outputs: Publications

Title: ground Truthing global-Scale model Estimates of groundwater Recharge Across Africa

Authors: Charles West, Robert Reinecke, Rafael Rosolem, Alan M. MacDonald, Mark O. Cuthbert, Thorsten Wagener Source: Science of The Total Environment DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159765 Published: 26 OCTOBER 2022

Title: Integrating Scientific knowledge into machine Learning using Interactive Decision Trees

Authors: Georgios Sarailidis, Thorsten Wagener and Francesca Pianosi Source: Computers & Geosciences DOI: 10.1016/j.cageo.2022.105248 Published: 15 OCTOBER 2022

Title: Wave Runup on Composite Beaches and Dynamic Cobble Berm Revetments

Authors: C.E. Blenkinsopp, P.M. Bayle, K. Martins, O.W. Foss, L.-P. Almeida, G.M. Kaminsky, S. Schimmels, H. Matsumoto Source: Coastal Engineering DOI: 10.1016/j.coastaleng.2022.104148 Published: SEPTEMBER 2022 Title: Understanding Process Controls on groundwater Recharge Variability across Africa through Recharge Landscapes

Authors: Charles West, Rafael Rosolem, Alan M. MacDonald, Mark O. Cuthbert, Thorsten Wagener Source: Journal of Hydrology DOI: 10.1016/j.coastaleng.2022.104148 Published: SEPTEMBER 2022

Title: modelling Urban Sewer flooding and Quantitative microbial Risk Assessment: A Critical Review

Authors: William Addison-Atkinson, Albert S. Chen, Fayyaz A. Memon, Tsang-Jung Chang Source: Journal of Flood Risk Management DOI: 10.1111/jfr3.12844 Published: 09 AUGUST 2022

Title: Heuristic-Based Approach for Near-Optimal Response to Water Distribution Network failures in Near Real Time

Authors: Eirini Nikoloudi, Michele Romano, Fayyaz Ali Memon and Zoran Kapelan Source: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)WR.1943-5452.0001582 Published: AUGUST 2022

Title: An Inertial mechanism behind Dynamic Station Holding by fish Swinging in a Vortex Street

Authors: Tucker Harvey, S., Muhawenimana, V., Müller, S., Wilson, C. A. M. E., and Denissenko, P. Source: Scientific Reports DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16181-8 Published: 25 JULY 2022

Title: microbubble-microplastic Interactions in Batch Air flotation

Authors: Bert Swart, Arto Pihlajamäki, Y.M. John Chew, Jannis Wenk Source: Chemical Engineering Journal DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2022.137866 Published: 2022

Title: Are moments of Rainfall Spatial Variability Useful for Runoff modelling in Operational Hydrology?

Authors: Giulia Giani, Miguel Rico-Ramirez & Ross A. Woods Source: Hydrological Sciences Journal DOI: 10.1080/02626667.2022.2092405 Published: 2022

Title: Evaluation of Reanalysis Soil moisture Products using Cosmic Ray Neutron Sensor Observations across the globe

Authors: Yanchen Zheng, Gemma Coxon, Ross Woods, Daniel Power, and Rafael Rosolem Source: EGU General Assembly 2022 DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-egu22-3206 Published: 2022

Title: Towards the Establishment of a global Cosmic-Ray Soil moisture Observing System

Authors: Rafael Rosolem, Daniel Power, Miguel Rico-Ramirez, John Patrick Stowell, David McJannet, Martin Schrön, and Heye Bogena Source: EGU General Assembly 2022 DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-egu22-7102 Published: 2022

Title: Large Scale Evaluation of Relationships between Hydrologic Signatures and Processes

Authors: Hilary K. McMillan, Sebastian J. Gnann, Ryoko Araki Source: Water Resources Research DOI: 10.1029/2021WR031751 Published: 23 May 2022

Title: Linking the Relative Importance of Input Uncertainties of a flood Risk model with Basin Characteristics

Authors: Sarailidis, G., Pianosi, F., Wagener, T., Lamb, R., Styles, K., and Hutchings, S. Source: EGU General Assembly 2022 DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-egu22-3122 Published: 2022

Title: Hydropower Portfolio Site and Design using a Simulation – Optimisation model Incorporating High Resolution Hydraulic modelling in Data Scarce Regions

Authors: Hatchard, S., Schmitt, R. J. P., Pianosi, F., Savage, J., and Bates, P. Source: EGU General Assembly 2022 DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-egu22-8044 Published: 2022

Title: Determination of the Optimum Sampling frequency for Water Quality monitoring Schemes

Authors: Coraggio, E., Han, D., Gronow, C., and Tryfonas, T. Source: EGU General Assembly 2022 DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-egu22-11307 Published: 2022

Title: Where to Drill Next? A Dual-Weighted Approach to Adaptive Optimal Design of groundwater Surveys

Authors: Mikkel B. Lykkegaard, Tim J. Dodwell Source: Advances in Water Resources DOI: 10.1016/j.advwatres.2022.104219 Published: 18 MAY 2022

Title: multi-Objective Optimisation of Sewer maintenance Scheduling

Authors: Sabrina Draude, Ed Keedwell, Zoran Kapelan, Rebecca Hiscock Source: Journal of Hydroinformatics DOI: 10.2166/hydro.2022.149 Published: 06 MAY 2022