Hydro Nation Chair Research & Innovation Programme

Following many years of productive collaboration between the University of Stirling and Deltares through key European programmes (including DANUBIUS-RI, Danube4All; MERLIN, and forthcoming LandSeaLot), a joint workshop explored further collaborative opportunities through state of the art digital technologies and engineering facilities to support research and innovation in the areas of climate adaptation, floods and droughts and resilient communities. 

Q: We always like to start with asking if you have a favourite water body and, if so, which one and where is it?

There is a lochan near my home which has been naturally dammed by an ancient raised beach. It is a peaceful, unspoiled, remote location, where few ever venture. Aside from the beauty of the spot, the raised beach reminds me that in the grand scheme of things we live in a dynamic and powerful natural world, which has and will survive change, whether we as a species keep up or not.

What a beautiful choice! It is inspiring to think how places can connect us to the planet’s history and its ability to adapt and endure. Q: So, you started your doctoral studies at Stirling in October 2024, what was your previous education and where?

I studied Sustainable Rural Development through the University of the Highlands and Islands, earning a 1st class honours degree and a masters. My degree programmes covered a broad perspective of sustainability issues, from economics to ecology and society. My research included measuring sustainability at regional levels in rural Scotland as well as exploring the challenges of domestic decarbonisation. Following my studies, I was able to put the theory into practice, working on the Scottish Government’s Carbon Neutral Islands programme, which performed carbon audits of islands to chart opportunities for reducing impact while benefitting local communities.

Q: That sounds incredibly interesting, and I imagine provides a great foundation for the research that you are undertaking at Stirling. Can you give us a summary of what your doctoral research is about?

My research is titled One Hour Region, with a view to understanding the role of the Forth catchment in ecological overshoot, and the influence that the water sector has on this. (The ‘hour’ is a reference to Earth Overshoot Day, and what it would take to move this date by an hour). In practical terms, I am looking at the regenerative resources available within the catchment, or biocapacity, the demand for these resources, and assessing what contributions Scottish Water’s activities could be making. The aim is to ultimately identify where value can be created while also reducing ecological pressures.

Q: What's the non-scientist explanation of Earth Overshoot Day, and why is it important?

Earth Overshoot Day tells us how quickly we use nature each year, compared to how fast it renews. A basic example is harvesting wood from a forest verses how quickly the wood grows. We ‘overshoot’ when we have used up the amount which can safely be renewed in that year. This is looked at for a range of resources, such as crops, grazing, and fishing, as well as the amount of nature needed to absorb waste, such as excess carbon emissions.

In 2025, Earth Overshoot Day was measured to be 24th of July, suggesting that after this point we are depleting our natural reserves. This is important because every year that the world overshoots, we further reduce the ability for nature to provide for us in the future.

That’s a clear and powerful way to put it! Earth Overshoot Day really highlights the urgency of living within nature’s limits - when we overshoot, we’re borrowing from the future and reducing the planet’s ability to sustain us. It’s a stark reminder that every action we take to reduce consumption and emissions truly matters. Q: How did you get into this area of research?

In my experience, sustainability efforts on a local scale can often be disconnected from the absolute resource balance that we actually have. Likewise, the big picture metrics about the overall balance of our environmental resources, such as Earth Overshoot Day, the Planetary Boundaries Framework, or Ecological Footprint, can be difficult to translate to local contexts. When I saw that this research aimed to explore this in the context of real-world activity for such an important resource as water, I couldn’t pass it up!

Q: The research sounds invaluable for helping people understand the linkages between local actions and global impact. What do you enjoy about research?

I like picking things apart to see how they work. Finding the trade-offs and synergies. Particularly in the vague field of sustainability it can be easy to miss the bigger picture and how interconnected systems can be. Ultimately, I enjoy exploring new perspectives which encourage us to challenge our long-held assumptions about what is and what could be.

Q: Have you made any interesting discoveries in your doctoral research yet?

Early analysis shows that the footprint of the Forth catchment is effectively many times larger than its actual size. So, it is dependant on far more than it could naturally provide itself. This is perhaps not entirely surprising given the population density – more than a quarter of the population of Scotland live in the catchment. But its water resources also serve even more than this via the Loch Katrine aqueduct, which makes the region even more strategically important.

Q: Woah, it really shows how complex and far-reaching the Forth catchment’s influence is. What is the role of your doctoral research in the Hydro Nation Chair Programme?

My research overlaps with several HNC themes, but is particularly relevant to HNC Priority Theme 1: Advancing Systems Understanding. By analysing and visualising the scope of influence on different aspects of our supply and demand for nature, we can enhance our knowledge and decision-making capabilities to meet some of the inevitable challenges we will face in an increasingly resource-constrained world.

Q: We are looking forward to hearing more about your research as the PhD progresses, it could have huge implications for how we think about water resource management in Scotland. If you could change public perception on one thing in the water industry, what would it be?

We take clean water and sanitation for granted in this country. I have spent time in parts of the world where this is not so readily available. Even in Scotland, I come from an area where many people rely on private water supplies which run dry, turn brown from peat runoff, and require expensive or laboursome maintenance. So, I would change the perception that water is cheap and plentiful. Because it is not just the water itself, but the resources required to provide that water and sanitation come with a footprint of their own.

Q: A very valuable lesson! Our final question, as you are now in the second year of your PhD, is there any advice that you would give to someone considering Doctoral Research?

Your life experience is invaluable, so trust it and use it. I spent years in the ‘real world’ before going down this path, and it has helped keep me grounded. I think there is a risk in the academic world sometimes to get lost in a bubble where you miss some of the ugly real world data. It may not process well, nor fit neatly within our methodologies, but it can tell us invaluable information about how the world really works.

Phosphorus (P) is a nutrient essential for life and underpins our food systems, yet it is a finite resource. In 2014, the EU classified phosphate rock as a critical raw material. For the UK, the situation is especially urgent: we import almost all our P, mainly from countries such as, Morocco, Russia, and China (Cordell et al., 2022). This dependence creates exposure to supply disruptions and volatile markets, making a strong case for circularity, where P is recovered and kept in the system.

At the same time, P is largely wasted, leaking into rivers, lochs, and coastal waters, typically impacting negatively the ecology of our aquatic environments. The UK’s second biggest source of P discharge is from Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), leading to potential eutrophication problems – algal blooms that harm aquatic life and damage local economies (May et al., 2024). With climate change, these impacts are projected to intensify - for example, P levels in Scottish lochs could double by 2080.

The challenge is clear: how do we stop P from polluting our waters, while also securing it as a valuable resource for the future?

Phosphorus recovery presents both a challenge and an opportunity. On one hand, we face barriers: limited policies, market uncertainty, and technical barriers. while on the other, the potential reward is huge: protecting Scotland’s water environments, reducing dependence on imports, and creating new sustainable products and markets. Achieving this balance requires collaboration across policy, practice, and research.

The Hydro Nation Chair (HNC) Research & Innovation Programme, launched in 2021 and funded by Scottish Water, is helping lead this transition. Based at the University of Stirling, the £3.5m programme aligns water research with Scotland’s Net Zero ambitions and global Hydro Nation vision. One of the programme's key challenge areas, under the Embracing the Circular Economy research mission, which I am delighted to be leading, is to advance P recovery by testing technologies, developing markets, and addressing barriers to mainstream adoption.

The HNC is facilitating and supporting the piloting and demonstration of a toolbox of recovery solutions, including:

Adsorption-based systems – tested internationally and now under feasibility review for Scottish Water sites.

Microalgae technology – being scaled up as part of the Resource Recovery Factory project, where algae will capture nutrients, reduces emissions, and create biomass for fertilisers or potentially for fish feed.

Hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) – converting sludge into hydrochar, a renewable energy source that preserves P for later recovery.

These innovations aim not only to close nutrient loops but also contribute to Scottish Water’s Net Zero strategy.

However, technology alone is not enough. For P recovery to thrive, we need robust markets and enabling policies. To tackle this, HNC funded a postdoctoral project at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU), led by Dr Róisín Dooley-Nealis, focusing on the route to market for recovered P in Scotland. This work engages regulators, farmers, entrepreneurs, and researchers to identify opportunities, challenges, and pathways for scaling up. Following empirical research, the 12 month project, which concludes in November 2025, is hosting an online stakeholder workshop on Thursday, 9th October (10 am to 11:30 am). The workshop is designed to bring together stakeholders from across the Scottish phosphorus recovery, reuse, and circular economy ecosystem and triangulate the findings from the empirical research conducted earlier this year.

Why attend?

Hear the initial findings and insights from our ongoing research.

Network with others across Scotland’s P recovery and circular economy community.

Contribute directly to ongoing research, shaping insights that can inform policy and practice.

Share your organisation’s perspectives and challenges to ensure diverse voices are heard.

The workshop will be a valuable opportunity to connect, exchange knowledge, and co-create solutions for Scotland’s P future. Please contact Róisín Dooley-Nealis (Roisin.DooleyNealis[@]gcu.ac.uk) by 3rd October if you are interested in attending the online workshop.

Dr Ania Escudero is a Research Fellow in the Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental Management at GCU where she leads the Water Research Group. The innovative system she pioneered during her PhD established for the first time the potential of using the microalgae Chlamydomonas acidophila in wastewater treatment systems. This success laid the foundation for the award of a prestigious EU-funded Marie Curie Fellowship in 2015 which brought her to GCU. Currently, as Research Leader Fellow under the Hydro Nation Chair programme, Ania is developing opportunities within the Scottish water sector aimed at minimising waste and promoting the sustainable use of resources derived from wastewater.

References

Cordell D, Jacobs B, Anderson A, Camargo-Valero M, Doody D, Forber K, Lyon C, Mackay E,Marshall R, Martin-Ortega J, May L, Okumah M, Rothwell S, Shahvi S, Sherry E, Spears B, & Withers P. ,(2022). UK Phosphorus Transformation Strategy: Towards a circular UK food system, RePhoKUsproject.

According to Thames Water's annual report (2019-20), a large contributor to water usage, across private and residential settings, is toilet flushing – the volume of the average flush is 7.5 Litres, which with an anticipated urination of 7 times a day equates to a personal usage of >50 Litres simply to flush 1.5 - 2 Litres of urine away.

In a bid to support diminishing water resources, the Hydro Nation Chair worked with Wizso and Scottish Water to set up a trial at the Scottish Water Laboratory in Inverness to demonstrate Wizso’s ability to change behaviours and reduce the number of flushes.

Wizso is a small tablet that is dropped into the toilet bowl post urination. The tablet changes the water colour to blue and eliminates odours leaving the toilet usable for the next person without the need to flush. The use of the Wizso tablet supports behaviour change through a simple but effective solution to reducing water usage.

Wizso has already been trialled across hundreds of residential homes demonstrating an average flush reduction of 20%. The trial at the Scottish Water labs was the first time the tablet had been trialled in an office environment.

“Wizso were delighted to have had so much support from the Hydro Nation Chair and Scottish Water to complete the first trial of our product in a commercial office. The results are fantastic and we look forward to rolling Wizso out further into SW facilities.” Mark Gilligan, CEO of Wizso.

The trail was conducted across 4 toilets, capturing normal flush counts over a 4-week period, without Wizso deployed to provide a period of baseline data. Following this control period, the, Wizso tablet was deployed and the trial monitored flush counts over an 8 week period.

With positive user feedback, the data has demonstrated that Wizso enables average reduction of 49% in flushes over 8 weeks. For this laboratory with 4 flushing toilets, this data represents a possible annual water saving of 5040 Litres or 5 m3.

“The Scottish Water Inverness Lab team had a great experience supporting the trial of Wizso. We saw changes in behaviours and nearly 50% reduction in water usage. It’s great to see it now rolling out further across Scottish Water.” Angela Dignan, Team Leader at Scottish Water's Inverness Laboratory.

When we scale these data up to 100 toilets over the course of a year, we see potential potable water savings of 135m3 and a reduction of wastewater production of the same amount. For context, 135m3 is equivalent to the approximate water volume in a 15m swimming pool.

Taking into account the cost of water (commercial premises) and the cost of deploying Wizso across 100 toilets annually we see potential savings of £ 140 and carbon savings of 40kg CO2e.

Q: Before we get started, we always like to ask if you have a favourite water body and if so, where and what? 

Oh, It’s hard to pick just one in a country so rich in beautiful water landscapes, but without too much of overthinking, I’d say my favourite is Loch Lomond, especially near Tarbet, away from the more touristy spots.

It’s beautifully situated amongst the mountains and seems to have its own, unique character that changes with the seasons and the weather. The tall mountain peaks towering above and the wilderness of forests around it give it a real Scottish feel. Plus, it holds a special place in my heart—it was one of the first places I hiked when I moved to Scotland 10 years ago, making it a "feel-good" place for me. 

That's so lovely, and you're right about how the character of water bodies are ever changing, I love that. Q: So your doctoral studies started in Sept 2024, following an MA in Fashion and Textile Design and successful Degree show in 2024. What's your educational journey to your doctoral studies?

My HND in Fashion Technology, from Glasgow Clyde College allowed me to join the third year of BSc Fashion Technology in Heriot Watt University at their Scottish Borders campus. I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in science (BSc) in 2023, following which, I started a one-year MA degree in Fashion and Textile Design, still at Heriot Watt, graduating in 2024.  

It's great that now , my PhD combines my BSc and MA and takes a new direction in textile recycling.

Q: It's great to see how you've taken your fashion and design education and are now applying it to sustainability. What got you into textile waste recycling? 

Honestly, it all started with curiosity! I’ve never been one to take things for granted, so when I began working with textiles during the early years of my bachelor’s degree, I wanted to understand more about their manufacturing, their properties and where they come from. 

Moreover, as someone who chose to work in the fashion industry, I feel slightly responsible for the textile waste problem. I believe it’s time – long overdue – to focus on sustainability, rather than just talking about it. While there are many valuable theoretical studies in sustainable fashion, real change can only happen through practical action. 

I feel incredibly lucky to be pursuing postgraduate research in a field that not only interests me but also offers the opportunity to make a positive impact on the growing problem of textile waste. 

Q: That's a really nice place to be, can you help us all get that passion? Can you tell us something interesting about textiles?

I am fascinated by the history of textiles - Did you know that Scotland was more renowned for its linen production than its wool. Unfortunately, today, linen is processed in only one location in Scotland, which is a shame, given that linen is one of the most sustainable fibers. Our use of textiles have changed over the years, moving to less sustainable fibers, for example during WWII, German soldiers wore uniforms made from nettle fibre, a material that is no longer produced in Europe.

Q: So bringing together your previous education and your abundant passion for textiles and their recycling, what's your doctoral research all about?

My doctoral research is in its early stages, and given the nature of the work, its direction is likely to change multiple times before reaching its outcome.  

That being said, my general research focuses on transforming textile waste – which include discarded clothing and household textiles – into new, useful products. At this point, it’s too early to definitively say what those products will be but we are currently exploring the possibility of developing products currently made from virgin plastic. If successful, this would divert the need for raw materials and reduce the amount of un-recyclable textile waste (which is quite exciting).  

Q: So you're looking at taking existing products and repurposing them?

Exactly. Simply put, the aim of my project is to downcycle textile waste in the simplest and most efficient way possible, ultimately producing useful, sustainable products.

In simple terms, it involves breaking down textile products, which can range from clothing and household textiles to industrial materials. This includes everything from socks and blankets to car seat upholstery, allowing these materials to be repurposed into new products. 

Q: So now, really is the time for change?

We, as consumers, consume huge numbers of textiles, mostly due to the fast fashion marketing strategies. Sadly, textile recycling, especially for blended fabrics like polyester-cotton or cotton-elastane, is close to impossible and for pure fibre content it is still very challenging.

In fact, unless you are aware of the fashion industry's environmental impact and specifically choosing garments made from single fibers, it's likely that your clothing or household textiles will eventually end up in a landfill. 

We can't always reuse textiles into products of the same or higher value, such as new clothing, as only several fibres can be re-spun (spinned into new yarns), and for most of cases that happens with the addition of virgin fibres. However, in the majority of cases, recycled fibres are downcycled, which means that they are used in products of lower value. For example, wool fibres are often recycled and used as insulation for houses, as it does have amazing properties!  So there is still a great opportunity for sustainability,

It is worth adding that although textile recycling is becoming a popular research topic, it is still far from becoming an everyday option due to the complexity of recycling process, lack of investments and lack of available technology.   

Q: So why research, what got you motivated to do a doctorate?

My favourite thing about science is the constant opportunity to learn and the ability to use that knowledge to improve the lives of others.

It’s an incredibly fulfilling field, where with the right dedication, you can make a meaningful and positive impact on people’s lives. 

Q: Nice, talking about impact, and making a difference, if you could encourage a younger scientist, what advice would you give them?

Two Things: Firstly, don’t be afraid! It’s common to hear even highly accomplished people express fear of rejection, but don’t let that mindset take over. Don’t assume failure is inevitable; if it happens, brush it off and keep going! 

And, secondly, stay flexible. It’s perfectly fine to change your course during your studies and explore new directions. For example, I started my program thinking I’d focus on clothing manufacturing, but I ended up being drawn to the sustainable side of the fashion industry. Embrace the opportunity to gain new skills along the way, but always trust your instincts and let your interests guide you naturally. 

Q: That's good advice, we've certainly had to be flexible and adaptable to changes in our research direction within HNC. One of the missions of Hydro Nation Chair is to Reduce Embodied Carbon Emissions in the water sector, how do you see your research aligning to this mission?

The Hydro Nation Chair Programme focuses on research and innovation in the sustainability sector. While my work is not directly tied to water sciences, it addresses the pressing issue of textile waste and promotes sustainable living in Scotland. My project aims to eliminate the need for landfilling discarded clothing and household textiles, which can indirectly contribute to groundwater pollution through chemicals and dyes, as well as microplastic contamination in water sources. A significant portion of this waste comes from company uniforms, which are often destroyed due to health and safety regulations. 

I believe textile waste causes a major challenge to the overall sustainability of the country. By developing practical solutions, we can help Scotland move closer to its Net Zero goals while protecting the beautiful environment we all share

Q: Have you made any interesting discoveries in your doctoral research yet? 

My research is still in its early stages, so I haven’t made any major discoveries yet as I’m currently focused on preparing the background for my thesis through a literature review.  

There are, however, some interesting facts which I have come across. For example, data from the Textile Exchange reveals that global textile production nearly doubled between 2000 and 2020, reaching a 116 million tons by 2022. 

I’ve also learned just how complex the textile recycling process is and how much research and investments are required for it to run effectively. Smooth recycling operations depend heavily on consumer engagement, as the process involves multiple stages—collection, sorting, preparation, and recycling itself—all which demand human and technological resources. Unfortunately, many countries lack the necessary infrastructure and support, largely because textile recycling is not economically viable, leaving few stakeholders willing to invest in it.  

That sounds really promising, we look forward to following the your research. Q: Just to end, if you could change public perception on one thing in the water industry, what would it be? 

Save water! It’s an incredible resource that sustains all life. Unfortunately, we often take it for granted but conserving water is simpler than you might think—for example, turn off the tap while brushing your teeth and reconsider your shopping habits.

The production of textiles, especially cotton, consumes vast amounts of water, making second-hand shopping a far more sustainable choice.

My take away message is that every small effort counts toward protecting our water resources. 

So Roisin, you started this post-doctoral project shortly after completing your own doctoral research at the University of Glasgow.

Q. What is it that you enjoy about research?

What I enjoy most about research is feeding my curiosity, discovering new insights, and striving to make a meaningful impact through my work. My research to date has primarily focused on qualitative methods such as conducting interviews, which has given me the opportunity to meet, listen and speak with such a broad range of people and gain different perspectives.

I agree, that's what I loved about Social Science.

Social science or science, there’s always something new to be discovered or understood further. Constantly pushing the boundaries of what we know and understand and having the potential to bring about positive change is such an exciting space to be in.

Q. So what was your previous education?

Before joining Glasgow Caledonian University, I completed my Undergraduate, Research Masters, and PhD degrees at the University of Glasgow in Business and Management. My PhD research focused on intrapreneurship, exploring how organisations across different sectors internally facilitate innovation and entrepreneurial activities.

During my undergraduate studies, I had the opportunity to spend an Erasmus year at Radboud University in Nijmegen. I also had the opportunity to join the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management at Aalto University in Finland as a visiting researcher during my PhD. Both experiences have greatly enhanced my passion for sustainability.

Q. What great experiences, and exciting to think how they've contributed to your academic journey and expansion of your research interests.

Totally, I became interested and intrigued about the circular Economy and resource recovery during my Erasmus year in the Netherlands, where I was exposed further to sustainability and the circular economy through the courses I studied and the way of life there.

A good few years later, during my PhD, I attended a conference at my Erasmus University that focused on sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This motivated me to ensure my research would contribute meaningfully to addressing and striving towards the SDGs.

Fortunately, this area of research into resource recovery and the circular economy ties together my interests in sustainability and my PhD background

Q. That's nice, the stars have aligned. So what's the research from this Post-Doc all about?

I am investigating a circular economy approach to phosphorus recovery from wastewater treatment plants to advance Scotland's market development of recovered nutrients.

Phosphorus is a finite resource, and its scarcity poses a significant global challenge; phosphorus runoff is also a major driver of eutrophication. For example, not far from us in Northern Ireland, Lough Neagh has been heavily impacted by human activity, resulting in an overgrowth of harmful blue-green algae. This algae has even spread into nearby rivers and along parts of the coastline! Taking a circular economy approach offers a solution that can bring benefits to the ecological ecosystem and the Scottish economy.

The findings of this research project will hopefully assist in informing strategies for the reuse of other nutrients, such as nitrogen and cellulose, from wastewater.

Q. Sounds really impactful! But what exactly is the circular economy and resource recovery? And why is it so important?

In the traditional linear economy, products are made, used, and disposed of. Whereas, a circular economy focuses on designing products, processes, and systems that allow materials and resources to be reused, recycled, and recovered for as long as possible.

In everyday we use materials and nutrients. Too often, we use them in a single use fashion, and often thrown away before their life cycle is really over. Therefore, resource recovery is about reusing or finding new uses for materials and nutrients that we’d normally throw away or would be seen as waste. A relatable example that a lot of us already contribute to is having a food waste bin, and that food waste being turned into compost.

Q. Cool, so we all have a part to play?

One hundred percent! Small actions in our daily lives—like rethinking what we flush, how we use water, and how we manage waste—can play a big role in driving a circular economy and creating a more sustainable world.

I think people take access to clean water for granted and the process that goes into its management and distribution. Also, the interconnectedness of the system, pollution or mismanagement in one area doesn’t stay local; it can negatively impact ecosystems.

Changing this perception could inspire greater care and conservation across the board.

Q. One last question, do you have a favourite water body?

I’d have to choose the North Channel as it’s the body of water between my hometown on the North Coast of Ireland and across to Scotland.

On a really clear day, you can even see parts of the mainland and the Inner Hebrides. In fact, it’s only 12 miles from Torr Head to the Mull of Kintyre! In Scotland, local to me in Glasgow, White Cart Water, which runs through Pollok Country Park, is a great spot to see different wildlife, such as otters and kingfishers.

The main aim of Jocelyn's doctoral research is to showcase innovative technologies to capture carbon and produce a valuable product from bioresources. In turn her research will support Scottish Water to develop their bioresource strategy in order to reach their Net Zero target by 2040 - that's impactful research, let's find out a bit more about her and the research.

Sludge is full of viruses, bacteria, environmental contaminants and consumed contaminants, which tell us how a population is living, and how healthy they are. During the pandemic, the Covid virus was detectable in sludge, which helped identify hotspots and new strains very quickly. So there is lots to be learnt from sludge.

When asked to tell us something interesting about sludge and Jocelyn made the comparison between romance and sewage noting that Venus Cloacina was the Roman goddess who combined a role as a purifier of sewers with the attributes of love and beauty we knew we had to know more.

Q: What's your education background?

My first degree was in Agriculture at Aberystwyth in Wales but through work interests I also did a Post Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Aquaculture at St Andrews, which I followed up through lockdown with an MSc in Waste Management at UWS.

My work experience has been very much based in those 3 areas - I have always been interested in how the two, sustainable aquaculture & Waste management, interact and offer opportunities for improvement.

Q: We are all about water in HNC, do you have a favourite water body?

The Pentland Firth was a major sea highway over millenia and is one of the most beautiful places in Scotland.  I live at its edge and there is an everchanging play of light and sound with an astonishing diversity of wildlife and archaeology.

There is a rich history of folk lore about witches, mermaids and Vikings and the old name used to be the Sea of the Orcs- which is cool if you’re a Tolkein fan! Plus a retired Northlink ferryman told me that he had calculated there was a set of false teeth resting on the sea bed for every 100m of the journey from Scrabster to Stromness due to the roughness of the journey.

Q: You started your doctoral research in May 2024, what’s it all about?

There is an urgent need to capture carbon, nutrients and energy that might otherwise be lost with current disposal methods. Through my research into valorising sludge biomass waste via low-temperature processing I am interested in the practicalities and real environmental cost of different routes for organic bioresources from all sectors.

Q: For the rest of us, what's the non-scientist explanation of sludge and the valorising process?

When humans interact with water - in their homes or at work or through storm drains - municipal waste water is created that has high solids. These municipal waste waters have to be cleaned before they pollute the environment and in the process an organic biosolid (or sludge) is produced. Since the dawn of agriculture, the value of sludges have been recognised for fertility enhancement of soils and also for their energy value - either to produce methane or direct use as a fuel.

But by using heat and pressure, we can change the sludge and create new uses for it that make it more valuable.

Q: Woah, that sounds pretty cool. What got you into the idea of valorising sludge?

I've always enjoyed learning and trying to find answers to issues that affect the environment and our interaction with the planet. My experience working with the challenges provided by new industrial methods of dealing with sludges and disposing of the residues in a fully hands on role as a process operator in anaerobic digestion and as an environmental assessor in the agricultural sector has encouraged my interest in this topic.

I was nervous about attempting a PhD but really wanted to spend time looking at what has always been considered a waste stream in depth and tease out the massive opportunities to manage sludges better.

Given the huge and worrying impact we have had on water courses and oceans, mitigating our impacts is crucial.

Q: It's early days but any interesting discoveries in your doctoral research yet?

I’ve read some pretty interesting research papers and am just about to start the lab work so am excited for what will come from that.

Q: What do you enjoy about lab work?

So far most of my lab work has been on anaerobic digestion or water treatment sites and there is a sense of satisfaction in understanding your process and the visual clues that give you an indication of how a feedstock or sludge or treatment is performing then confirming that by lab analysis.

Q: That does sound satisfying, what’s your favourite thing about science?

Every time you think you’ve solved a problem , you find a new challenge or interesting aspect to consider.

Q: If you could encourage a younger scientist, what advice would you give them?

For inexperienced scientists – who may or may not be young! - the most useful advice is to reach out to all sources of information and support - peers, industry , family - all of whom can shed insight in new and interesting ways on what you are trying to achieve.

Q: If you could change public perception on one thing in the water industry, what would it be?

David reflects on his second year attending BlueTech, noting that again this year the 2 days were filled with fantastic networking opportunities, social events, tours, as well as engaging speakers, panels and workshop sections.

In my experience, many of the industry focused conferences miss the mark in terms of the value they add to participants, tending to end up in naval gazing instead of demonstrating true transformational progress. I’m delighted that hasn’t been my experience with the BlueTech Forum, which is a must attend for anyone working in the water space.

The audience at this event is international, with delegates coming from all corners of the world and from a variety of sectors, including water companies, industrial consumers, technology companies, regulators, governments, local authorities, start-ups, scale-ups, investors and academics. In addition to breadth of experience, insights and challenges we also had large corporates in attendance including Apple, Coca Cola, Xylem, Yokogawa, Microsoft, Unilever to namedrop a few.

It truly was a meeting of providers and large-scale consumers, all with the same challenges and all trying to accelerate innovation forward.

One take away for me was a presentation from Professor Kong Jian Yu from China whose business specialises in blue green infrastructure design and implementation. He gave numerous examples of projects in China that are transforming the landscape and protecting land and people for the changing weather – really inspirational to see.

Another take away for me was the ever-increasing challenge around hard to treat compounds such as PFAS and pharmaceuticals. These compounds are going to receive increasing scrutiny, and water companies will have to find and implement testing and treatment solutions for these at scale. Luckily, there are several pioneering start-ups offering solutions in this space and a number of them were presenting at this forum.

Finally, I had the pleasure of being a ‘Expert Conversations Starter’ on one of the many focused discussion tables during day 2. I was supporting a table Chair with 3 x 60 minute sessions on the topic of Fit for Purpose Water. This topic is about how water is used and the quality that is needed for those different uses. As an example, in the UK we flush our toilets with high quality drinking water that has been expensive to treat – this is extremely wasteful. During these sessions, we heard perspectives from around the world and discussed various options for recycling water in households and within industry. Consideration was given to the drivers and barriers to recycling of water, and the various regulatory climates that impact this. My takeaway from a Scottish perspective is how do we motivate and incentivise the public to care about their water usage? Domestic usage is the biggest consumer of water in Scotland, and therefore provides the largest opportunity to recycle water and reduce usage. However, a common public perception is we have an abundant supply of water in Scotland, so why should people be inconvenienced to reduce their usage if there is no real driver to do so? We don’t meter domestic supply in Scotland, it’s a standard charge on our council tax based on house size. So, if I want recycle water in my home, for example using shower or rainwater to flush toilets, I have to fund this myself, possibly costing thousands of pounds, with no return. I will not receive any reduction in my water bill for this investment, but I will feel like a good citizen for using water more efficiently. Just feeling better about water usage isn’t a big enough lever to make a real difference, we need better incentives, policy change and financial support to implement the widely available solutions to this challenge. Further discussion and debate to be had on that topic for sure.

Next up is Deryck Irving, who attended the second day of Blue Tech Forum 2024:

Picking up the baton from David, I was also hugely inspired by Professor Kong Jian Yu and his call for us all to commit to creating (recreating) a ‘Sponge Planet’ where nature-based solutions are at the heart of urban form and rural and coastal land use. I was only able to attend the second day of the conference and was leading one the topic discussions – focused on nature-based solutions. My three sessions were well attended and participants came from all the sectors that David has already outlined.

What was fascinating was the remarkable degree of agreement on priorities, challenges and opportunities.

There was a universal recognition that we need to think and work more holistically, looking at whole systems, but that to achieve this, we must build multi-partner, multi-perspective approaches which focus on connections and opportunities (not barriers and constraints).  Alongside this approach, we need to change mindsets and behaviours in relation to water. Doing so will require data and modelling to build credibility and the use of more inclusive language and ways of working to build trust and engagement.

Two suggestions that have stuck with me from the discussions are:

Our key message must be that Water is Climate, Biodiversity, Wellbeing, Social Justice etc. (we experience these challenges through water and will find solutions through water too) and secondly, that we need to create a catalyst to make the necessary change happen. This must be systems based – how about creating a Task Force for Scotland, starting by recruiting the biggest corporate users of water?

Are we up for this challenge?

What are your thoughts? Did you attend Blue Tech Forum 2024, if so, what was your takeaway?

To reach out to David or Deryck for further discussion please do get in touch with them via our dedicated programme email address, hydronation[@]stir.ac.uk

I asked my 8-year-old the same question recently and I got the expected answers in line with what he sees online or hears about at school but there was another proudly shouted addition to that list – ‘mummy’. My wife is an entrepreneur, or as she prefers founder. She runs her own sustainable dog food company, which she built on her own, at the same time we were at the start of building our family, smack bang in the middle of the COVID pandemic. Three years in, she is seeing 6 figure revenues and considerable month on month growth, making her a well deserving member on my son’s list of inspiring founders.

Given my wife was a Baroque violinist when I first met her and has now transitioned into a high growth business founder, it would seem that the world of entrepreneurship can be accessible to all individuals, including women and not just men. It has not been an easy journey, but with help, guidance, true grit and determination, there are amazing business opportunities to be had.

So why aren’t we seeing more female founders and what can be done about it?

Championing diversity and inclusion in the tech sector has been a passion of mine ever since I started working full time to support business founders.

In my current role, leading the charge of technology innovation at the Hydro Nation Chair Research and Innovation Programme (HNC), I am lucky to be part of a very diverse team with a 60/40 gender split, in favour of females. The industry itself is also much more diverse in terms of gender split. Building on this great foundation, I have been working closely with my colleagues to better understand the challenges of diversity and inclusion in the tech and entrepreneurial space and what we can do with our programme to address some of these issues.

Following the release of the Scottish Government Report: ‘Pathways: A new approach for women in entrepreneurship’ (published in February 2023), we wanted to support the momentum behind the important activities highlighted in the report. In 2023-34, I was a Career Ready mentor supporting an S5 student called Laura from St Modan’s High School in Stirling.

As part of the Career Ready programme, Laura had a 4 week paid internship working with myself in the HNC team. The focus of her internship was to review the ScotGov Pathways report, interview a selection of female founders and business leaders, gather their views of the report findings and its recommendations and then make recommendations back to the HNC team on how we can improve our programme to support more diversity and inclusion. For these recommendations, please see part two of this blog coming next month.

Entrepreneurship and the world of tech start-ups were new areas for Laura but very quickly, given her own interests in STEM, became of great interest. While reviewing the report, Laura was particularly surprised at some of the data points and reflected on the lack of female entrepreneur role models that she could name. The Pathways Report highlights the lack of female role models as one of the challenges in this space and has some pretty dire statistics for example, funding received by women from friends and family was just 14% compared to the 65% received by women - a factor of 5 times less. In terms of private investment in their businesses, women receive less than 2p for every £1 of total private investment and only 4% of university spinouts were all female-founded as opposed to 75% for all-male founders.

The Pathways report highlights some of the reasons for these dire statistics, covering themes such as:

women feelings of "not belonging" in entrepreneurship, which affects their confidence and self-belief;

formally-defined pathways into entrepreneurship are unclear, while informal pathways and networks underserve women;

that General education and the normalisation of entrepreneurship as a valid career path is largely not present in the education system;

and as shown in the statistics, that women received far less investment than men across all stages of investment.

Converse to these dire statistics and themes, Laura was intrigued by evidence that indicated that businesses with more diverse teams, especially those led by women, can perform better and grow more over time - my wife’s business being s a great example of this. Laura reflected on this as a clear opportunity to encourage and support more women to start their own business if we could build momentum behind the report and execute its recommendations.

As we drive forward towards net zero and beyond, if ever there was a time to increase the number of high performing businesses it is now.

Laura has now completed her Career Ready programme, finding it extremely beneficial in helping her decide on her own pathway post-secondary school, as well as opening her eyes to the world of water management, entrepreneurship and challenges facing female founders. Despite all the existing challenges facing female entrepreneurs, I'm delighted that Laura would now seriously consider starting her own business if the opportunity arose. Laura is preparing for her final exams and has an unconditional place on offer at her first choice University where she plans to study Mechanical Engineering.

You've been at Stirling for a little over a year now and the sampling campaign as part of the MOT4Rivers project kicked off in September 2023 so we thought this would be a great time to get to know you and your research.

Q: What was your previous education in and where?

Prior to joining University of Stirling for my doctoral research, I completed my Undergraduate programme, BSc (Hons) in Physical Geography at Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada and my Taught Postgraduate studies MSc in Integrated Water Resource Management at McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.

Q: You started your PhD in October 2022, what's the doctoral research all about?

I am trying to improve monitoring of sewage pollution in rivers. Sewage pollutes water, spreads illness/disease, and can be harmful to people and wildlife. Across the UK, there is increased awareness and concern about the amount of raw sewage being discharged into waterways. However, given the time, money, and resources required for monitoring discharges, we only have a fraction of understanding about the frequency and impacts of these events.

I am working with the University of Stirling and Scottish Water to advance water quality management with high-resolution monitoring and real-time delivery of data. I am testing the use of optical sensors to constantly monitor microbial pollution. We are trying to find out how well they work, and how the data is impacted by various factors like the sensor’s placement within the river, what the surrounding environment is like, how far downstream it is located from the discharge location, and so on. The results of this research could help improve current understanding of spatial and temporal microbial water quality dynamics in rivers. The end goal of this project is to contribute to better forecasting to protect human health, and better-informed water quality management/interventions to improve surface water conditions. It would cost billions to completely overhaul the wastewater system network, so better monitoring could help target and optimize interventions within budgetary constraints.

Q: What is the role of your doctoral research in the MOT4Rivers project?

Within the MOT4Rivers project, my research is looking at the contributions of the wastewater network into the River Almond catchment; while the larger team is covering all sorts of pollutants and emerging water quality concerns, I am more specifically focusing on the spatial and temporal occurrence of sewage in the catchment.

To do this, I am taking traditional lab-based measurements of faecal coliforms (mainly E.coli) as well as optical sensor readings of samples collected across the River Almond catchment.

Q: Have you made any interesting discoveries in your doctoral research yet?

It is still early days! In working with technology, I have made some personal discoveries about how to dabble in electrical engineering, but actual data results are still to come!

From a catchment-perspective, I would advise that if you are participating in a litter-pick or river cleanup event, you should definitely wash your hands after…

Q: Do you have a favourite water body and if so, where and what?

That’s a hard one to answer, coming from a country with so much water!!! From top of mind, I would have to say it’s a bit of a tie between Georgian Bay and Lake Huron in Ontario. I spent a significant portion of my childhood along the Bruce Peninsula, and it’s a special place, with soft sandy beaches and beautiful sunsets on the Lake Huron side to the west, and then really cool limestone cliffs and caves with glacial blue waters on the Georgian Bay side to the east.

Q: What got you into water quality science?

I come from an interdisciplinary background, working in water quality and contaminated sites in Canada. I initially got into research doing summer internships during my undergrad. My research internships varied from working as the GIS technician for a children’s cancer research team, to evaluating a potential supplemental drinking water source for the city of Iqaluit, NU.

I really enjoyed the crossover to where research was applied to current events and issues that people cared about. I went on to work in the environmental management of contaminated sites, predominantly focusing on abandoned mine sites in Northern Canada. I really enjoyed the complexity of the work, where you must consider everything from how you’ll control remediation activities to not create a new source of pollution in the area you are trying to clean up, to what vegetation is appropriate to re-establish for the wildlife post-remediation.

I knew that I wanted to build my career as a technical expert, and found myself most drawn to people’s intrinsic emotional, personal, and cultural connections to water. As they say, water is life, and I decided to pursue a PhD which addressed water pollution in some way.

Q: What’s your favourite thing about science?

I think it is really cool that we as humans have systematically established a way to ask a question, figure out a way to get an answer, and find out something new about the world that we didn’t know before.

Q: What do you enjoy about lab work?

I really enjoy the analytical work, where you get to be hands-on in figuring out what is in the water. I enjoy the independence of it, the diversity of the workday, and getting to apply my knowledge to troubleshoot problems.

Having a dynamic workday away from the computer screen is also really nice. However, given the infamous Scottish weather, I do find there are some days where I am grateful that my lab work is indoors…

Q: If you could encourage a younger scientist, what advice would you give them?

Some of my best learning and personal growth has come via failure. It’s part of the process. Embrace it.

Also – you are not your PhD. Personally, I found that gaining work experience before pursuing my PhD has helped me approach my studies with better project management skills and work-life balance. If you can get the opportunity, working in multidisciplinary teams (i.e. working with engineers, biologists, politicians and trades people) will help give you better context of the big picture that your research sits within.

Q: If you could change public perception on one thing in the water industry, what would it be?

No matter what the packaging says, wipes are not flushable! Throw those bad boys in the bin please.

[We totally agree Bridget, for more information on how damaging wet wipes that go down the loo are to our rivers and ecosystems, visit Scottish Water's Nature Calls campaign pages.]

More broadly speaking, I think people often forget that everything that goes down the drain will eventually end up in the river.

The infra-red tech can pinpoint tiny molecules of emissions from more than two kilometers away, giving experts a detailed read-out of greenhouse gases to allow them to eliminate them more effectively.

Waste water treatment accounts for most of Scottish Water’s emissions. Targets are in place to become operationally net zero by 2030 and achieve full net zero status by 2040.

The use of Grandperspective’s scanfeld® technology is a sector-first in the UK and will revolutionise understanding of gas emissions and transform treatment processes so they become environmentally sustainable. We first reported on the technology and it's potential implementation in October 2022 in our post on our first Process Emissions trial.

Scottish Water operates more than 1800 waste water treatment works in cities, towns and rural communities. 

Existing techniques for identifying emissions only allow for localised understanding of emissions. The use of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) technology will allow for a larger area to be scanned for nitrous oxide, methane and carbon dioxide and the role that treatment works play in emitting them. 

The solution implemented at a WWTW near Glasgow was identified through the Hydro Nation Chair programme, based at the University of Stirling. Around 200 businesses globally were assessed for their suitability. The HNC Technology programme led by Senior Innovation Fellow David Millar joined forces with Scottish Water’s Net Zero Research and Innovation lead Susan Lee to select the best technology.

David Millar said: “We have selected this technology for trial because it offers a level of granular detail, which we hope will deepen our understanding of emissions from wastewater treatment plants. Identifying, quantifying, and locating the sources of emissions at these plants is vital as we work towards the target of going beyond net zero by 2040.”

Susan Lee said: “This is a great opportunity for Scottish Water to build a deeper understanding of how much we are emitting on a whole wastewater treatment site scale. This work will complement the industry best practice methods we are already adopting to quantify emissions to take steps to reduce them.”

Scotland Hydro Nation Chair Professor Andrew Tyler said: “This is an exciting milestone. This UK and sector first deployment of Grandperspective’s scanfeld® solution will enhance our understanding of greenhouse gas emissions from waste water treatment processes and establish a baseline against which we can assess change.”

George Ponton, Head of Research and Innovation at Scottish Water said: “The Hydro Nation Chair programme was established to bring thought leadership, research excellence and innovative solutions from Scotland and beyond, focused on addressing the key challenges facing the water sector in Scotland.”

Following a successful meeting of minds to explore interdisciplinary in the race to net Zero between Social and natural scientists, the Hydro Nation Chair Programme is delighted to be hosting a one-day workshop to further develop interdisciplinary connections between researchers in the Blue Humanities and researchers aligned to social sciences or scientific disciplines.

Join us at the TIC Building, University of Strathclyde on Monday 5th June 2023

Sign up via Eventbrite: https://lnkd.in/eHtJdMx4

The workshop is designed to bring together researchers who are flexible and enthusiastic about cross-disciplinary approaches to research involving water. In doing so, we aim to explore how we use and manage water effectively in Scotland, address concerns over water quality (which can include healthy rivers and seas) and access to water, and how the water industry in Scotland can reach Net Zero. Interests can range from work around hydration and health outcomes, to those working on water quality and pollutants.

Loch Katrine; Photo Credit - Scottish Water

This workshop is a joint Stirling-Strathclyde event a to enable informal as well as formal conversations, but we expect that hybrid attendance will be possible.

The main focus is how we use and manage water effectively in Scotland, concerns over water quality (which should include healthy rivers and seas), access to water, and how the water industry in Scotland can reach Net Zero. So interests can range from work around hydration and health outcomes, to those working on water quality and pollutants. The aim really is to put together groups of people who are flexible about what they might research in the future and are enthusiastic about it having something to do with water, rather than people who are already experts.

The day will consist of a number of short presentations on ongoing/emerging research projects that relate to Hydro Nation Chair research themes and priorities; a post-lunch networking event; and a brief concluding discussion of common themes and priorities that have emerged over the day.

DRAFT AGENDA:

1. Very short presentations (5 minutes, 3 slides) in which participants introduce an ongoing/emerging research project which focuses on Scottish water(s), briefly state how it might relate to the Hydro Nation Chair research themes and priorities, and then comment on how their project might benefit from interdisciplinary approaches and the questions/issues they might have around this. The number of presentations will depend on interest and availability but we should be able to fit 10+ into a morning while allowing time for a break.

2. A post-lunch networking event where people can ‘match’ themselves in relation to their ability to respond to questions and issues raised: this will be set up to enable circulation and maximise opportunities for multiple discussions.

3. A brief conclusion for collective discussion of common themes and priorities that have emerged from the presentations and conversations – are there commonalities across our disciplines, and if so, what are they?

The intent is that this focused approach will enable people to offer help, advice, and ideas tailored to particular research projects, and to ‘attach’ themselves to projects for the future, and/or to come up with innovative ideas that spin out from current projects. The format will be designed to foster sharing of expertise and contacts and to enhance participants’ understanding of the wealth of interdisciplinary research into Scottish water.

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Don't forget to Sign up via Eventbrite by 25 May

Given the current climate, becoming net zero may be part of your planning, but may not be a priority. And that may well be due to time and money. Two things always in short supply when you are running your business. Join Scotland’s International Environment Centre, part of the University of Stirling, to discover how you can have more of both.

We will share no nonsense insights on how to reduce your energy consumption and bills and therefore carbon footprint.

Perhaps of most interest to you will be Knowledge Transfer Partnerships. A nifty means of employing skilled staff to focus on a particular opportunity, a fraction of their salaried cost. And because change doesn’t happen overnight, the benefit of opting for one, two or three years to meet your ambition.

Sounds too good to be true? There’s more. Hear about our Help to Grow mini MBA with 90% funding and our fully funded Graduate Apprenticeship in Data Science.

The morning will take you through a series of thought provoking presentations, provide advice on business support and funding and hosts an informed panel discussion covering multiple aspects of how to become a net zero organisation, the challenges and opportunities.

This bridging the gap workshop is aimed at developing links between the developing research base, identified as part of the Hydro Nation Chair programme, and social scientists from across the UK. The primary objectives are to: 

recognise the links between these groups of researchers,  

establish disciplinary norms and  

identify what we need to understand about each other.  

The primary outcome of the workshop is to facilitate a better working relationship to truly integrate and embed alternative research methods within developing projects and studies. More information on the workshop can be found in the following workshop summary.  

Please confirm attendance, along with any dietary requirements and consideration for a travel bursary to Dr Fiona Millar via [email protected] by 6th February 2023.

Workshop details: The workshop will take place on 6th March 2023 at the TIC building in Glasgow (99 George Street, Glasgow, G1 1RD). As the agenda is being finalised, we are asking attendees to hold 09:30-16:30 but we are aiming to run the main workshop content between 10am & 3.30pm.

Target Audience: The workshop aims to engage researchers from a broad range of disciplines but with a common interest in enhancing working practise to more fully understand the environmental and societal impacts of climate change.  In order to capture all expertise and interest across all levels and disciplines, without any prior agenda, attendance is welcomed across career stages, subjects and experience of interdisciplinarity.  

Workshop Attendance: Primarily we would like this workshop to be in-person, however we appreciate the benefit of a hybrid event and, as we wish to target a number of audiences, the event will be set up as hybrid, with online attendance possible.

To support in-person attendance, we have 40 travel bursaries, of up to £125 per person, available. Please note that award of these bursaries will prioritise low- and no-income attendees; hence, attendees are encouraged to explore other means available to them for financing expenses in the first instance.  We would also like to encourage users of these bursaries to consider green transport methods where possible.

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) launched a call in April 2022 for projects that would address a significant gap in our understanding of how pollutants enter, transform and interact within rivers, and with the ecosystems that rivers support. The Understanding changes in quality of UK freshwaters call is part of a £8.4 million programme of research funded by NERC, with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) that will support innovative collaborations including those with intervention-focused organisations and practitioners, creating a community of researchers and funding projects that span the three thematic areas of the programme.

Prof Andrew Tyler, Scotland Hydro Nation Chair, leads one of the five projects funded. Prof Tyler's project, MOT4Rivers, sees a consortium led by University of Stirling pulling on expertise from the James Hutton Institute, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, The School of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh and University of Glasgow, along with valuable project partners to investigate how pollutants interact with rivers and ecosystems, and devise a system to monitor and measure pollution.

For centuries, human activities have impacted our rivers by shifting the sources and combinations of physical, biological and chemical drivers and pressures. However, our understanding of their impact on ecosystems has been limited by viewing each in isolation and not considering their combined effects.

Our freshwater species are being challenged by a bewildering combination of pollutant cocktails (mixtures) whose effects are poorly understood. At the same time, climate-change driven shifts in water quantity (more frequent floods, longer periods of low flow) and warming waters are expected not only to be influencing the function, physiology, abundance and biological timings of freshwater ecological communities directly, but also the delivery and potential toxicity of these cocktails respectively.  It is not simply the water pathway that we need to consider, but also the re-mobilisation of contaminants and the changing patterns of exposure that potentially magnify the effects on biota (i.e. organism sensitivity).  Increasing urbanisation and changes in rainfall intensity and its seasonality, different catchment processes all have the potential to increase inputs of these emerging contaminants to the environment.

Our research, through the £2million MOT4Rivers project, will address these gaps by embracing the digital revolution through innovative technologies and transformative data analytics to deliver a step change in our knowledge and understanding.  Our approach has three strands. The first will turn a spotlight on the Almond catchment in West Lothian, a sub catchment of the Firth of Forth catchment.  The Almond is a typical catchment encompassing rural to urban land uses through rigorous investigations that will deliver high temporal resolution data. This investigation will provide new understanding of acute/event-based impacts on freshwater ecosystems.

The River Almond in West Lothian; Image credit: Scottish Water

Secondly, we will use national scale datasets and cutting edge data analytics tools to investigate the impacts of longer-term exposure to pollutant cocktails across the UK on water quality and ecosystem health. These findings will provide new understanding of chronic/long term impacts on freshwater ecosystems.

Thirdly, we will integrate our new evidence base and understanding into a risk-based probabilistic model.  The model will allow the exploration of the relationships between environmental change, declining river quality, multiple pollutants and ecosystem impacts.  Our research will develop the evidence base to understand changing pollutant sources, delivery pathways and the environmental tolerances and boundaries within which organisms can thrive and flourish (i.e. the ecosystem safe space).

Together, MOT4Rivers will inform priorities for policy, regulation and investment to design cost effective programmes of measures to promote and enhance sustainable freshwater ecosystems under a changing climate.

For more information on the project please see the University of Stirling press release, follow #HydroNationChair on Twitter and come back soon for a project webpage under R & I Infrastructure.

"What an exciting time to be part of such an innovative research community!"

Last week, we welcomed the funded projects from our two Crucibles to the University of Stirling to present their progress to date – and it was great to see how much has already been achieved. All teams were represented and gave an overview of their work – making it accessible to the varied audience in attendance.

Award winners from left to right: David Millar, University of Stirling; Richard Baker, University of St. Andrews, Andrew Tyler, Scotland Hydro Nation Chair; George Ponton, Head of R & I at Scottish Water; Alexis Walter, James Hutton Institute and Diana Valero, James Hutton Institute.

It was also really welcomed to see that the ethos of the Hydro Nation Chair programme has been taken to heart by these collaborative units – not only do we see diverse teams uniting to address common challenges, there is a real sense of thinking laterally about the problems being addressed, and a definite move to whole systems thinking.

Diana Valero, PI for Wastewater project presenting at the Mid Project review meeting.

From the fantastic co-creation framework in the Wastewatership project, to the adaptive technology being developed by the Living Lids team, there is a real sense of bringing the community together and developing strategies that, not only address the issue at hand, but that there is minimal to no negative impact by doing so.

It was also valuable to have so many Scottish Water colleagues in attendance and a wide range of questions from all attendees – this really helped in understanding the work being undertaken, and also to acknowledge the additional challenges to come – new waste streams, utilisation of resources and contributions to pollution. Running this as a hybrid event did have its challenges but none that were insurmountable, and the flexibility this community shows in working together, and across different platforms and backgrounds, makes me very hopeful that we will meet our mission targets.

If you want to come and join the conversation or get involved in any other way – just let us know!