From Waders and Wellies to Dr Lamb
Fast forward a couple of years and I’m still that same mad scientist! I’m in the final year of my PhD, working in partnership between industry (Anglian Water) and academia (the University of Sheffield). To do a PhD in something, to spend four years of your life exploring something so niche, you have to be incredibly self-motivated and really love what you do. I can genuinely say that this is true for me. I started this role as a PhD student because I did my MSc by research for a year into water quality working with Cranfield University and Anglian Water and I did not want it to be over. The opportunity to focus on one area and target all your thoughts, energy and innovation into it, is truly incredible. I really appreciate and enjoy my research into water quality.
There are two main things that interest me about the programme. The first is that I have been working with the same group of people during my PhD and I feel like Rising Stars will help me to meet people from different companies and different areas to better widen my networking pool. I recently attended Innovate East and spoke to a lot of people within the water industry, not realising how diverse a sector we are. I became more aware that there are much more than only water companies, there is a multitude of consultants, supply chains and more. I feel like the programme will help me reach out to these people and expand my vision about the paths that my future water industry career could take.
The second is that I have met all of the previous cohort of Rising Stars. They are the most friendly, encouraging people you could meet. I would love to be a part of such a group, to mentor and support each other throughout this programme and later through our careers as a whole.
The IoW has provided me with many development opportunities to date. I first joined the IoW as a student member after attending my first Young Water Professional Conference in 2017. I was so impressed with the focused specialism of the event that I felt it was an organisation I should be a part of. I have used this membership for a multitude of opportunities, from improving my mental resilience to helping the environment through beach cleans. The organisation has especially boosted my confidence by giving me the chance to deliver talks about my research at conferences. I was the first prize presenter at the Institute of Water Young Water Professional Conference last year. I recently wrote about this experience in the IoW Autumn 2019 Magazine.
I genuinely believe that there is little point in doing a PhD in a particular subject without being able to explain your research to those around you. To try and do this, I take part in as much public engagement work as I can. Being a Rising Star would push this purpose even further. My intention is to excite people about my PhD and the work I’m doing but also I’m really trying to push the message that people should not waste drinking water because it takes a lot more effort than people realise to treat it. Plus, the less water being used, the fewer chemicals being used! I talk to people about water in a few different ways. I am a STEM Ambassador, which provides me with one off experiences, such as a few weeks ago I was in my local primary school giving a talk and a little experiment. I am also a Brilliant Club tutor so I create and carry out a series of 7 2-hour lessons in different schools each term, which I deliver to pupils from Primary, Secondary and A-Level phases of education. One further example of this communicative work is that I help out organising a local science festival and next year I intend to present at it as well as helping organise it.
In the next two years, I will finish my PhD, graduate and enter the world of the water industry, after a holiday interrailing in Europe and maybe a trip to Japan. I am interested in potentially being a scientist in the Water Quality department within Anglian Water. But I am not entirely sure what my future job within the water industry will be, I know it will be something completely new to me. I have learnt a lot about myself and how I like to work, for example, while I do enjoy office days I also like to be out in the field. I intend to use this knowledge to find the right job for me in the water industry. In my personal life, in the next two years my goal is to live in a home with an enclosed garden so I can get a rescue dog. This may seem a little vague, but I feel like I know myself, I know how I work best and I know what I want to achieve from my job, the only thing left is to identify the job that fits.
Thank you for reading this application. I am intending to go from waders and wellies to Dr Lamb. I would love the Rising Stars programme to join me on my journey.
