Find out what our researchers got up to in 2025: conference presentations, workshops, and more
WIRe PhD students attend the Molecular Microbial Ecology Group meeting in December 2025
Nicholas Donati and Vincent Smith (both Cohort VI) attended MMEG in December 2025. The programme included discussions on environmental microbiology, biogeochemical cycling, and host-microbe interactions. As a conference primarily aimed at Early Career Researchers, it was a very welcoming event to gain experience in networking with colleagues across the microbial ecology community. The conference included a social event, giving Nick and Vinny lots of opportunities for discussions with other attendees about their work.
Roman Tijsseling presents at IWA Water and Development Congress & Exhibition in Bangkok
From 8-12 December 2025 Roman Tijsseling (Cohort V) was in Bangkok attending the IWA Water and Development Congress & Exhibition. Roman delivered a presentation titled ‘Low-Cost Method For Comparing Turbidity Data To Guide Drinking Water Distribution System Interventions’. The networking sessions were a highlight for Roman, who was able to make international connections and discuss expanding the scope of his project beyond treatment to tap.
Muna Hassan attends the European Biosolids & Bioresources Conference
In November 2025 Muna Hassan (Cohort V) attended the European Biosolids & Bioresources Conference in Manchester. Muna delivered a presentation on 'Supressing Methane Emissions from Sewage Sludge Digestate'.
Siqi Xu travels to Kyoto and Manchester for conferences
Siqi Xu (Cohort III) recently attended two different conferences, where she presented talks on her PhD research. At the end of October she travelled to Kyoto, Japan, to attend The 19th IWA Conference on Sludge Management, where she presented a talk on ‘Rethinking sewage sludge valorisation options and pathways via thermochemical output upgrading: a product-oriented analysis’. Siqi then travelled to Manchester in November to attend the European Biosolids & Bioresources Conference, where she presented on ‘Linking sewage sludge macromolecular contents to pyrolysis output characteristics for novel insights’.
Madeleine Tate presents in urban tree research seminar
The Trees and Design Action Group (TDAG) Trust hosted an online seminar on 4 November 2025. Madeleine Tate (Cohort VI) presented her research exploring how trees could help reduce surface water flooding in cities. Using a suite of environmental sensors she installed on trees at the National Green Infrastructure Facility, Madeleine is collecting data to see how much water the trees use over time. The results will provide insight into how trees interact with water and respond to different weather conditions, such as heavy rainfall.
Cohort VII go on a field trip to Pitsford Water Treatment Works and the Broadholme Anglian Water Recycling Centre
As part of their Global Water Sector module, Cohort VII visited the Pitsford and Broadholme sites in October 2025 to see first-hand the magnitude and complexity of water and wastewater treatment processes. The students had the opportunity to explore a range of facilities in action, including aerators and storm overflows, deepening their understanding of the infrastructure behind clean water delivery. Site visits like these are invaluable to gaining insight into the real-world logistics and challenges involved in managing water systems, as well as helping students get a sense of the scale of these processes.
Thank to Anglian Water for hosting our students, especially to Steven Smith, Michael Bazylewycz, and Sam Cotter at Broadholme, and to Neasa Revens at Pitsford, for providing such informative tours. Thanks also to Heather Smith (Global Water Sector module lead and academic lead for the trip), Irene Carra (Waste Water Treatment Processes MSc Programme Director at Cranfield University), and our very own Jackie Whelan (CDT WIRe Centre Manager) for accompanying our students and ensuring the day was an engaging success!
Lydia Mahan presents at the University of Sheffield Sustainability Symposium 2025
On 7 October 2025, Lydia Mahan (Cohort VI) presented a poster showcasing her work as part of the Grantham Scholars Programme.
The Sustainability Symposium is an annual event that brings together researchers, practitioners, and students to explore sustainability. This year’s programme featured a range of interdisciplinary panels and talks, including discussions on system change versus behaviour change, the limitations of data in driving meaningful action, and the idea that "if you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not doing it right."
The event was organised jointly by the South Yorkshire Sustainability Centre and the Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures, which supports interdisciplinary research and collaboration to address global sustainability challenges. Lydia’s poster was titled ‘Quantifying the Wider Benefits of Sustainable Drainage Systems’.
CDT WIRe students at the 13th Urban Drainage Modelling Conference
In September 2025, Gareth Cotton and Vladislav Dukhovskoy (both Cohort V) travelled to Innsbruck in Austria for the 13th Urban Drainage Modelling Conference where they each presented a poster on their PhD research. Gareth’s poster was titled ‘Real-Time Date Driven Overflow Control in Urban Drainage Networks to Mitigate Environmental Harm in Riverine Systems’. Vlad’s poster was titled ‘Challenges in Modelling Urban Catchments: Integrating Surface Runoff and CSO Response’.
Raman Suri travels to South Korea for IWA’s Membrane Technology Conference
Raman Suri (Cohort IV) recently presented his research on ceramic nanofiltration for drinking water treatment at the 11th IWA Membrane Technology Conference in Daegu, South Korea from 13-18 September. The event gathered researchers, practitioners, and industry partners from across the globe to share advances in membrane technology for water and wastewater treatment, reuse, and resource recovery. Raman’s presentation was titled ‘Ceramic nanofiltration: Creating a resilient future for drinking water supply’. The conference included a Gala Dinner, networking events, and a technical tour to the Gumi Water Reuse Facility.
CDT WIRe students attend CCWI 2025
At the beginning of September 2025, Gareth Cotton (Cohort V), Emily Jane Blackburn (Cohort VI), Linda Sebty Alobaidy (Cohort VI), and Roman Tijsseling (Cohort V), presented their research at CCWI 2025 – the 21st International Conference on Computing & Control in the Water Industry, held in Sheffield, UK.
Their presentations showcased cutting-edge research and innovation in urban water systems, reflecting the CDT’s ongoing commitment to advancing sustainable and resilient water infrastructure through interdisciplinary approaches.
WIRe PhD students attend the CNDS/EGU/TRANSCEND Summer School
In August 2025, Vladislav Dukhovskoy and Cerith Morgan (both Cohort V) represented the CDT at the Centre of Natural Hazards & Disaster Science (CNDS) Summer School, held in collaboration with EGU and TRANSCEND.
During the week-long programme, they delivered short presentations on their research projects and actively participated in a range of sessions—including lectures, seminars, and group activities—focused on Disaster Risk Reduction and the full disaster management cycle: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
The course placed strong emphasis on managing uncertainty and building resilience within complex systems, offering valuable insights and practical approaches for future research and professional practice.
Lucie Bertolaso presents a poster at the Water Disinfection, Byproducts and Health Gordon Research Seminar and Conference 2025
Lucie Bertolaso (Cohort III) attended the Water Disinfection, Byproducts and Health Gordon Research Seminar and Conference in Mount Holyoke College, MA (USA) in July 2025. It was an inspiring and intense week with high-quality presentations at the frontiers of science on "Engineering, Biological, and Chemical Implications of Oxidative Water Treatment for Sustainable Futures". Lucie presented a poster on her research, titled 'Ozonation of propyzamide and adsorption of generated transformation products to activated carbon'. Beyond the science, it was also a great opportunity to network with fellow researchers and experts in the field, and to share fun activities like kayaking.
Ali Leonard travels to Tokyo, Japan, for the 2nd International Sociohydrology Conference
In July, Ali Leonard (WIRe alumna) attended the 2nd International Sociohydrology Conference in Tokyo, Japan. Ali delivered a presentation on the research she completed during her PhD, titled 'The Complexity of Clarity: Balancing Granularity and Trust in Modelling for Water Resources Planning in England'.
Rachael Giles attends the EBIC Early Career Researcher Conference
Rachael Giles (Cohort V) attended the Environmental Biotechnology Innovation Centre's inaugural Early Career Researcher (ECR) Conference 8-9 July 2025 in Edinburgh, Scotland. The conference was an opportunity for ECRs working in Engineering Biology and Environmental Biotechnology to share their research and network with experts in the field. Rachael presented a poster on her research titled 'Identifying opportunities for biological coagulant recovery in drinking water and wastewater treatment processes'.
André Frota attends the Netherlands Centre for River Studies Summer School
In July 2025, André Frota (Cohort IV) joined the NCR Summer School in the Netherlands, which provided an excellent combination of lectures, tutorials, and field excursions on river-related topics such as hydraulics, sediment transport, and morphodynamics. The summer school was a valuable opportunity to learn about the Dutch approach to managing complex water challenges, which gave André new perspectives and ideas for his own research and career.
The Annual WIRe One-Day Conference and Summer Challenge Week 2025
The Annual WIRe CDT One-Day Conference took place 30 June 2025, providing our PhD students with an opportunity to share their research both with each other and industry professionals. To find out more about the conference, see here.
Following the conference, we went straight into the Summer Challenge with Cohort IV, V and VI! This year’s Challenge theme was Water Reuse in the UK. Click here to find out what we got up to this year!
WIRe staff, students, and alumni attend the 18th Conference of the UK Water Network at Cranfield University
The 18th Conference of the UK Water Network took place at Cranfield University on 19 June 2025. Speakers included Jennifer Hollands (Cohort IV) - Disrupting Disruptions: Drinking Water Resilience to Chemical Supply Shortage; Edward John (WIRe alumnus) - The Impact of Cast Iron Pipe Fatigue Strength on Remaining Life Prediction; and Peter Jarvis (WIRe Director) speaking with Irene Carra from Cranfield University about their bench scale research project on PFAS removal for the Drinking Water Inspectorate.
Sreelakshmi Babu attends the 22nd Health Related Water Microbiology Conference in Amersfoort, Netherlands
Sreelakshmi Babu (Cohort III) attended the 22nd Health Related Water Microbiology Conference in Amersfoort, Netherlands in June 2025. She gave a presentation on ‘Hospital and Community Drivers of Antimicrobial Resistance in Urban Wastewater System’. Sree's research is in affiliation with Northumbrian Water, Scottish water, and NHS Hospitals, exploring hospital and community drivers of antimicrobial resistance in urban wastewater using a combination of HT-qPCR, 16S sequencing, prescription data, and culture-based analysis. The conference provided an opportunity to connect with a variety of researchers and industry experts.
André Frota attends LuWQ2025 in Denmark
In June 2025, André Frota (Cohort IV) attended the International Interdisciplinary Conference on Land Use and Water Quality in Aarhus, Denmark, where he presented a poster titled ‘Catchments as the first stage of treatment’ and had the chance to follow inspiring presentations on water quality and pollution challenges.
Anne Kamau presents a poster at the Royal Society of Chemistry #EnvChem2025 - Chemistry of The Whole Environment conference
In June 2025 Anne Kamau (Cohort IV) attended the Royal Society of Chemistry #EnvChem2025 - Chemistry of The Whole Environment conference last week in Portsmouth. Anne presented a poster titled ‘Influence of source water characteristics on formation of emerging nitrogenous disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water’ under the theme ‘Emerging Contaminants’. The poster session gave Anna the opportunity to speak about her research with conference attendees – she discussed how water quality and treatment processes impact on the formation of emerging nitrogenous disinfection by-products.
Zachary Thompson presents a poster at the 11th Microbial and Water Engineering Conference
Zachary Thompson (Cohort IV) attended IWA MEWE-11 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, in June 2025, and presented a poster titled ‘Linking activated sludge emissions to process and microbial factors’. He travelled with colleagues from Newcastle University.
Emily Jane Blackburn presents at the Environmental Biotechnology Innovation Centre workshop: Environmental biotechnology for the management of PFAS and beyond
Emily Jane Blackburn (Cohort VI) attended the workshop in June 2025, and delivered an Early Career Researcher flash talk titled 'Statistical analysis of PFAS and catchment characteristics in the UK', which touched on topics from her PhD project 'Understanding risks from emerging contaminants PFAS to surface water resources'. The workshop included a range of talks from PFAS researchers and experts. Emily's talk came second overall in the ECR talk rankings - congratulations!
WIRe staff and PhD students attend IAHR SimHydro 2025 in Nice, France
In June 2025, Kaeli Brazier (Cohort IV), Alan Smalley (Cohort III) and James Shucksmith (WIRe co-director) attended the IAHR SimHydro 2025 conference in Nice. Alan gave a talk titled ‘Implementing a machine learning approach for predicting Cryptosporidium river concentrations to assist operational water resource decisions on the River Thames’.
James and Kaeli delivered a presentation titled ‘Experimental study of the transport and deposition of sewer sediments from pipe systems to surface flows via manholes during urban flooding events’, their work was well received, with strong interest in their PTV results. The conference provided the opportunity to connect with researchers working on sediment experiments. The sessions on urban flooding were especially relevant, featuring insightful talks on pollutant intrusion and GIS-based hazard analysis. Informal networking events also provided a great opportunity to exchange ideas and learn about ongoing work in the field. Overall, it was a valuable and enjoyable trip that will help shape upcoming lab experiments.
WIRe PhD students attend the IWA Resource Recovery Conference in the Netherlands
Rachael Giles (Cohort V), Siqi Xu, and Mark Powders (both Cohort III) attended the IWA Resource Recovery Conference in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, in May 2025. They each had the opportunity to present about their research, and the conference included several workshops on resource recovery and tours of water treatment works.
Rachael presented a poster on her work, titled ‘Biological coagulant recovery: a novel method to increase resilience and sustainability in drinking water and wastewater treatment processes'. Siqi also presented a poster, titled ‘Exploring the effect of variability in sewage sludge characterisation on pyrolysis outputs’. Mark gave a presentation on his work, which was titled ‘Low-energy thermal stripping to recover quality ammonia for the water sector’.
The conference was a great opportunity for the WIRe students to have meaningful conversations with others in the same field, and to see the potential impact of their work!
Pinelopi Savvidou presents at the SETAC Europe 35th Annual Meeting
Pinelopi Savvidou (Cohort III) attended the SETAC Europe 35th Annual Meeting in Vienna, Austria, in May 2025. She presented part of her PhD research, with a presentation titled “Predicting the Fate of 40 Emerging Contaminants: A Case Study of SimpleTreat and TOXCHEM”, which provided insights on whether current fate and transport models for organic contaminants and sewage treatment works are fit for purpose.
Matthew Pitt presents at EGU25 in Vienna
Matthew Pitt (Cohort III) had a great time at EGU25 presenting his research as a poster titled: “Understanding seasonal variability in shrink-swell clay soils and the impact on parameterisation of soil-water mass transfer models” assessing the difficulties of the field soils he researches as part of his wider PhD project and representing them in a valid manner within mass transfer models.
As a final year PhD student, Matthew found it was helpful to discuss his research with other world-leading academics to understand the sorts of questions he could face for his Viva and beyond.
Siqi Xu presents a poster at the UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Centre Research Community Spring Conference 2025
Siqi Xu from Cohort III presented a poster titled 'Feasibility of pyrolysis using different sludges' at the UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Centre Research Community Spring Conference in Glasgow, 24-25 March 2025. During the conference she had the opportunity to meet and discuss with researchers from other institutions on the carbon sequestration potential of biochar and thermal chemical processes.
WIRe researchers attend Newcastle University's Faculty of Science, Agriculture & Engineering Postgraduate Researcher Conference
Several WIRe PhD students attended the SAgE PGR conference at Newcastle University in January 2025. Talks included Sreelakshmi Babu (Cohort III), who discussed 'The Future of Wastewater-based Epidemiology', and Ana Amezaga-Kutija, whose talk 'Proactive management of Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) in Drinking Water Catchments' won the prize for Best Presentation!
