Time to put our thinking caps on
The conference program will consist of 3 parallel sessions and interactive keynote sessions (2 experts, 2 visions). Posters will get the attention they deserve through a dedicated poster cocktail and poster breakfast.
The opening keynote will be delivered by Mr. Bruce Beck. Bruce was a visionary leader and the driving force behind the establishment of the IWA MIA Specialist Group on Modelling and Integrated Assessment back in the 80s. Serving as chairman well into the 2000s, Bruce's unwavering passion and expertise have nurtured the group into one of the largest and most influential Specialist Groups within the IWA, covering all water systems.
Elmira Hassanzadeh, Associate Professor at Polytechnique Montréal will be discussing the paramount importance of "Community Engagement for Water Management Under Uncertainty." Elmira's research delves into integrated modelling of water resource systems, understanding system behaviour under changing conditions, and developing decision support tools based on stakeholders' perspectives for effective water management.
Peter Marcus Bach is a Senior Research Scientist at the Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences (OST). He brings a fresh perspective on "Modelling "Palettes" - A New Dawn of Integrated Assessment to Support Water Management's Role Towards Climate-Adaptive Cities." Peter's expertise lies in integrated modelling and blue-green infrastructures, and his research focuses on developing quantitative approaches to aid urban planning and adaptation to climate change. He is particularly passionate about promoting urban nature-based solutions to tackle environmental challenges.
Dr. Gilles Patry, a pioneering figure in environmental modeling and co-founder of Hydromantis Environmental Software Solutions, Inc., has a distinguished career spanning academia, leadership roles, and numerous accolades, including honorary doctorates and prestigious fellowships. At the conference's closing session, he will present a keynote on the evolution of AI-based control systems for wastewater treatment plants, tracing back to 1987 and highlighting key components, challenges, and visionary contributors.
Simon Duchi obtained his MSc in environmental engineering at Ghent University (Belgium). After starting his career at Antea Group as sewer modelling engineer, he was the first team member joining the AM-Team adventure. Simon helped designing and optimising numerous full-scale plants using CFD modelling in combination with kinetic modelling. He also leads several key projects as a project manager.
Branko is an Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and the director of the Digital Water Lab at U-M. His group is working to enable “self-driving” water systems, which autonomously adapt themselves to changing conditions using real-time data and controls. He is the founder of Open-Storm.org, an open-source group dedicated to freely sharing hardware, software, and case studies on smart water systems. He is a recipient of the US National Science Foundation’s CAREER award and was recognized by US National Academy of Engineering as a Gilbreth Lecturer.
Nerea Uri Carreño is a process engineer and innovation specialist at the Danish utility VCS, with 10 years of experience in the industry. She holds a PhD from DTU under the supervision of Xavi Flores-Asina and Krist Gernæy. She has worked mostly on projects related to whole plant optimization, N2O emissions, MABR and sidestream anammox.
Dr. Kate Newhart is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Engineering with a specialization in data-driven monitoring and control for the water sector. Dr. Newhart holds a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and previously worked at Metro Water Recovery, the largest wastewater utility in the Rocky Mountains, as an engineer in their Technology and Innovation Division, where she led data handling and data-driven modeling efforts. Dr. Newhart's current work includes soft-sensor development for disinfection, resource recovery, and DBP mitigation in collaboration with utilities and universities across North America.
