Articles
Ari Cooper-Davis, Postgraduate Research Student
Ari Cooper-Davis - Water They Up To: CWS in the Spotlight
Find out more about Postgraduate Researcher Ari Cooper-Davis in this week's 'Water they up to: CWS in the Spotlight' feature.
What is your research about?
I’m a 3rd year PhD student with the WISE CDT, where I’m working with academics from the University of Exeter and industry experts from Kruger; a leading specialist in water engineering. My research is mainly focused on using machine learning tools to produce accurate and rapid forecasts of flows and pollutant loads within urban drainage networks. This is a topic close to my heart; I love exploring the outdoors, and as a caver and surfer I’m invested in maintaining the quality of our rivers and seas. Managing our water treatment systems, particularly during heavy rainfall, is absolutely key to protecting these ecosystems.
What is the most exciting part about your research?
I love being part of such an enthusiastic and inquisitive research centre – there’s a huge amount of interesting research going on and the feeling of exploration and discovery is contagious. I am so grateful to my colleagues who inspire and guide me with my PhD simply by being excited by their own work. It’s a great experience.
When talking about water, what place comes to mind first and why?
I have been lucky enough to have grown up in the Lake District, so I instantly think of the lakes, rivers, and boot-swallowing squelchy bogs of home. The Duddon and Esk Valleys hold a special place in my heart; they benefit from being in the less fashionable and accessible Western Lakes, so they’re a remote and peaceful escape. The presence of water in the landscape here is magical – from the narrow gorges carved by streams to the glacial corrie lakes hidden up in the hills – just thinking about it makes me long to get out and explore again!
Which movie or book character would you most associate with water?
The first person that springs to mind is the poet Charles Causley, whose verse is shaped by his experiences of the sea and coast from his native Cornwall. Water is multi-faceted in his poetry, being lively and bubbly, powerful and unforgiving, mysterious and ancient. A favourite of mine is 'Sibard’s Well' in which the sound of the water in an old well by his house connects him with the Saxons who lived there centuries earlier.
To find out more, view Ari's profile.
Date: 19 July 2021