Articles
Jess Penny, WISE CDT PGR
Jess Penny - Water They Up To: CWS in the Spotlight
WISE CDT PGR Jess Penny is next to feature in our 'Water they up to: CWS in the Spotlight' Series.
What is your research about?
My research looks into assessing the impact of land use changes (past and future) on hydrological regimes: hazards (floods and droughts) and water management. I have two case studies; the Mun River Basin, a tributary of the Mekong in Thailand and the Angas Bremer region in the Murray Darling Basin, Adelaide, Australia. I have used two land use change models; the Future Land Use Simulation and the Patch-generating Land Use Simulation model. These models, combined with Multi Criteria Decision Analysis – Geographical Information Systems, have allowed me to assess drought risk, flood hazard and quantify how nature-based solutions could help to mitigate these. Public participation/stakeholder engagement has been key to both studies, by influencing the study direction and the creation of future land use scenarios.
What is the most exciting part about your research?
Personally, the most exciting part of my work has been the opportunity to travel to my case studies and meet local stakeholders. I have been lucky enough to travel to Thailand (Mun River Basin), Adelaide (Angas Bremer) and I'm currently working remotely from Fiji, alongside my overseas supervisor.
When thinking about water, what place comes to mind first and why?
Currently living in Fiji I am surrounded by water, but I would have to say a little place along the coast where I can go at the weekends – you can swim out to a raft, the water is pure turquoise and the fish/coral are amazing. It’s also rainy season here. I thought Devon/Cardiff was rainy, but I was wrong - that is nothing to the rain they get here!
Nothing says water more than a tropical paradise!
Which movie or book character would you most associate with water?
I love Disney, so it would have to be Ariel from the 'Little Mermaid' – I mean, she is a mermaid and lives in the sea....!
Date: 17 October 2022