Understanding and managing the risk of water-related diseases under hydrometeorological extremes
Regional rates of infection with water related diseases are – though not exclusively – highly dependent on hydrological conditions. These are varying due to climate change, with greater extremes. Improved hydrological modelling can help with predicting future infection risks, as well as near-term outbreaks to assist health departments. In this seminar, Simon will present results and insights from the NERC funded UnderWRiDE programme, where researchers from Imperial College and Universiti Putra Malaysia focused on the water-related disease leptospirosis. Working with state health departments, they used a variety of statistical techniques to model as well as attempt to predict infection risks based on hydrological, other environmental, and socio-economic factors. In the last phase of the project, low-cost water level sensors, developed in-house by the project’s PI, were deployed at various leptospirosis hot spot sites for continuous participatory monitoring. The talk will conclude with a discussion of citizen science in hydrology more broadly..
Date: 7 March 2023, 17:00 (Tuesday, 8th week, Hilary 2023)
Venue: Dyson Perrins Building, off South Parks Road OX1 3QY
Venue Details: Place suite
Speaker: : Dr Simon De Stercke (Faculty of Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London)
Organising department: School of Geography and the Environment
Organiser: Oxford Water Network
Booking required?: Required
Booking url: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/528261383017
Cost: Free
Audience: Members of the University only
Editors: Chris White, Donna Palfreman