Hannah is a Project Research Manager at Proteus Instruments and Co-Chair of the Testing the Waters Consortium, a national initiative bringing together people from research, industry, policy, and citizen science to improve the health of the UK’s rivers. Following an undergraduate degree in Geography, Hannah went on to complete a master’s degree in River Environments and their Management, and has since built a career rooted in fieldwork, data, and collaboration. Her research focuses on using fluorescence to detect bacteria and organic matter in water, and she is currently writing up a PhD on the topic. Along the way, she has worked closely with passionate citizen scientists, valuing the insight that comes from long-term engagement with rivers and the people who know them best. Rivers and our wider blue systems sit at the heart of everything, yet the disconnect between people and the environment they depend on can be vast. Hannah believes these divides can be reduced by bringing people together to talk, listen, and share perspectives. The environment is not something that can be neatly boxed off or managed in isolation; it is complex, interconnected, and intrinsic to everyday life. At heart, Hannah considers herself a researcher, motivated by turning complex environmental data into knowledge that can support better decisions and more meaningful action. Through both her research and leadership roles, she is committed to bridging gaps between science, technology, and lived experience, helping to build shared understanding around the challenges facing our rivers and the collective responsibility to protect them.

My connection to water started over 20 years ago when I first began surfing. Spending so much time in the sea gave me a deep appreciation for our waterways and a strong belief that everyone should have access to clean, healthy water environments.

That passion led me into the water industry, where I have spent the last decade working to improve water quality and protect the environment. Beginning with Wessex Water's Streamclean team, I tracked and traced pollution to its source, helping remove misconnected discharges from the surface water network. I later moved into Environmental Investigations team, supporting water quality monitoring projects and developing a deeper understanding of the challenges facing our rivers, lakes, and coastal waters.

Throughout my career, I have been driven by a desire to solve problems and find practical ways to improve environmental outcomes. Combining my passion for product design, innovation, and water quality has naturally led me to the world of environmental monitoring technology. Today, I am excited to help deliver smart, data-driven solutions that empower organisations to better understand, protect, and improve the health of our water environments.

Chris is a Physicist by training and works in Xylem's Innovation team, based in Cambridge. He works on developing new sensor technologies, data science, geospatial tools and satellite data analysis. Chris works closely with the Xylem Environmental Solutions team, developing the next generation of water quality measurement technologies, as well as the models that will make the best use of the data recorded to improve river health. Chris is passionate about citizen science and is working on bringing citizen science data alongside that from the government and water companies to make sure we can all get the most complete view of our rivers possible!