Hello, I’m Paul Dupain. I have a master’s degree in water and environment engineering. I am currently doing my PhD thesis on water quality modelling at Sorbonne University. I work at the SIAAP (Greater Paris Sanitation Authority) in the innovation department, which develops sanitation techniques and processes and monitors river water quality in and around Paris.

• What did you want to be when you were growing up?

When I was younger, I wanted to become an engineer to solve problems like inventors and scientists in the TV shows. As I grew up, I combined this childhood dream with my passion for the environment to end up where I am today.

• What do you do on DWC? Is it the first thing you?ve worked on?

I contribute to the development of an early warning system. This digital solution is based on machine learning and will tell people about the bathing water quality. It will predict the bacterial concentration in the river, using a set of local data such as rain, river flow, temperature and water quality. I?m preparing and verifying a dataset to calibrate the statistical model (developed by KWB in Berlin) to use the early warning system in Paris.

For my PhD, I am also working on a deterministic model during to simulate faecal indicator bacteria in the rivers Seine and Marne. I use this model to prepare a dataset that incorporates future changes in the sewer system. This allows the statistical model to be recalibrated to anticipate future situations without waiting for new measurement data.

• How did you end up working on DWC ?

I was told about a PhD in water quality modelling at the end of my internship for my master degree. I was interested. So, I applied. And here I am!

• What is the most interesting thing you learned working on DWC?

I think the most interesting thing about the DWC project is the interaction between the different partners. We can see what choices have been made, for example, in terms of sanitation or the opening of bathing sites in other cities. It gives us feedback and advice on what has worked well in other European cities.

• Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Are you still a researcher? What are you working on ?

I still see myself working on environmental projects, whether it’s in the field of water or waste management. While I don’t think I will continue in academic research, I will probably work in the public sector.