Spreading the Ripple: Reflections from CIWEM's Early Careers President

09 May 2025

In the latest presidential blog, CIWEM’s Early Careers President Peter Rook takes a moment to reflect on a busy first six months in the role and how you can spread your ripple

Well, It’s now been six months since I took on the role of CIWEM’s Early Careers President, working alongside Hannah Burgess as CIWEM President – and what a fantastic year it’s been so far!

I’ve had the chance to connect with so many enthusiastic professionals, contribute to events across the sector, and raise awareness of the importance of early career professionals in shaping the future of water and environmental management.

As a professional in the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management sector, my role as a Principal Analyst at JBA Consulting centres on flood risk management, flood resilience, and surface water drainage.

Over the past six months, representing CIWEM members from a wide range of disciplines has broadened my perspective and deepened my understanding of the wider water and environmental sector – from water quality and resource management to the challenges facing our coastal and wastewater systems.

A real highlight so far has been leading a workshop on Flood Risk Policy in Planning at the River and Coastal Group’s 75th Anniversary Conference. It was a fantastic opportunity to delve into my specialist area and spark discussion around a topic that continues to challenge planners and flood risk professionals alike – watch this space for the write-up ahead of the Flood & Coast conference.

The CIWEM Presidential team at the CIWEM Presidential Conference 2025 in Coventry

Another standout moment was attending the CIWEM Presidential Conference in April. The level of engagement from attendees was brilliant, and it was incredibly encouraging to see collaboration and community placed firmly at the heart of the day’s key takeaways.

Looking ahead to October, there’s still so much to come – from the UK Junior Water Prize to Flood & Coast Conference 2025, as well as branch events in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. I’ve also been working closely with CIWEM’s Early Careers Network to help organise an Early Careers Conference in September, which I think will be a fantastic opportunity for early career professionals to connect with CIWEM and engage with peers from across the sector.

It’s shaping up to be a real celebration of innovation, collaboration and the drive early careers members bring to the profession.

At each of the events I’ve attended, it’s been inspiring to see how others are engaging with our presidential theme for the year: the ripple effect and adaptation and resilience. As professionals in the water and environmental sector, our strength lies in collective action and the ripple effect we can create through collaboration, inspiring others and driving meaningful change.

I’m more convinced than ever that the future of our sector will rely on greater collaboration and a blending of traditional skillsets like engineering with emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence.

So, as we countdown to the Flood & Coast conference, I’d encourage each of you – whether you're early in your career or a seasoned professional – to ask yourself: how can you spread your ripple?

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Further reading:

• Get the latest news from the CIWEM Presidential team
• Discover the CIWEM Early Careers Network
• Join the CIWEM Early Careers LinkedIn group
• Buy tickets to Flood & Coast Conference 2025