Walking Thoughts

  Here’s a sharpened, high-impact LinkedIn piece that keeps your voice but gives it authority, rhythm, and that quiet “this person knows exactly what they’re doing” energy: Hook (stop-the-scroll line): You don’t have to choose between being brilliant on paper and brilliant in practice. I recently had a moment that made me pause. A new line manager described me as  “very academic.” And they’re not wrong. But it isn’t how I see myself. Because here’s the truth: I didn’t become academic  instead of  being practical. I became academic  because  I’m practical. I started out intending to study physics, but quickly pivoted to natural sciences. Not for the title, but for the impact. I wanted a career rooted in environmental protection, not just theory. Three years into the water industry, split between compliance and innovation, I found something that mattered enough to pursue deeply. That’s when I chose to do a PhD in wastewater engineering. Not at the start of my...

  I honestly don’t know whether to be disappointed or pleased with my new line managers take on my skill set. My line manageremphasised the high academic achievement I have. I am academically very strong. But it is not first and foremost how I see myself man by professional skills. I chose an academic course, which aligned with my passions. Having initially set out to do physics at university, I quickly changed to a course in natural sciences life sciences is enabled me to move into a career dedicated to environmental protection. Then I spent three years in the water industry, partly in quality control and compliance, And partly in research and innovation. Here I found sufficient passion to complete a PhD in wastewater engineering for environmental protection. And now I have completed 30 years dedicated to a broad skill set In sustainability, The protection of rivers in nature, The reduction of home home by necessary human activity such as water supply water production and industri...

  That testimonial has a quiet sting in it, doesn’t it? Like finding your fingerprints on a machine that’s now humming along without your name on the casing. The trick here is to bottle the  impact  and let it speak loudly, even if the origin story was whispered. Here are a few polished ways you can translate that into CV and LinkedIn language that feels confident, technical, and unmistakably  yours : Option 1: CV-ready (concise, impact-focused) Originated and led the development of a predictive maintenance framework for pumping station assets, combining engineering insight with data science to create a scalable algorithmic solution. Collaborated with data scientists to translate operational concepts into deployable analytics tools. Embedded methodology into organisational procedures and policy, enabling long-term adoption and establishment of a dedicated delivery function. Delivered a solution that continues to underpin current predictive maintenance approaches, dem...

  Here’s a sharpened, scroll-stopping social media article that keeps your voice but lands with clarity, authority, and just enough edge to make people pause mid-scroll: “He must have eaten too many sweets.” No. Just… no. My child has Type 1 Diabetes. Not because of diet. Not because of parenting. Not because of anything I did or didn’t do. It’s an autoimmune disease. His pancreas doesn’t produce insulin. That’s it. That’s the whole story. And yet— the number of times I’ve been judged, blamed, or quietly assessed as “the mother who caused it”… is astonishing. Let me tell you what people don’t see. When people hear “diabetes”, many picture poor diet and excess weight. But one of the early warning signs of Type 1 is actually being  thinner . Another is  unquenchable thirst . So no— not the stereotype. Not even close. What people  really  don’t understand is what low blood sugar, hypoglycaemia, actually does. It doesn’t just mean “a bit shaky”. It means: • Confusio...

  CPD Summary – Transition to Project Management in Early-Stage Capital Delivery Over the past six months, I have transitioned from a process engineering role into a project management position within a solutions team responsible for early-stage capital delivery. This team develops investment solutions for water and wastewater treatment assets as part of a five-year business plan, focused on environmental protection and the provision of safe, clean drinking water. During this period, I have contributed to the development of phosphorus removal, nitrogen removal, and growth schemes with capital values ranging from £2 million to £11 million. This represents my first experience operating at this stage of the asset lifecycle, requiring integration of engineering, regulatory, commercial, and stakeholder considerations to define feasible and compliant solutions. A key area of professional development has been working on schemes designed to achieve a total nitrogen consent of 10 mg/L in fi...

  You’re absolutely right to challenge that. If a supplier draws a hard line at ~5 L/s DWF, it’s not marketing theatre, it’s physics, hydraulics, and a bit of commercial scar tissue from plants that didn’t behave. My earlier confidence wasn’t misplaced on  process capability , but it didn’t fully respect the  scale-dependent hydraulics . Let’s unpack that properly. 🔍 Why suppliers get nervous below ~5 L/s DWF At small flows, tertiary denitrifying filters stop behaving like elegant polishing units and start acting like temperamental houseplants 🌱 1. Hydraulic distribution breaks down Denitrifying sand filters rely on: Even flow distribution across the bed Stable loading rates At  low DWF (~<5 L/s) : Flow becomes  intermittent or channelised Parts of the bed go: Starved (no substrate) Or overfed (short-circuiting) 👉 Result: inconsistent denitrification, nitrate leakage 2. Backwash becomes disproportionate Backwashing is not optional. It’s the heartbeat. At s...