The sixth seminar in our series on the UN Sustainable Development Goals takes place at 13.00 on 9 April in room G80, UCD Newstead Building. This seminar will focus on the theme clean water and sanitation.
Our three speakers:
Wim Meijer is Professor of Microbiology and head of the UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science. Wim’s research team works in two thematic areas: water quality and human/animal health. His water themed research focuses on water quality of bathing waters and rivers, in particular in relation to fecal contamination, pathogens and antimicrobial resistance, working closely with colleagues in other disciplines (Civil Engineering and IT), with local authorities and national regulatory bodies.
Charlie Coakley is the Sustainability Policy Lead at Irish Water. Irish Water is responsible for delivering safe and clean drinking water and environmentally safe wastewater services to household and businesses across Ireland. These vital services underpin the social and economic progress for Ireland, now and into the future. Charlie Coakley leads Irish Water’s dedicated sustainability policy team, developing and integrating sustainability policy and strategies. These policies and strategies are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG6 – clean water and sanitation.
Niall Roche is an Environmental Health Officer by profession but has worked in the area of overseas development and humanitarian action for the past 28 years. He initially worked as a volunteer with Concern Worldwide responding to the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) needs of Cambodian refugees in Thailand. Since then he has lived and worked all across Asia and sub-Saharan Africa working to protect public health primarily within the sector of WaSH. He currently works as a consultant mainly supporting organisations monitor and evaluate their work. He also works as a part time lecturer at a number of institutions including UCD covering topics such as Global Health, Public Health, Health, Environment and Climate and WaSH in Emergencies.
Chair: Mary Kelly-Quinn is Associate Professor in the UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science. Mary’s research activities focus on the assessment of land-use and other anthropogenic activities and interventions on the hydrochemical and ecological quality of surface waters.