Professor Ana Mijic, Professor of Water Systems Integration, explores how systems thinking can help us plan for a more sustainable and resilient water future.
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We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 25 February!
Read a recent interview with Professor Ana Mijic
Imperial Inaugurals are term-time lectures that celebrate our newest Professors, recognising their academic journey and showcasing their research
Abstract
As a society, we face growing challenges in managing floods, droughts, pollution, and ecological degradation. These issues are often treated separately, yet they are all connected through the complex human–water cycle. To address them effectively, we need to think in water systems.
Thinking in water systems means first explaining this complexity conceptually by understanding how natural processes, human activities, and infrastructure interact, and then finding ways to represent those connections mathematically so they can be simulated, tested, and improved. Equally important is communicating these insights in forms that can guide decisions across different contexts, from local communities to national policy.
Biography
Ana Mijic is a Professor of Water Systems Integration at Imperial College London. In this lecture, she will explore how her thinking has evolved towards a systems perspective, asking how the complexity of water can be represented and quantified to support better decisions. She will introduce the concept of systems water management and explain how this approach led to the development of the first integral framework for modelling the whole-water system. Drawing on studies in India focused on local water use and work in the UK on complex regional systems, she will show how systems thinking can transform both modelling and planning for a more sustainable and resilient water future.
