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News
Seminar by Mário Franca at the Wuhan University (China) On 16 October, Mário Franca gave a seminar titled “Transport Mechanics of Debris in Rivers and Urban Floods: Plastic Pollution and Risk Management” at the Research Group of Prof. Junqiang Xia of the School of Water Resources & Hydropower Engineering of the Wuhan University in China. He presented highlights of our recent research on debris transport, from plastic pollution in rivers to the role of floating debris in urban flood risk, and shared a roadmap for integrating debris dynamics into flood risk management. Link to the presentation: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/416235778_Transport_Mechanics_of_Debris_in_Rivers_and_Urban_Floods_Plastic_Pollution_and_Risk_Management
JFRM Paper Award 2025 The publication Urban flood drifters (UFD): Identification, classification and characterisation, co-authored by Mário Franca and colleagues Arnau Bayón from the Universitat Politècnica de València and Daniel Valero from Imperial College London, was distinguished as the Journal of Flood Risk Management Best Paper Award 2025, an award supported by the British Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM). See the news here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/1753318x/homepage/best-paper-award Quote from the editors on the winner: “This excellent paper addresses an important issue in flood risk management, combining novel science and practical impact. It is also written in an easily understood style with strong conclusions. Overall, it exemplifies the research and impact approach that the journal aims to promote.” Photo: Arnau Bayón
Visit to the Future Water Institute at the University of Cape Town As part of her current research project, Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) in Mediterranean-Climate Regions: Drivers, Enablers, Barriers, and Lessons from Real-World Implementation, Dr. Abby Ortega visited the Future Water Institute at the University of Cape Town from 15–17 September. In addition to giving a seminar presentation, she visited an NbS research and innovation site that includes a plant nursery, a locally managed urban garden, and a decentralised NbS water treatment and reuse system for irrigation and edible crops. As Cape Town is located in a Mediterranean-climate region, the visit also provided an opportunity to conduct field observations and semi-structured interviews, offering valuable insights into NbS implementation in practice.
Climate Change and Mental Health: Exploring the Resilience-Building Potential of Urban Green Spaces From 8–10 September, the workshop Climate Change and Mental Health: Comparative Risk Pathways, Vulnerability, and Resilience, organised by the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the Academy of Science of South Africa, took place in Pretoria, South Africa. Dr. Abby Ortega from our institute participated in one of the panel discussions, presenting Nature-based Solutions and Mental Health: Exploring the Resilience-Building Potential of Urban Green Spaces. The three-day workshop brought together researchers from diverse fields and culminated in a joint policy brief translating scientific evidence into actionable recommendations for integrating mental health into climate change policies.
25th YP Meeting of German-speaking Institutes for Hydraulic Engineering On 09.-11.09.2026 the 25th YP Meeting of German-speaking Institutes for Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management took place, which was hosted by the Institute for Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management at University Duisburg-Essen this year. During the poster session Daniel Beetz presented the work at IWU-WB on overload behavior of bridges in extreme flood events. This versatile session was a perfect basis for engaging discussions. Besides, Ruhrverband and Emschergenossenschaft / Lippeverband supported the meeting by providing insights into different local hydraulic structures such as the Baldeney weir with its fish lift, which was investigated in ethohydraulic experiments at IWU-WB during its planning phase, and the restoration of the River Emscher with its revitalized confluence and the pump station Oberhausen. We would like to thank this year’s organizing committee for the great meeting and all participants for the motivating and enriching discussions.