Dr Jessica Bohorquez

Have you ever thought about how water reaches your shower every morning? There is a complete industry behind ensuring that water is available for everyone! I’m passionate about creating water curiosity and solving our water challenges.

I’m a water engineer delivering infrastructure projects for private organisations, water utilities and government. I develop numerical models of water systems and design solutions that prepare us for a future where water might become more scarce. I discovered my passion for this industry very early in my civil engineering studies, after changing my mindset around a “tedious” course that I ended up teaching years later!

Born in Colombia, I came to Australia initially to complete a PhD degree at The University of Adelaide. During this time, I developed new techniques for inspecting water pipelines to detect and locate leaks and bursts using machine learning and fluid transient waves.

Now I divide my time as a Senior Consultant at Ricardo, as a Postdoctoral Researcher at The University of Adelaide, as a volunteer for the Australian Water Association and more recently as the Founder and Host of Our Water Connection – a water industry podcast.

I have built my career around discipline, effective engineering, research communication and empathy. I firmly believe in the importance of working together, including professionals from STEM careers, to tackle the water industry’s future challenges and I trust that these values will guide me in a complex and dynamic industry.

I’m hard-working, authentic and passionate about understanding and communicating the value of water. I’m on a journey to share knowledge about the water industry with a wider audience. You can get involved with my work by connecting with me on LinkedIn (link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-bohorquez/) and following Our Water Connection podcast on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/our-water-connection/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/ourwaterconnect). I am available for media engagements and keynote opportunities about water, water challenges and STEM careers.