Nour Rashid Showcases Innovation at New Generations Competition
Highlighting the Potential of Digital Twins in the Water Industry and Overcoming Adoption Challenges
The John O’Neill Otter Trophy
Last week, Nour Rashid, a Graduate Modeller from our wastewater consulting team, presented at the John O’Neill Otter Trophy: New Generations Competition in Leeds. This annual competition, organised by the CIWEM Tyne & Humber branch, provides a platform for early-career professionals to showcase their work in water, wastewater, and environmental management.
Nour's presentation focused on the transformative potential of digital twins in the industry. She highlighted their ability to optimize operations, improve decision-making, and drive innovation. However, she also identified several challenges to their adoption, including cybersecurity threats, legacy systems, and a lack of validation standards.

Overcoming challenges
She also discussed strategies to overcome these challenges, such as network segmentation, middleware technologies, and investment in demonstrator projects. She also explored active research areas in developing digital twins, including their application in simulating and optimising nature-based solutions and water quality.
Her presentation was clear and concise, earning excellent feedback from both the audience and judges. Nour developed her presentation as part of the RPS Water Consultancy Technical Poster Competition. Now in its second year, this competition helps our colleagues hone their presentation skills and prepare for industry-wide competitions, such as CIWEM’s Adam Dean and Dr. Jenkins awards. It also enables them to effectively communicate their project work to our clients.
Looking for a change in career?
We are looking for various industry professionals across multiple seniority levels, from Engineers and Modellers to Analysts, Consultants and Managers.
From ground-breaking data collection practices and analytics to visionary artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions, we redefine industry standards, consistently pushing the boundaries of what is achievable in an evolving landscape. Immerse yourself in our dynamic world, where feasibility studies, operational optimisations, and innovative design solutions shape the future of the water industry.
