UNESCO Chair on Open Water Science and Education

The UNESCO Chair on Open Water Science and Education promotes the use of open data, open software, open hardware, and citizen science to strengthen hydrological monitoring, modelling, and education.

As project manager, I coordinated activities linking academic research, UNESCO-IHP priorities, open hydrological data systems, and practical capacity building for water professionals and students. The work focused on making hydrological knowledge and data more accessible, especially through low-cost monitoring tools, reproducible modelling workflows, and digital learning resources.

A major component of the work involved coordinating the collection, processing, documentation, and publication of soil moisture data collected using low-cost soil moisture sensors. The processed dataset was uploaded to the UNESCO-IHP Water Information Network System (WINS) to support open access to hydrological observations.

Outcomes

• Coordinated soil moisture data collection using low-cost soil moisture sensors to support open and scalable hydrological monitoring.
• Processed, documented, and uploaded soil moisture datasets to UNESCO-IHP WINS, improving access to open hydrological data.
• Supported development of a citizen science digital toolbox for collecting water-quality and hydrological observations.
• Liaised between the UNESCO Chair and UNESCO-IHP, supporting reporting, communication, and coordination of project activities.
• Developed online learning materials for hydrological modelling using SWAT+ in the context of Climate Risk Informed Decision Analysis (CRIDA).
• Promoted the use of open data and open-source software tools for hydrological modelling, education, and climate adaptation planning.

My responsibilities

• Coordinated field and project activities for the UNESCO Chair on Open Water Science and Education, with a focus on open hydrological monitoring, education, and data sharing.
• Supported the deployment and use of low-cost soil moisture sensors for collecting soil moisture observations.
• Processed and prepared soil moisture datasets for publication through UNESCO-IHP WINS, including data cleaning, formatting, documentation, and upload support.
• Contributed to the development of a citizen science digital toolbox designed to collect and organize water-quality data from distributed users and local monitoring initiatives.
• Prepared project reports and communication materials to support reporting to UNESCO-IHP and other stakeholders.
• Acted as a liaison between the UNESCO Chair team and UNESCO-IHP, helping coordinate technical inputs, reporting requirements, and project communication.
• Developed online course materials for hydrological modelling using SWAT+, with a focus on open-source workflows, reproducible modelling, and applications for CRIDA.
• Promoted open science principles by encouraging the use of open datasets, transparent modelling tools, and accessible educational resources in hydrology.

About the Client

The work was carried out under the UNESCO Chair on Open Water Science and Education, in collaboration with UNESCO-IHP. The Chair promotes open and accessible approaches to water science, including open data, open-source hydrological modelling, citizen science, and education for climate-resilient water management.