An accidental pun saw Senior Research Scientist/Senior Hydrogeologist Helen Rutter land her first job as a graduate hydrogeologist – something she’s never regretted.
As a child I never had a clear idea of what my ideal career was, but I always wanted to work in the environmental space. All through my school years I had a keen interest in biology.
When it came to deciding what university course I would do, I eventually settled on a “Combined Honours” degree in biology, water resources and maths (they do things differently in the UK!). You took three subjects for the first year and then dropped one. Before the course started, I was notified that biology had been dropped and asked if there was another subject I wanted to take, which is how I ended up doing geology.
After the first year I realised I wasn’t a mathematician and dropped the maths, to then complete a degree in geology and water resources. (To this day I still have a very keen interest in biology and ecology). I then completed a PhD in remote sensing and went for a position (in remote sensing) at the British Geological Survey.
Dr Stephen Foster, on the interview panel, asked if I had ever considered working in hydrogeology on the basis of my first degree. I struggled to find the right words to say that I found hydrogeology boring and ended up saying “I find hydrogeology a bit dry”. Because of this accidental pun, I was offered a position as a graduate hydrogeologist and have never regretted it.
How did you get your current job?
A groundwater modeller left and Lincoln Agritech advertised for a new one. I applied for the vacancy (which, as advertised, I have absolutely no expertise in) and ended up with a somewhat different role to what had been advertised. (As a side note, I got my last job in the same way!).
What does your job involve?
In simple terms, I investigate groundwater problems, which can vary from making sure that drinking water is safe, to assessing and communicating risks of groundwater flooding, and anything in between.
More specifically, I work on hydrogeological problems and try to find solutions – the impacts of getting things wrong can have environmental, economic, and social consequences and I want to try and minimise these. So that can be things like assessing and reporting on the impacts of abstracting groundwater on surface water flows, interpreting the role of groundwater in flood management, or thinking about nitrate accumulation in soils and recharge processes, and understanding how these interact to result in increasing nitrate concentrations at the water table.
It can be very varied and can involve interpretation of data, assimilating information, writing reports, writing evidence for hearings, etc.
I have a keen interest in science communication and getting others (both non-technical and technical friends and colleagues) to understand the complexity of hydrogeology. I have previously said that I am on a mission to get people to understand groundwater and its interaction with other resources or hazards!
What do you enjoy about it?
It’s different every day. I enjoy getting ideas across to others and getting people thinking about their environment differently.
What motivates you?
I have a keen interest in the environment and trying to encourage people to think about the limitations of the Earth’s resources. Motivation, for me, comes from different directions: getting out in the outdoors and enjoying fresh air and exercise, improving environmental and societal outcomes, my kids, and working with a great team of people.
What is the best thing that’s ever happened to you?
Lots of things! But if I had to choose just one or two it would be being privileged enough to be able to do all the things I want (at least when I’m not injured!), my family and kids, and not waking up and resenting Monday mornings, because I have work that I enjoy doing.
If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
Get everyone to look after it and look after its people! We have finite resources which are being wasted, inequality is rife, and as a world, we seem to have landed with a very weird bunch of people making (as far as I can see) some very poor decisions.
