Student Highlights
Becoming a Catchment Scientist at Hunter Water

Always holding a strong love for nature and a drive to care for the environment, Hanne Newman felt that studying Environmental Science and Management was a perfect fit. Hanne decided to study at the University of Newcastle mainly for the location.

“Newcastle is a wonderful city and I was drawn to the combination of beaches, nature and exciting city life Newcastle offers,” she said.

Hanne was also impressed by the amount of nature both in and around the campus. Hanne’s favourite part of her program was the diversity of study topics.

“I got to learn about so many different facets of environmental science, including geology, ecology, soil, climate and water science.One of my favourite courses was learning about environmental ethics, which are so important to think about when making decisions,” Hanne said.

As part of her studies, Hanne was able to travel to Canada as part of a semester exchange. “I got to learn about how different places manage their natural environments, and experience their spectacular nature firsthand,” she said.

Hanne was able to experience multiple work-integrated-learning opportunities during her studies, gaining firsthand experience in the industry.

In 2019, Hanne worked at the Geological Survey of NSW (DPIE) as part of an internship program, mainly assessing stakeholder proposals and land use conflicts. She then worked at the NSW Resources Regulator (DRNSW) in 2020, in the Mining Act Inspectorate.

“In this role, I reviewed and assessed mining compliance, rehabilitation objectives and environmental management reports,” she said.

In 2021, Hanne started working at Hunter Water as a Catchment Scientist, originally starting as a work placement student. “I did my placement at Hunter Water which helped me to meet people and get to try working in the water industry,” she said.

To add more practical research experience to her skillset, Hanne decided to add Honours to her study program. “I chose to study the impacts of sewage overflows on waterways and oyster farms. This topic satisfied my interests in both environmentalism and health/food safety.

“My Honours degree and my assorted placements were particularly helpful as they allowed me to make industry connections which gave me a competitive edge for progressing my career.

“I was in regular contact with people from Hunter Water, and so I was front of mind when employment opportunities became available,” she said.

When Hanne first began studying, she didn’t have a clear idea of where she would end up after university.

“My ideal job was probably something like 'world saver', but I was excited by all the different paths that my degree could lead to.

“I was interested in sustainability, conservation, research, climate and soil science and much more, and the prospect of working in any of these fields was very exciting,” Hanne said.

After graduating in December 2022 with her Bachelor of Environmental Science and Management (Honours), Hanne felt equipped to enter the workforce as a graduate with “a myriad of skills” that were relevant to the industry, and an “appreciation of how we can influence change through science”.

Now having worked at Hunter Water for over a year, Hanne’s role involved protecting our drinking water catchments to make sure water is safe to drink.

“An important aspect of my role is ensuring compliance with our regulations. For example, ensuring that we do not extract more water from the environment than what is allocated, and keeping enough water in the rivers to keep the ecosystems healthy,” Hanne said.

Hanne works in an operational role, so she often must quickly respond to and manage problems as they arise, such as heavy rainfall or algae blooms. She has also had the opportunity to work on some interesting projects such as trialing new phosphorous removal technology.

Hanne regularly uses the knowledge and skills learnt at university in her current role.

“One of the most important things I learnt was how to think critically and scientifically. I also have an understanding of catchments, water science and hydrology that I learnt at university and are now invaluable,” she said.

Most recently, Hanne has been accepted to present her Honours research at the Ozwater water conference in 2023.

“I’m so excited to have this opportunity as a result of my research,” she said.

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Hanne Newman

Read how Hanne’s studies and work placements supported her in making industry connections and securing a job at Hunter Water.

My Honours degree and my assorted placements were particularly helpful as they allowed me to make industry connections which gave me a competitive edge for progressing my career.