Peter Bach is striving to develop effective solutions for society to better adapt its urban landscape to the ongoing environmental changes that climate change is generating.
After completing a Bachelor of Engineering in the field of Civil Engineering with Honours at Monash, Peter decided to complete a PhD in Water Systems Engineering in the Centre for Water Sensitive Cities at Monash.
Peter chose Monash because of its outstanding reputation for Engineering in Australia. “The University has certainly lived up to its reputation as I thoroughly enjoyed the undergraduate course,” said Peter.
After completing his third undergraduate year, Peter’s supervisors offered him a summer research position with an opportunity to write a conference paper and travel to Tokyo, Japan to present it. “I got to experience the many facets of research and found to really enjoy it. After successfully completing my summer research experience, my supervisors provided me with opportunities to pursue a PhD."
“My research is part of a larger European Project involving many institutions around Europe and the world. The project is called ‘PREPARED – enabling change’. As part of a larger team, I am working on a new computer model that will assess the impact of climate change scenarios on our city’s water infrastructure and test possible future solutions that may help us adapt to the impending challenges that we may face. My focus is the representation and simulation of our city’s sustainable water management technologies and its interaction with existing water supply, sewers and drains as well as social issues,” Peter explained.
Peter’s research experience has been rewarding and intellectually challenging. As a researcher he is able to meet many people in the same field, providing him with many contacts for the future. Research has also allowed Peter the opportunity to travel and see places he wouldn’t normally be able to. Recently he was fortunate enough to spend three months at the University of Innsbruck in Austria, working with colleagues.
Apart from study and research, Peter is also a Tutor for undergraduate civil engineering classes and is supervising final year engineering project students. He has also been a research assistant, assisting Dr David McCarthy in Civil Engineering in preparing an industry report.
For those that are thinking of completing further research, Peter leaves some sage advice. “Try it out; there are plenty of opportunities at Monash. Speak to people in your field and inquire with them about possible research experience. Research gives you the opportunity to find new knowledge or develop new technologies, both of which are perhaps even powerful enough to change the world we live in and the way we live our everyday lives.”