The purpose of research is to share and advance science. The publication of articles in scientific journals and the exchanges that follow oral presentations at conferences are already a great reward for all the work that has been done and proof that our work is recognised and useful. Receiving an award is like the finishing touch to this great picture. Thank you for this!
Marie-Ève Jean
Ph.D. in water sciences, 2023
Centre Eau Terre Environnement
Supervisor: Sophie Duchesne
Curious and dynamic by nature, Marie-Ève Jean has successfully completed a thesis consisting of four high-level scientific papers, while raising two children, participating in various committees, teaching two courses at Laval University and supervising undergraduate interns. Long before the end of her PhD, Marie-Ève had already made her mark in the field of overflow control and stormwater management. Her research results are already influencing stormwater management works in Quebec.
What brought you to INRS? What do you take away from your experience?
It was a bit of a coincidence... I had always heard good things about the programs of study and research conducted at INRS when I was a bachelor’s student (in water engineering at Université Laval), but I had never had the opportunity to work there as an intern. After my bachelor’s degree, and then my master’s degree at the University of Alberta, I accepted a temporary research contract at INRS in a field that seemed very interesting to me (stormwater management and wastewater overflows in urban areas) and I thought it was perfect as a transitional job between my master’s degree and my return to Quebec City before moving on to my “future” career.
I didn’t know exactly what field I wanted to work in or what kind of job I would be interested in at the time and I thought that a research contract for a few months would be the perfect opportunity to think about it.
Finally, during the selection interview for this contract, the two professors supervising the project (Sophie Duchesne from INRS and Geneviève Pelletier from Université Laval) told me that this research project was in a way the introduction to a doctorate on the same subject. They were able to convince me that it was a good research project and that I would benefit from investing myself in it for “a little” longer than temporarily!
Can you describe the issue and impact of the research presented in your dissertation?
My research focuses on sustainable water resource management practices in urban areas. More specifically, my doctoral research aimed to address the issue of combined sewer overflows, i.e., the overflow of untreated wastewater into receiving waterways, which are associated with serious environmental problems. The research involved the optimised integration of stormwater source control solutions (i.e., solutions that aim to capture stormwater as close as possible to its source of runoff) with real-time networked control solutions (i.e., the application of intelligent control of the sewer system based on real-time measurements of system condition). Source control solutions include, for example, vegetated or permeable infrastructure to facilitate infiltration and evaporation of stormwater rather than runoff. On the other hand, real-time control solutions consist of applying smart controls on dynamic networked infrastructure such as gates or pumping stations based on real-time measured data, in order to maximise the retention capacity of the drainage network.
The main objective of my research was to evaluate the application potential of the integrated optimisation of these two types of solutions, and then to determine the application conditions that maximise the performance of this integration in reducing wastewater overflows. The project was based on various real-life applications and involved the collaboration of municipalities, a private consulting engineering partner, and various academic and government institutions. The results helped to guide and pave the way for the design of more economical, sustainable and innovative solutions to reduce wastewater overflows.
What does it mean to you to receive this award?
It is a very nice recognition. Doctoral research is obviously a long-term endeavour that requires perseverance, but it is also the fruit of several beautiful collaborations that, in my case, continue to this day. Receiving this prize makes me proud, but above all grateful for having had the right support to achieve this, thanks to my doctoral supervisor and co-supervisors, thanks to the people who gave their invaluable technical advice at different stages of the project, thanks to the opportunities for personal and professional enrichment that have been added over time, throughout my university career...
In short, it is a big thank you that I would like to share. We don’t do research just to write a dissertation that will collect dust on a library shelf. The purpose of research is to share and advance science. The publication of articles in scientific journals and the exchanges that follow oral presentations at conferences are already a great reward for all the work that has been done and proof that our work is recognised and useful. Receiving an award is like the finishing touch to this great picture. Thank you!
What is the next chapter for you now that you have graduated?
Actually, I have already been working for several months at the City of Quebec as an engineer in infrastructure functionality planning. This work is a great continuation of my doctoral research project, since I am helping to improve Quebec City’s sewer system in order to reduce wastewater overflows and promote the integration of source control and real-time control solutions, but also to coordinate the development of the territory from a sustainable urban infrastructure perspective.
This job requires technical expertise, but also an analytical mind and a global and collaborative vision, which fits perfectly with my personality. Indeed, it is necessary to analyse different problems on the scale of the territory, to develop new tools, to look for innovative solutions to the challenges of wastewater and stormwater management, to take into account the expected impact of climate change, etc.
For example, as part of my work, I am lucky enough to collaborate on two research projects with the INRS, one involving my doctoral thesis director, Professor Sophie Duchesne, and another led by my thesis evaluator, Professor Alain Mailhot. I am therefore very happy to have this position today, which allows me to apply my knowledge and develop new ones while having a concrete impact on my immediate environment.