#1 - Joao P. Leitao: Engineers never say never and never say always - a new take on flood models

The Grand Challengers Podcast

João Paulo Leitão is a researcher at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science & Technology (Eawag) and lecturer at ETH Zurich working on data-driven flood models and urban water asset management. On this inaugural episode of the Grand Challengers Podcast, we discuss how João's Portuguese heritage has influenced his work and how he is using models and unconventional data sources to improve the way we understand historical urban development and potential future flood hazards in our cities.
Podcast Intro/Outro Song: bucolia by Birocratic (http://birocratic.lnk.to/allYL) - check out more of his awesome music over at Bandcamp: https://birocratic.bandcamp.com/
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:15 Guest Intro and the salted cod
3:47 Joao’s Portuguese heritage and his early enginering journey
6:48 From a PhD in London to Switzerland
9:12 Life in Switzerland - the language barrier
12:33 Joao’s love for and stories from the Azores
24:17 Using flood models to solve history’s mysteries
29:10 Simple vs. detailed flood models
31:23 What are data-driven flood models?
35:56 Alternative data sources for flood models
42:21 Q&A Start
42:34 What inspires you?
44:47 Key event, person, book
47:02 Biggest challenge in career to date
50:33 Time management
51:43 Advice for young researchers
52:49 Where can people reach you?
53:35 Final Message
53:53 Outro

Detailed shownotes over at: petermbach.com/podcast for more in-depth information about each episode.
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Chapters

1. Intro (00:00:00)

2. Guest Intro and the salted cod (00:01:15)

3. Joao’s Portuguese heritage and his early enginering journey (00:03:47)

4. From a PhD in London to Switzerland (00:06:48)

5. Life in Switzerland - the language barrier (00:09:12)

6. Joao’s love for and stories from the Azores (00:12:33)

7. Using flood models to solve history's mysteries (00:24:17)

8. Simple vs. detailed flood models (00:29:10)

9. What are data-driven flood models? (00:31:23)

10. Alternative data sources for flood models (00:35:56)

11. Q&A Start (00:42:21)

12. What inspires you? (00:42:34)

13. Key event, person, book (00:44:47)

14. Biggest challenge in career to date (00:47:02)

15. Time management (00:50:33)

16. Advice for young researchers (00:51:43)

17. Where can people reach you? (00:52:49)

18. Final message (00:53:35)

19. Outro (00:53:53)