Interview with Professor Dragan Savic

Name: Professor Dragan Savic
Age: 49
Job: Chair in Hydroinformatics and Co-Director of the Centre for Water Systems
Based in: School of Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics
Education: University of Belgrade, Dipl. Ing. (Civil Engineering), University of Manitoba, PhD in Water Engineering

What has been the most rewarding moment of your career so far?

Helping to establish the Centre for Water Systems in 1998 with Prof Godfrey Walters was probably the most rewarding moment. Nowadays, under the shared leadership of Prof David Butler and myself, the Centre has eight academics and more than 30 researchers who are studying challenging topics on urban water and hydroinformatics. I have also enjoyed working with colleagues to build up the reputation of Exeter as a major player in the urban water engineering field. What I enjoy most is helping young and upcoming researchers to develop their research and pursue their chosen career in academia and industry.

What has been your major academic achievement?

Being awarded the Advanced Research Fellowship in 2001 allowed me to devote myself to personal research and build links with the international research community. This five-year fellowship resulted in new methodologies, which led to further awards of research funding and found application in the water industry worldwide.

I feel privileged to have contributed to the optimisation work that saved 50 million dollars on a water network design in the Region of York (Canada). Another example is the high-speed sewer network simulator, which was developed with the Ewan Group (now part of Mouchel), that won the CIWEM Ken Roberts award for technical innovation in the water industry and the top prize in the business intelligence category of the Information Management Awards in 2006.

What do you hope to achieve at Exeter?

I’d like to keep my own research going and enable the Centre to continue to flourish both in the UK and on the international scene. This also involves helping others in the Centre to achieve their full potential.

If you had not been an academic, what would you have been?

I always wanted to be an engineer but didn’t consider academia as a possible profession until 10 years into my professional career. I used to be a water consultant both in my native Serbia and later in Canada and judging by that, and how much I enjoy working with water industry partners, I would say I got the best from both worlds.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I like running or cycling either with a group of friends or on my own. Very few things could beat the feeling on a sunny morning while jogging along the Exe and looking down to Topsham on the left and Powderham Castle on the right, or the sight of hundreds of butterflies when we end up in Ashclyst forest.

What do you like best about living in the South West?

Through my running and cycling I’ve discovered hidden treasures. I also find people approachable and enjoy raising my family here without worries of crime and problems associated with large cities.