Sebastian Escobar

What attracted you to your specialism?

I walked into cohesive sediments while studying hydraulics and liked it because it requires me to focus on many things at the same time. When my attention is on sediments, the wind, waves and currents drag them, gravity makes them settle, and then other sediment particles – also moving – collide with each other, leading to new particles and another whole range of transport pathways…

What made you apply to work at HR Wallingford?

I came across HR Wallingford during a scientific conference while I was a PhD student. I attended presentations by my now my colleagues, and I was impressed by their ability to deliver high-quality research along with commercial work. So, when I was finishing my studies, I just took the chance, applied and I’m pleased to say I’ve liked the role very much.

What do you enjoy most about working at HR Wallingford?

As a scientist I get to work on very interesting research and consultancy projects. Every few weeks my team and I get new problems to solve, each one different from the other, and they all come with their own complexities, uncertainties and learning opportunities.

How do you contribute to our purpose: helping everyone live and work more sustainably with water? 

I help customers and colleagues simulate the transport, dispersion, settling, and re-suspension of sediments and the environmental risks that these may lead to.

I make sure (as best as I can) that the calculations and all the number-crunching done by my models realistically represent physics, comply with modelling standards, include state-of the art developments, and can answer environmental/scientific questions.

What excites you most about your work?

I work on cutting-edge projects that constantly challenge me, which I really enjoy. Now, when a challenge becomes overwhelming, I know I can rely on brilliant and very supportive colleagues to help me.

How have you grown and developed with HR Wallingford?

My game has gone up at least one level. I’ve gained lots of experience, which allows me to make larger-scale and more complex sediment models than I could when I first joined. Also, I’ve developed soft skills that allow me to better express my ideas, communicate with my teammates, and manage my time more efficiently.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

Outside of work I spend my time exercising: calisthenics, cycling, running and if the weather allows it doing water sports. Lately, I have been doing a lot of yoga, I just wanted to improve my flexibility, but now I got really into it, and I’ve gotten to the point I’m trying handstands and all that.