Profile
David Haro Monteagudo
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About Me:
I’m David, a hydrologist who loves to explore, build, and create — whether with water models or miniatures.
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I’m originally from Valencia, Spain, but since 2020 I’ve been living in Aberdeen. Before that I spent time in England and Spain. I’m a father of three and share my home with two cats (a Scottish Fold and a Persian).
In my free time, I like cooking, playing videogames, and painting miniature wargames like Warhammer. I also play padel and enjoy cycling through the countryside (when I get the chance). I love travelling and photography — I always take lots of pictures during my trips to places like the USA, South Africa, Mexico, Indonesia, India, Tajikistan, and Turkey. I hope my research and teaching keep taking me to new countries. -
My pronouns are:
He/him
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How I use Geography in my work:
I use geography to understand how water moves through landscapes, rivers, and cities, and how people use it in different places. Just like in school geography, I study maps, weather, land use, and climate — but I combine them with computer models to see how changes in rainfall or temperature can cause droughts or floods. This helps people plan how to share water fairly and protect the environment.
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My Work:
I use data from rivers, weather stations, and satellites—plus computer models—to help plan who gets water, when, and how much. My research supports fair water allocation, smarter reservoir operation, and drought preparedness so that towns, farms, and nature have enough water even as climate changes.
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My group develops decision tools that combine hydrological models, optimisation, and stakeholder input. We’re exploring digital-twin catchments and serious games so students, farmers, and water managers can test “what-if” futures (e.g., new reservoirs, demand management, environmental flows). The aim is robust, transparent choices that balance people’s needs with river health.
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My Typical Day:
My day usually starts with a good coffee and taking my kids to school. Then I teach students or meet my team to talk about our research. I spend time on the computer studying how water moves through rivers and how people use it. Some days I go outside to visit rivers or reservoirs — and when I get home, my two cats are always waiting for attention!
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When I’m not teaching, I work with computers to understand how water moves through rivers, lakes, and underground. I use data from weather stations and satellites to see where water is running low or where floods might happen. This helps people plan how to use water wisely — for drinking, farming, and protecting nature.
I often meet with other scientists and students to talk about new ideas or check how our models (computer simulations of rivers) are working. Sometimes we travel to rivers and reservoirs to collect samples, measure flows, or talk with water managers.
Even though I spend a lot of time at my desk, I love that my work connects science, people, and the environment — and that it can help make sure there’s enough clean water for everyone.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I would co-create Water Balance Challenge, a free, browser-based classroom game where students allocate water across a UK catchment to supply towns, farms, and wildlife through wet and dry years. The game would come with a teacher pack mapped to the curriculum, short explainer videos, and local data options so classes can compare strategies and see the trade-offs between reliability and river health. This would make complex water decisions tangible and fun, and we’d release all materials openly for schools to reuse.
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Education:
I started out attending school, high-school and university in Valencia, Spain. I went to St Mary’s school until I was 16, and later St Peter’s school until 18. I studied a BSc Civil Engineering at ‘Universitat Politecnica de Valencia‘ (UPV), and completed an MSc Water Management in Delft’s University of Technology in the Netherlands. Afterwards, I started my PhD studies again at UPV, with a research visit to University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the USA.
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Work History:
2015: Research Fellow at Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Spain
2015 – 2018: Research Fellow at Cranfield University, UK
2018 – 2020: Research Fellow at Spain’s National Research Council in Zaragoza, Spain
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Current Job:
I am Lecturer in Global Hydrology and Water Security since June 2020
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Employer:
University of Aberdeen
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Water resources scientist
What did you want to be after you left school?
I had no idea to be honest.
Were you ever in trouble at school?
No
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
Professional wargame miniature painter
Who is your favourite singer or band?
OASIS
What's your favourite food?
A good paella shared with family and friends.
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
Having constant funding for my research and not having to write proposals; be a better padel player and win more games; having more time (and money) to travel the world with my family
Tell us a joke.
Why did the river bring a calculator to class? Because it wanted to work on its water balance!
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