Groundwater Rising

Data & Storytelling

Episode Summary

Vivian Quynh Pham (Environment Agency) on how to get the best out of data and why stories and context make it come to life.

Episode Notes

Vivian Quynh Pham is Knowledge and Benefits Lead at the Environment Agency for the 6-year £200 million Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovations Programme. Vivian supports 31 Risk Management Authority led projects across England to demonstrate how practical innovative actions can work to improve resilience to flooding and coastal erosion. This role involves harnessing huge amounts of data.

Vivian's varied background across arts, sciences, geography and engineering helps shape their approach that recognises the dual importance of quantitative and qualitative data. In this fascinating episode, host Katie and Vivian cover many areas of discussion including:

• Why data telling you the opposite from what you expect can be a good thing
• How to make the case for innovation before you have the data to support it
• How the processes and people behind data collection and analysis make a difference to its effectiveness
• The importance of scale when analysing patterns and making policy off the back of "what the data says"
• How Aboriginal Australians are a brilliant example of scientific observation, storytelling and wisdom working together

With data becoming more important in all sectors of work and society, this episode is not just an essential listen for those within the water, flooding and engineering worlds... its lessons, approaches and insights can be valuable for anyone in any sector.

Read the mid-programme report from the Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovations Programme here.