Profile

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Olivia Bailey

My CV

  • Education:

    University of Bath (MEng Chemical Engineering), Exeter College (A-Levels), Dawlish Community College (Secondary School), Kenn Primary School (Primary School)

  • Qualifications:

    MEng Chemical Engineering, A-Levels (Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Textile Design), GCSEs

  • Work History:

    CERN (Geneva, Switzerland), University of Bath

  • Current Job:

    PhD Researcher – Chemical Engineering – Sewer Systems

  • About Me:

    I’m Olivia, I live in Bristol and I think about toilets more than a person probably should.

  • Read more

    I grew up in Exeter, and loved lots of subjects at school – I ended up doing Maths and Science at College and then moved to Bath to study to become a Chemical Engineer. Whilst studying at university I discovered the wonderful world of water – how it gets to us, how it gets from our sink/toilet to somewhere else and how it magically reappears at our tap as clean water! Amazing!

    Other than education, I have a lovely boyfriend who lives in Amsterdam so I get to visit him lots and I love to travel so that’s great! I also love being outside. I lived in Switzerland for two years where I fell in love with fresh air – hiking, snowboarding, swimming, camping

  • Read more

    Did you know we all use about 750 cups of water per day!? Showering, doing the dishes, flushing the toilet, boiling your pasta – all that water then disappears into a sewer never to be worried about again! Unfortunately, that water works its way outside the village/town/city to a wastewater treatment plant where scientists make the water clean again. The awesome thing about wastewater (water from your toilet, kitchen sink, shower etc.) is that you can use it in many ways. You can make fertilisers that help grow food, energy that lets you turn on your lightbulb, and of course you can make the water clean again. My job is to find ways that we can make the most energy we can, recover the most nutrients we can (to grow food), and ensure the most water is available for people to use.

  • My Typical Day:

    Read, do some sums, read, juggle, chat, teach, read

  • Read more

    I get to my office, fill up my coffee cup and maybe read a few papers about what cutting-edge science other people around the world have been doing.

    Then I try to do some of my own research, which involves doing lots of maths to calculate how fast your wastewater flows through the sewer, how big the pipe needs to be to stop the poo overflowing back into your home, or how many lightbulbs you could power with a days worth of toilet visits.

    I usually eat lunch with my friends that are also researchers in the world of water.

    Sometimes I teach students in the university lab – I teach them how to get chalk out of water using a big machine.

    And when I need a break I like to juggle! 🙂

  • What I'd do with the prize money:

    Organise a water cycle festival with fun activities to teach students about the invisible secrets of our water cycle.

  • My Interview

    • How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

      Enthusiastic, Inquisitive, Adventurous

      Were you ever in trouble at school?

      Often for talking.

      Who is your favourite singer or band?

      It changes everyday – today – First Aid Kit

      What's your favourite food?

      Brunch: Anything involving – eggs, avocado, tomato, fresh bread

      If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!

      To live self-sufficiently, on a tropical island, surrounded by my best friends and family.

      Tell us a joke.

      Why did the baker have brown hands? – He kneaded a poo!

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