David Duncan Mara

IWA Specialist Group on Waste Stabilization Ponds

8th IWA SPECIALIST GROUP CONFERENCE ON WASTE STABILIZATION PONDS2nd Latin-American Conference on Waste Stabilization Ponds

Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 26-30 April 2009

In recognition for his outstanding contribution to ponds research and

application

… always been

Recife, Brasil ~1987

No doubt Duncan is an outstanding man…

“ I think there is little I need to say on his contributionsbecause his reputation precedes him in this regard”(Andy Shilton, former PhD Student, Director of the Centre for EnvironmentalTechnology and Engineering, Massey University, New Zealand)

His reputation is a result of his impressive (outstanding)contribution

An outstanding contribution to science and engineering

" I feel personally honored that I had the opportunity toshare, in some small way, in his historic scientific andintellectual leadership in rethinking and revising theinnovative 2006 World Organization RecommendedWastewater Reuse Health Guidelines based on hisbrilliant innovative Quantitative Microbial RiskAssessment - QMRA model which has established him asone of the great contributors to the promotion of waterrecycling and reuse of our generation ”.

Professor Hillel Shuval, Head Department ofEnvironmental Health Sciences, Hadassah AcademicCollege-Jerusalem and Kunen-LunenfeldEmeritus Professor of Environmental Sciences, TheHebrew University of Jerusalem- Israel

An outstanding contribution to science and engineering

"Mara is an engineer in the best sense. He has thespecial ability of distinguishing between the essential andthe secondary, the applicable and the merelytheoretical, and how to come out with down-to-earth,simple and feasible solutions. ”

“(…) he has accumulated and disseminated knowledge inmany countries, always seeking appropriate technologiesand simplicity in the solutions”.

Professor Marcos von SperlingFederal University of Minas Gerais, Brasil

“Very good Tom, but it is too bloody complicated” (DDM)

“The virtues that Duncan extolled often pertained toWSP but had has lessons and implications for allengineering.• Simplicity, not complexity is the mark of an engineer ofintellect: any fool can make something complicated.•Technology is to serve people: not the other way round.•Try to make a difference without making a fuss”.

Tom Curtis, former PhD studentProfessor of Environmental Engineering,Newcastle University

Varied interests … a multidisciplinary approach

“I first met Duncan at the University of Dundee in 1970/71. He inthe Dept of Civil Engineering and me in Biological Sciences [PhD].Interestingly both of us were working on different aspects ofsulphide (H2S) biochemistry. This formed the basis of our longlasting friendship and importantly emphasizes his early interest inbiological systems and their importance to civil engineering which wassubsequently recognized some years later by the Institute of Biology(198?) which made him a Fellow of the Institute of Biology (FIBiol)and a chartered Biologist. Few Civil Engineers are thus so honoured.

Professor Howard Pearson

“Duncan produced a range of excellent fruit liqueurs forour Christmas parties to sustain his colleagues and fellowresearch students. This was clearly an early example ofDuncan’s interest in a multidisciplinary approach to civilengineering research incorporating social, economic andenvironmental problems” (Howard Pearson)

“During this period he was also persuaded by his wife(Margaret Mara) to take up Scottish dancing! ImagineDuncan dancing!” (Howard Pearson)

A man of many instruments… Beyond science and engineering

Varied interests … a man of many instruments

Professor Duncan MaraHomepage

HistoryLook to the past for guidance into the future

Robert Jacob Goodkin

John Snow(1813−1858)Shortbiography here

Edwin Chadwick(1800−1890).Read the biography

here.

Professor Duncan Mara Homepage

Climate Change

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): homepageUN Climate Change Conference, Copenhagen, 7−18 December 2009:homepage►Leeds Students in Climate Change Debate (New Civil Engineer, 26 March 2009)

IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007– Synthesis Report– Summary for Policymakers– Working Group II Report: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability

– Chapter 3: Fresh Water

Professor Duncan Mara Homepage

The Unserved Billions

Links to reports on the state of global water supply and sanitation

GENDERWomen make up half the world's population, but 70% of the

world's poor

Professor Duncan Mara Homepage

Humour Light-hearted Books on Sanitation

Merde: Excursions in Scientific, Cultural, and Socio-Historical Coprology, by Ralph A. Lewin (Professor Emeritus of Marine Biology, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego) (Random House, 1999).Read an excerpt here.

See also: More on Merde (Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 2001)

“He also studied Latin and Greek at school where hedeveloped an early love of writing which has lasted untiltoday. With this base in Latin he spoke fluent Italianand good French at university and of course subsequentlylearnt Portuguese with ease ” (Howard Pearson)

Varied interests … a man of several instruments… beyond science and engineering

“Cheguei a conhecer Duncan Mara nos anos 70, e tinhamuito respeito por ele, por seu conhecimento de línguas,sua experiência de disciplinas desde a engenharia até amicrobiologia, e a sua economia e lucidez com palavras (naprimeira pagina do seu livro aparecia uma frase emGrego, dizendo "Tanto maior o livro, quanto maior aconfusão"). Colocar uma frase destas na folha do rostodo seu próprio livro indica bastante coragem...

Sandy CairncrossProfessor of Environmental HealthLondon School of Tropical Health Medicine

Varied interests … a man of several instruments… beyond science and engineering

S a n i t a t i o n BlogPersonal and fairly maverick views on how

international sanitation targets can be achieved

Friday, 20 March 2009Toilet “theology”According to the report “Amish man jailed over toilet theology”, in The Independent (aUK national daily newspaper) on 18 March a western Pennsylvania Amish farmer hasbeen sentenced to 90 days in jail and fined $1000 after refusing to bring a pair ofouthouses into compliance with state sewage laws. The farmer cited his conservativereligious beliefs in refusing to abide by an earlier court order to make the privies usedby schoolchildren compliant and pay a $500 fine. “Quite frankly, this is not a religiousissue,” said the judgeI agree with the judge, but maybe a compromise solution should have been sought bythe local county “sewage enforcement agency” − a solution that would protect both thehealth of the schoolchildren and the environment in a way that didn’t offend Amishbeliefs, yet was acceptable to everyone else; and if this required modification of localsewage disposal regulations, then so be it. Did anyone say to the Amish “Look, yourcurrent sanitary solution is absolutely no good, so how would you improve it in a waythat’s acceptable to both you and us?” − that sort of thing. I’d bet good money that thiswasn’t even considered!Posted by Duncan Mara at 12:39

“One of his most important qualities is his readiness tofight conventional thinking and initiate new and radical,socially important policies.” (H. Shuval)

“His rare ire is sparinglybestowed on those who throughego, ambition, avarice, or justplain lack of wit, overlook thesesimple principles [simplicity,technology to serve people,difference without fuss].(T. Curtis)

He is a great man and a good mate! (A. Shilton)A nice man!!!

“Duncan has the rare ability to sort through the confusionand not only find the truth but then present it back in away that the confusion is no longer apparent”.(Andy Shilton)

Classic example of Duncan asking the key question(Auckland Conference , 2002)

ÆfhΣæ78iŦΏθφגα??

!!!

S a n i t a t i o n BlogPersonal and fairly maverick views on how

international sanitation targets can be achieved

Friday, 6 March 2009

Think Globally Radio

Think Globally Radio, based in Sweden, has some interesting podcastswhich are well worth a listen:1. Water, Power, Poverty – How clean water and sanitation will cut

poverty in half by 2015 [2007-01-28]2. Hurry Up! 2.6 Billion People Want to Use the Toilet!! [2008-01-133. Water and Sanitation: Do We Mind the Gap? [2008-09-07]To access/listen/download go to the Think Globally Radio homepage,

click on Episode Archive at the top, and then scroll down to thepodcast you want to listen to (they're listed in reverse date order).Posted by Duncan Mara at 09:00

Think (and act) globally

Double nationality - British and Canadian (through hisfather)Lecturer at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, 1970-73Senior lecturer at the University of Dundee, Scotland,1974-79University of Leeds, late 1979.Visiting professor at the Universidade Federal daParaiba, Campina Grande, northeast Brazil, 1976-95Since 1996, Visiting Professor at the Instituto Cinara,Universidad del Valle in Cali, Colombia.

Duncan’s PhD students enjoying Carnival in Brazil (early 1990’s)

Opportunities for young scientists all over the word…

Opportunities for young scientists all over the word…

“(...) working outside your own culture can have amassive impact on your way of looking at things - itcertainly did for me.

I wouldn't have had this foundation to my career if itwasn't for Duncan (& Howard).

Huw TaylorFormer PhD studentUniversity of Brighton

Reuse research project, Portugal (late1980’s)

Impacts…influence on people, policies…

"Professor Duncan Mara is much more than anoutstanding world leader, as an engineer and scientist,who has pioneered research and applications in thedevelopment of stabilization ponds and low costwastewater treatment. He is a visionary, believer andeducator who has devoted himself to convincing others,showing others, inspiring others in the thing he believesin”.

“(…) the impact he has made on colleagues and indeedcommunities is huge”“(…) on a personal note, he is the most importantmentor I have ever had in my career. I am sure I amnot alone in thinking this” (Andy Shilton).

Impacts…

Professor Andy ShiltonCentre for Environmental Technology and Engineering

School of Engineering and Advanced TechnologyMassey University, New Zealand

“I really have so much to be grateful to Duncan for - even my family!When I was visiting Duncan in Leeds he encouraged me to join him on atrip to the Aman Ponds in Jordan, I tagged along with him and alongthe way met an Austrian tourist who was my future wife!”(Andy Shilton)

DM taking photo of Olives grown on reused pond water (Aman, Jordan)

“There are very few people you can truly say changedyour life. I came, almost at random, into Duncan’scircle as his research associate’s research technician,the bottom of the heap. Duncan is oblivious to thegeography of heaps. He somehow glimpsed a glint ofpotential in a mire of unformed and uninformed ego andidealism. In the coming years he nonchalantly nurturedme. Not by diktat but by example and exposition.

(…) They are, for me, lessons in life I try to impart inothers and will carry to them to the grave.

Influence…

…in Brazil

Prof. Salomão had CIDA (Canadian International DevelopmentAgency), money to develop sanitary engineering in conjunction withthe University of Waterloo, Canada, but could only bring Canadians(!!). Luckily for Salomão, Duncan, living and working in the UK waseligible for the programme because of his duel nationality (!!!)

Extrabes, Campina Grande-PB

Canadian and British funding

…on a personal note

As..Brazilian researcherwho tries to think globally, act locallyto take on a multidisciplinary approach to sanitaryengineeringwho does believe that a better word is possible(needed!)

“My sincere thanks to my supervisor Prof. D. D. Marafor his guidance during this study, which is very muchpart of his persistent stand for the implementation of‘low cost technologies’ throughout the world (RafaelBastos, 1990)

…on a personal note

PhD: 1987-1991Post-doc: 2009

Thank you Duncan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!