South West Water named as major partner of British Science Festival

04th September 2023

South West Water will be a major partner of this year’s British Science Festival, in Exeter.

As Europe’s longest standing science festival, the British Science Festival aims to connect people with scientists, engineers, technologists and social scientists.

This year’s event is being hosted by the University of Exeter from this Thursday, 7 September, until Sunday 10 September, bringing an inspiring programme of over 70 free events to the public on the University’s campus, as well as at venues across the city.

The Festival is themed around areas such as climate change and innovation. South West Water’s sponsorship builds on the pioneering partnership work with the University of Exeter on the development of the Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste (CREWW).

CREWW centres around a new facility which will bring together industry experts at South West Water with academics from the university to explore and co-design solutions to the most pressing challenges facing the water and waste sector in the South West, the UK and the world.

CREWW is the first net zero-in-operation research centre to be co-funded and co-created between an institution of higher education and water industry partnership. It has been established to undertake research into some of the most critical environmental challenges in our time – namely how our precious natural resources can be managed in ways which are sustainable and resilient in the face of climate change and population growth.

Susan Davy, CEO of South West Water’s parent company Pennon Group, said: “The research, development and application of science plays a pivotal role in every aspect of what we do as a business and I am very happy that we are teaming up with the British Science Festival to help engage the next generation of scientists through this inspiring event.”

“As hosts of many of the Festival’s events, this partnership will enhance the growing strength in our partnership with the University of Exeter and the vital research that will be carried out at CREWW for many years to come.”

Professor Neil Gow, University of Exeter’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Impact, and Chair of the British Science Festival 2023 Steering Group, said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome South West Water as a sponsor for the British Science Festival in Exeter. Their support for the Festival signifies the deepening relationship between our two organisations and recognises the ground-breaking solution-based research that we are undertaking together.”

As part of the partnership, South West Water will be sponsoring the Tipping Points, Creatively Combatting Climate Anxiety, and Imagining New Possibilities for a Liveable Future events.