OSPE - The Voice - September 2017 - 27

Cover

Andrea Bradford, P.Eng.,
is one of us.
She's an OSPE member who has dedicated her career to
environmental work with a sharp focus on wetland water
management. As associate professor at the University of
Guelph, she is a fierce supporter of engineering as a career,
and is proud of her students who continue to change the world.
OSPE: Why did you choose engineering as a career?
ANDREA: When I was initially choosing undergraduate

engineering I was actually considering a pathway to medicine,
but I found that I really enjoyed engineering; it felt like the right
direction for me. I grew up in northern Ontario, so there were a
lot of connection points in my life to water. It's interesting that
as a professor I sometimes ask that question of my second year
students: why did you choose to study water management?
Many of us have similar experiences with camping and the
outdoors that give us a real connection to the environment.
OSPE: How has your work changed the world, in both small and
large ways?
ANDREA: (Laughs) I guess in some circles I'm known as "the

voice of fish in the wetlands". It sounds kind of funny, but what
I mean by that is I don't always have an economic argument for
what I'm doing. But I do think that the work I'm doing promotes
engineering, and as a result, more wealth for society in always
making sure we are not causing the degradation of ecosystems.
I do that through really all aspects of my work; my research
and service activities, and then of course teaching. I may be
atypical for an academic; I think most of my colleagues might
point to publications or something like that as their key contributions, but I think mine is more the training I provide. I've been
at the University of Guelph for 15 years and I think I've made a
difference by training the next generation of engineers to have
a deep technical knowledge of the field.
OSPE: Engineering is a precise vocation, and as you say, deep

technical knowledge is key. But engineers bring more to the
table than just that. Innovation, creativity, and integrity also play
a role.

ANDREA: For sure. Yes. I make sure my students understand
how vital it is to not simply design to code, but also how
important it is to be able to identify when standards may not be
high enough to protect society and the environment. Or in some
cases where standards or codes might be limiting to the most
creative or innovative solution, that they know enough and are
confident enough to provide the strongest solution.
OSPE: It sounds like your work makes you optimistic for the

future.

ANDREA: I am. Our students here at Guelph really do want

ANDREA
BRADFORD,
P.Eng.

Associate Professor,
University of Guelph
Providing expertise
in water supply
management while
guiding the next
generation of
engineers.

to change the world, especially the ones who are choosing
environment and water. They want to work both locally and
internationally. They're not jaded at all, they think they can
accomplish anything, so they're really positive and so it's nice
to be in a position to support and nurture that positive approach,
and help them achieve their potential.
OSPE: Have you been able to steer government policy?
ANDREA: Yes I have, in a number of ways. Certainly my students
who have gone on to successful careers have been influential in
terms of advising policy, so I take some measure of satisfaction
in knowing I helped them learn about our field. I have also
participated as an invited expert in various hearings, and my
reason for doing that is to raise the bar in terms of standards.
I also think it's important to provide the tools to support
improvements in policy so I have worked on the consultancy side.
OSPE: How does what you do affect people's lives on a day-to-day
basis?
ANDREA: Water is a blessing but it can also be a curse, right?
So what I do is develop approaches to clean water supply while
also protecting the public from floods. This kind of work has a
huge impact on people's lives, not just day-to-day but long term
as well. I also do a great deal of work in the area of urban water
systems, around green and natural infrastructure, which help
make our water systems multifunctional. They can clean our
water while protecting us from floods. At the same time, they
provide areas for people to go for recreation, which in turn helps
improve the health of urban citizens, so the work we do is far
reaching in terms of affecting the population and society as a
whole.

September 2017

The VOICe

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