Gregory De Costa 

Candidate for:

Vice-President for Asia and the Pacific

Biography

As a member of IAHR since 1993, I had many opportunities to contribute to this wonderful organization particularly in the capacity as, 

• A committee member of APD Executive Committee for over 4 years,  

• President of the IAHR APD for another 4 years, where I was involved in many activities to contribute to the growth of IAHR APD and thereby IAHR.  

• Chair of local organizing committees of two IAHR APD Congresses once in New Zealand (2010) and once in Sri Lanka (2016) in which we had two very successful congresses bringing together not only participants from Asia Pacific but also from around the world. 

As my Presidency included the Covid Shut down years, and as we had to forge ahead despite travel restrictions, for the first time, the IAHR APD congress was organized as a virtual congress, which was very successful too.  

Working within sub-committees of IAHR, I was involved in the initiation of the recently implemented change of membership category, namely, Fellow Member IAHR, to recognize IAHR members who have contributed long years to IAHR. 

I was Co-editor of a book that will be published at the end of April by Taylor and Francis titled Water Projects and Technologies in Asia – A historical perspective.   

IAHR is a well-known world premier research organization, with members from around the world involved in cutting-edge research, and dissemination of their findings through Conferences and its wide range of publications. 

Statement

Today with the numerous challenges the world is facing, one being due to climate change etc., there needs to be a holistic evaluation, and it’s imperative that the voices of the scientific academic engineering community at IAHR are heard not only within the boundaries of IAHR but more widely across a wider spectrum of audience, particularly policymakers, peoples representatives, Industry and NGO’s for speedy acceptance and adaptation of our findings and implementation of strategies suggested. It is obvious that our findings are heading to Universities, research institutes, journals, and libraries, but it requires further reach. 

Hence today IAHR requires developing strong bridges and links between the science it possesses and policymakers, people’s representatives, industry, and the various NGOs who are involved in, prioritizing, selecting, and implementing projects, so that our voice will find its way to strategies towards first world water security and then to the numerous possible projects that will secure future water.  If elected as Vice President, I will endeavour to achieve this. 

I also perceive that this could be one way of enhancing membership, as greater visibility, enhanced activity, etc., will assist to convince non-member scientists, and engineers or academics to join IAHR.  

If elected I will also endeavour to bring greater benefits to the IAHR membership. 

Not only having been President of IAHR APD, but also having been President of many a community associations such as the Rotary Club, Toast Masters Club, etc., in New Zealand, having also been in charge of developing and delivery of Engineering education programs, having led international Scientific Research teams to obtain funding and implementing research programs, myself being Principal Academic, Engineering, a Chartered Engineer, and Fellow of Engineering New Zealand as well as Fellow of Institute of Engineers Sri Lanka, I will bring in a wide range of skills, to help execute my duty and serve the IAHR Community as its Vice President. It would be a privilege and an honour if elected to serve you in the IAHR community.