Water quality

Dr. Kabari Sam is a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Systems and Course Lead for BSc Environmental Science and BSc Marine Environmental Science at the University of Portsmouth. A Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv), Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), and Member of the Institution of Environmental Sciences (MIEnvSc), his research focuses on water quality, hydrocarbon pollution, environmental risk, sustainability, and environmental governance. Originally from the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, Dr. Sam’s work is shaped by firsthand experience of the environmental and socio-economic impacts of long-term oil pollution. His research explores contaminated land and groundwater systems, environmental remediation, climate resilience, blue carbon ecosystems, and the public health implications of polluted environments, particularly in vulnerable coastal and oil-impacted communities. Dr. Sam has contributed to research and advocacy on sustainable water management, mangrove conservation, microplastics pollution, and ecosystem restoration across developing and developed regions. His work increasingly examines how geospatial analysis, Earth Observation technologies, and environmental monitoring can strengthen water governance, improve pollution detection, and support evidence-based decision-making. Through research, policy engagement, and community advocacy, he has supported initiatives aimed at improving access to safe drinking water and promoting environmental accountability in regions affected by industrial contamination. Passionate about bridging science, policy, and communities, Dr. Sam is committed to advancing sustainable and inclusive approaches to environmental management, climate resilience, and water security.

In this interview, James N. Nkhoswe reflects on a professional journey shaped by water quality, freshwater ecology, fisheries, aquaculture, and environmental management in Southern Africa. He explains how field experience in Malawi strengthened his interest in understanding water problems not as isolated measurements, but as catchment-scale challenges that connect ecosystems, food production, livelihoods and governance. Using the Bua River as a practical example, he discusses how agricultural expansion, deforestation, domestic waste disposal and changing land use can influence erosion, sediment and nutrient inputs, with consequences for aquatic ecosystems and communities that depend on the river. He highlights the value of combining field-based water-quality monitoring with satellite remote sensing, Earth observation and GIS to identify landscape change, potential pollution hotspots and areas where limited monitoring resources can be targeted more strategically. The interview also considers the Water-Energy-Food nexus, sustainable aquaculture, community participation and the institutional challenges involved in translating scientific evidence into practical water governance. Looking ahead, Nkhoswe sees strong potential in integrating satellite observations, low-cost sensors, cloud computing, field measurements and local knowledge, while stressing that technology should always respond to a clearly defined environmental problem. His advice to young professionals is to understand both the river and the technology: develop strong spatial and quantitative skills, but remain grounded in field realities, ecological processes and the perspectives of people who depend on freshwater systems.

Dr. Kabari Sam is a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Systems and Course Lead for BSc Environmental Science and BSc Marine Environmental Science at the University of Portsmouth. A Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv), Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), and Member of the Institution of Environmental Sciences (MIEnvSc), his research focuses on water quality, hydrocarbon pollution, environmental risk, sustainability, and environmental governance. Originally from the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, Dr. Sam’s work is shaped by firsthand experience of the environmental and socio-economic impacts of long-term oil pollution. His research explores contaminated land and groundwater systems, environmental remediation, climate resilience, blue carbon ecosystems, and the public health implications of polluted environments, particularly in vulnerable coastal and oil-impacted communities. Dr. Sam has contributed to research and advocacy on sustainable water management, mangrove conservation, microplastics pollution, and ecosystem restoration across developing and developed regions. His work increasingly examines how geospatial analysis, Earth Observation technologies, and environmental monitoring can strengthen water governance, improve pollution detection, and support evidence-based decision-making. Through research, policy engagement, and community advocacy, he has supported initiatives aimed at improving access to safe drinking water and promoting environmental accountability in regions affected by industrial contamination. Passionate about bridging science, policy, and communities, Dr. Sam is committed to advancing sustainable and inclusive approaches to environmental management, climate resilience, and water security.

In this interview, James N. Nkhoswe reflects on a professional journey shaped by water quality, freshwater ecology, fisheries, aquaculture, and environmental management in Southern Africa. He explains how field experience in Malawi strengthened his interest in understanding water problems not as isolated measurements, but as catchment-scale challenges that connect ecosystems, food production, livelihoods and governance. Using the Bua River as a practical example, he discusses how agricultural expansion, deforestation, domestic waste disposal and changing land use can influence erosion, sediment and nutrient inputs, with consequences for aquatic ecosystems and communities that depend on the river. He highlights the value of combining field-based water-quality monitoring with satellite remote sensing, Earth observation and GIS to identify landscape change, potential pollution hotspots and areas where limited monitoring resources can be targeted more strategically. The interview also considers the Water-Energy-Food nexus, sustainable aquaculture, community participation and the institutional challenges involved in translating scientific evidence into practical water governance. Looking ahead, Nkhoswe sees strong potential in integrating satellite observations, low-cost sensors, cloud computing, field measurements and local knowledge, while stressing that technology should always respond to a clearly defined environmental problem. His advice to young professionals is to understand both the river and the technology: develop strong spatial and quantitative skills, but remain grounded in field realities, ecological processes and the perspectives of people who depend on freshwater systems.