Seite - 30 - in options, Band summer 2021

© M .Silveri | IIA SA © M .Silveri | IIA SA IIASA corner Taher Kahil studies the growing challenges to water security and investigates innovative solutions. Kahil grew up in Tunisia, in a village famous for its copious water supplies. “We have the remains of a sacred fountain there called the Water Temple, where the Romans took water to send through an aqueduct to Carthage,” he says. Due to rising demand, the mountain springs have however begun to dry up, and people now have to pay for water that was once free. Kahil came to IIASA in 2015, after completing a PhD at the University of Zaragoza in Spain during which he developed hydro-economic models. “My perspective is to bring economic thinking into water management problems – how water can be allocated in a more economically efficient way,” says Kahil. To do this, he has developed the Extended Continental- scale Hydro-economic Optimization model (ECHO). This calculates the most cost-effective ways to supply water for agriculture, industry and homes while preserving aquatic ecosystems. The model has been used to look at Africa as a whole, and to zoom in on the Ebro, Jucar, Lake Victoria, Yangtze, and Zambezi basins. Kahil also uses cooperative game theory to ensure that water allocation is equitable as well as efficient. “We have had significant impact with the Lake Victoria basin – influencing plans for development and sustainable investment.” In January 2021, Kahil was appointed Research Group Leader of the new IIASA Water Security Research Group. “We are now setting up a global version of ECHO, linked to other in-house models,” he says. “I think that will be unique.” Marie Franquin is a neuroscientist striving to find new ways to bridge the divide between science and policy and communicate their impact on our lives. Franquin joined IIASA in September 2020 as External Relations Officer in the Communications and External Relations Department. Her journey has taken her from Paris to London to Montreal to Vienna, which necessitated relocating during the pandemic. While her background is in neuroscience, Franquin discovered her passion for science policy in Canada when she joined the Science and Policy Exchange, of which she is currently Internal Director. “While I am familiar with the science to policy interface, I have never been so close to systems analysis research in the past. Here at IIASA, I am learning how this research can directly influence policies and how to maximize its impact. I have also started building relationships with our National Member Organizations (NMOs). The cultural and scientific background of our NMOs and collaborators represent a unique strength for the institute and I hope to be able to support the continuation of an open and dynamic dialogue with our stakeholders around the world,” notes Franquin. Her science to policy work in Canada focused on giving a voice to the next generation of scientists, in particular on topics such as redefining excellence and promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in academia. At IIASA, she hopes to keep applying these skills and knowledge in support of the institute's strategy for the next decade. Working on water Bridging science and policy People profiles Taher Kahil: kahil@iiasa.ac.at Marie Franquin: franquin@iiasa.ac.at By Stephen Battersby By Monika Bauer www.iiasa.ac.at30 Options Summer 2021