300 PhDs in 30 years: Milestone underlines impact IHE Delft PhD programme
A PhD defence is always special: a jubilant moment that crowns years of intense work by committed researchers. For IHE Delft, the PhD defence held 14 September 2023, when Jongchan Kim of South Korea successfully defended his doctoral thesis, was extra special: Kim is the Institute’s 300th PhD graduate. The PhD programme is a key part of IHE Delft's steadfast dedication to advancing knowledge and confronting global water challenges. Over the course of three decades, the programme has welcomed candidates from 70 different countries who form a diverse and collaborative community devoted to shaping the world’s water future.
First of them all was NiNi Thein of Myanmar, who earned her PhD in hydroinformatics in 1994, five years after she commenced her PhD journey in 1989. She is the founder and initiator of the Myanmar Water Academy and the president of the Water, Research and Training Centre. Earlier appointments include work for the United Nations Environment Programme, UNESCO and the Asian Institute of Technology.
"The Institute has come a long way,” she said. “As the first PhD graduate from this esteemed institution, my heart is filled with pride and immeasurable gratitude. The impact resulting from the attainment of 300 PhDs is undeniably significant. It is truly fascinating to contemplate how these accomplished individuals will harness their knowledge and skills to make meaningful contributions to their respective communities, homelands, regions, and the global community."
Recent prizes awarded to IHE Delft PhD graduates reflect the global impact of Institute’s PhD programme. In the past two years, PhD alumni Jonatan Godinez Madrigal, Afua Owusu and Yared Abayneh Abebe won prestigious awards for the excellence of their PhD theses. They are among the many exceptional researchers who have been part of the PhD programme.
Graduates of the programme are making an impact all over the world. In Uruguay, for example, at the Technological University of Uruguay (UTEC), IHE Delft PhD alumni were among those playing a key role in collaborating with IHE Delft to develop a new postgraduate programme in sanitation and sanitary engineering. Hector Garcia, IHE Delft Associate Professor of Wastewater, emphasized the programme's goal to match IHE Delft's renowned MSc programme, fostering international collaboration in addressing sanitation issues.
Caroline Murungi, a current PhD student, highlighted IHE Delft’s holistic approach to knowledge acquisition and understanding. "Through my PhD studies, IHE Delft continues to provide a strong knowledge foundation, empowering me with the ability to 'search and look deeper in details' and identify areas of potential influence upon which community programs can be developed and implemented," she said.
Looking ahead, Michael McClain, Professor of Ecohydrology and Head of IHE Delft’s Graduate School, stressed the Institution's commitment to continued growth and development of the PhD programme: "The institution plans to implement a new strategy in the coming years, aiming to reach more candidates and harmonise the overall experience," he said.
In celebration of Jongchan Kim's achievement, his promoter, Andreja Jonoski, Associate Professor of Hydroinformatics, said:
"The 300th graduation of Jongchan Kim is a very suitable occasion for celebration, since Jongchan has been a PhD research fellow that anyone would dream of having. Completely dedicated to his research, he was working independently and quietly on a very challenging topic of reservoir operation for water quality management. Our discussions have always been inspirational, and he was able to quickly incorporate new insights into his results and publications. With such dedication, he managed to finalise his PhD in only three years and eight months! Congratulations Jongchan!"
Jongchan Kim added, "I am deeply honoured to be the 300th PhD candidate at IHE Delft, a milestone that symbolises the Institution's unwavering commitment to advancing knowledge and addressing global water challenges."