University of Bristol professor honoured in King’s New Years Honours

A University of Bristol professor was honoured in the King’s New Years Honors list.

Professor of water and environmental engineering in the School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering Nicholas Howden has been awarded an MBE. His research on the impact of agriculture on water quality has made an incredible contribution to water management.

Nicholas Howden told BristolLive: ‘I’m deeply honoured to have been appointed MBE in the King’s New Year Honours. I’ve been privileged to work alongside committed colleagues, volunteers, and practitioners across the water and environmental sector, and I see this honour as a reflection of that collective effort.’

Nicholas studied civil engineering at Durham University, and completed a PhD at London’s Imperial College. In 2010, Howden joined the University of Bristol. He began by running the MSc in Water and Environmental Management, and was both the Graduate Dean and Faculty Education Director between 2018 and 2022.

“I have been fortunate to work across a variety of water and environmental fields in both academia and industry around the world, experiencing different disciplinary and cultural approaches, and to appreciate the importance of personal and collective knowledge and skills.”

Nicholas continued to tell BristolLive why his research is important, and hopes that by receiving this MBE, everyone will begin to realise its necessity. He added: “Water management matters because it sits right at the intersection of people, places, and nature. Whether it’s improving water quality, managing flood and drought risk, or restoring catchments and habitats, the work is increasingly complex — and that makes professional learning and development more important than ever.”

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Ian Craddock, the Head of the School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering at the University of Bristol, said: “Water quality is a pressing issue for all of us, hugely exacerbated by climate change. Nicholas has been at the forefront of attracting and developing the talented professionals that the UK and the world urgently need to address future societal challenges.”

Nicholas served as a trustee of the Field Studies Council and the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) since 2020. He now Chairs CIWEM’s Professional Standards Committee, assessing professional applications for professionals in the field.

He said: “‘Through CIWEM, I’ve been proud to play a part in strengthening professional standards, supporting lifelong learning, and helping create pathways that welcome and develop talent from a wider range of backgrounds.”