Insights for what's next

Explore practical perspectives that turn complex challenges and emerging trends into real-world outcomes.

125 items
aerial of coastline
Big Questions

How can nations protect their coastlines and water systems as climate risks intensify?

Rising sea levels, climate change and growing urban density are increasing pressure on Singapore’s coastal and water infrastructure. Without long-term planning, this pressure will only intensify. The challenge is multifaceted: strengthen coastal and flood resilience and secure the nation’s water future, all while contending with limited land availability, dense urban development and the need to keep communities and industries functioning with minimal disruption. This is where Jacobs’ Senior Project Manager, Reve Chin Jen Yee, steps in. Working at the forefront of Singapore’s most ambitious coastal, stormwater and water infrastructure programs, Reve supports clients to tackle escalating risks head‑on. He advances Singapore’s climate resilience through coastal protection planning, designing waterways that withstand tidal and stormwater pressures and driving system upgrades that safeguard the country’s water infrastructure for decades to come. Backed by over 20 years of geotechnical, civil and structural engineering experience, Reve brings deep technical expertise, strong regulatory knowledge and a future-ready mindset to Singapore’s nation-shaping projects. What drives Reve is a profound commitment to protecting people, communities and the places they call home. As climate pressures intensify, he sees engineering not just as a technical discipline, but as a responsibility to ensure future generations inherit a safer and more secure environment.

Reve Chin Jen Yee
water droplet
Thought Leadership

Redefining risk for a more complex water future

Australia’s water industry faces rising cost pressures and climate uncertainty as well as aging infrastructure. As complexity grows, utilities must rethink how risk is assessed, governed and shared to support more adaptive and resilient outcomes. Jacobs Director of Operations, Water, Australia and New Zealand, Kate Simmonds outlines why evolving governance frameworks will be critical to improving performance and decision-making.

Kate Simmonds
water treatment plant
Big Questions

How can community-rooted leadership shape the future of water reliability?

Since 2023, Jacobs has provided operations and maintenance services to Jackson, Mississippi’s O.B. Curtis and J.H. Fewell water treatment plants (WTPs) with one clear mission — deliver safe, clean and reliable drinking water to a community that has endured years of chronic failures. By improving operations and automation and employing skilled talent, Project Manager Amy McLeod and her team enabled the WTPs to achieve full compliance for the first time in a decade. For Amy, her work is more than just a job; it’s a responsibility and commitment to her operators and the community she has come to call home. Answering Jackson’s call Originally from Kentucky, Amy planted her roots in Mississippi more than 20 years ago. After earning her degree in geological engineering from the University of Mississippi, she spent nearly two decades with the Mississippi State Department of Health, overseeing 100 water systems across the central region. While Amy was with the Department of Health, an emergency was declared in Jackson, and she immediately stepped in to help stabilize operations at the WTPs. What she saw during that response — the dedication of the operators and the need for long-term support — made a lasting impact. In 2023, she joined Jacobs to focus her efforts fully on Jackson, first as an assistant project manager, and later as project manager. A team built from the community it serves For Amy and her team, their work at the WTP is personal. Several team members were born and raised in Jackson

Amy McLeod
pipes
Q&A

A view on the future of conveyance and storage: A Q&A with Dr. Adel Aboujaoude

From aging water infrastructure, regulatory requirements and climate change, our clients face unprecedented challenges. Jacobs Global Solutions Director for Conveyance and Storage Dr. Adel Aboujaoude and his team are shaping how we deliver safe and reliable water to communities worldwide. Through adopting available technology and creating new technologies, he ensures we’re providing tailored solutions to our clients. In this Q&A, Adel discusses the imortance of water conveyance, particularly in locations where access to clean and potable water is a challenge and highlights the importance of having the right people and technology to tackle the problem of water scarcity in a changing world.

Adel AbouJaoude
water aerial
Q&A

World water day: How is water shaping our future?

World Water Day is a moment to consider water’s importance to life, the environment and thriving communities. It’s also a call to action. As climate impacts intensify and water challenges grow more complex, the need for integrated, forward-looking solutions has never been greater. At Jacobs, that responsibility sits at the heart of our global water team. Leading our team of 9,000 water professionals is Senior Vice President Susan Moisio. From advancing watershed-scale strategies to championing digital innovation and mentoring the next generation of leaders, Susan understands that water connects everything — from energy and food systems to equity and economic resilience. In this World Water Day Q&A, she explains how the industry is evolving, her role championing women leaders and what it means to know water. World Water Day is an opportunity to reflect. You’ve been leading our water team for five years — how has the industry changed in that time? The pace of change has accelerated dramatically. Climate impacts are more visible and more urgent. Extreme events — whether flooding, drought or water quality crises — are happening more frequently. Each one reinforces the need to look at systems holistically. We often say water challenges fall into three categories: too much water, too little water or poor water quality. But the real shift has been in how we address them. We’re thinking regionally and adaptively. Instead of solving a single asset issue, we’re asking: how does this fit within the broader water system? What does this mean over

Q&A

Growing globally: Olivia Millard’s Jacobsgo! experience

Olivia Millard, a Melbourne, Australia-based process engineer, shares her experience as part of our 2025 JacobsGo! cohort – living and working in Portland, Oregon, U.S. Why did you decide to apply for the program? Throughout my life, I’ve found that immersing myself in different places, contexts and cultures through long-term travel has been a launchpad for my personal and professional growth. JacobsGo! presented such a unique opportunity that I couldn’t pass it up! I am very grateful to be a part of the program. What were you most excited about? Going into this experience, I was excited to learn from technical specialists in Oregon and develop my design skills. On the personal side, I looked forward to exploring the Pacific Northwest outdoors – trail running, skiing, hiking and camping.  What kind of work did you do in your JacobsGo! role? Like my role at home, my workload spanned a range of diverse projects. They involved concept level designs of treatment plants to support capital planning, detailed design of treatment systems, quality control management and development of an interactive facility map dashboard as part of program management efforts.  One project that was a key focus during my time in the region was early works for a water treatment plant. The project centers on the design of fish intake screens and raw water pump replacements which will help the city maintain reliable operations through upcoming major upgrades at the plant.  What was the best part of your JacobsGo! experience? There were so

Thought Leadership

Protecting critical infrastructure: OT cyber risk after Aliquippa

Jacobs Senior Vice President, OT Cybersecurity John Karabias discusses the pressing issue of cybersecurity in water utilities and critical infrastructure, focusing on recent threats and the need for a proactive approach in quantifying and addressing OT risks.

water treatment plant
Big Questions

Scaling water reuse through collaboration

Rick Warner discusses a project with The Water Research Foundation that’s fostering collaborative strategies and unlocking the full potential of water reuse

OneWater Reflections
Thought Leadership

Developing metrics for water customer affordability

Reflecting on a recent Journal AWWA article he co-authored, Mike Matichich explains how water utilities better understand and address affordability challenges by leveraging operating data they already collect.

A Q&A with Laura Rhodes
Q&A

Delivering critical flood and coastal resilience in the UK: A Q&A with Laura Rhodes

Over 5.2 million homes and properties in England face risks from flooding and coastal erosion. The Environment Agency has implemented strategies to mitigate these risks, including a £5.2 billon capital program, delivered primarily through the Collaborative Delivery Framework (CDF), part of the broader Next Generation Supplier Arrangements (NGSA). In this Q&A, Jacobs’ CDF Manager, Laura Rhodes, shares insights into the program’s critical role in improving infrastructure resilience and the key lessons she’s learned while collaborating with the Environment Agency.

  • Future Foundations

    Co-creating the world to come

    From developing climate resilience and transitioning to a low-carbon future, to modernizing and transforming infrastructure, governments and businesses face critical challenges. How they respond will define our future.

    As our clients navigate these challenges, we help them think differently – working together to pioneer tomorrow's infrastructure solutions and build the foundations for a prosperous, secure future. 

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