As part of IWA’s mission to empower Young Water Professionals to contribute to sustainable water management, a new IWA Young Water Professionals (IWA YWP) chapter was officially established in Finland in June 2024. This IWA YWP chapter will be the country’s go-to network boosting connections for YWPs and a platform to support equal opportunities and quality career development. As a voluntary network, the Finland chapter is open to all water professionals aged 35 or below who are enthusiastic, dedicated, and passionate about water-related issues. Here, Ksenija Golovko, Chair of YWP Finland, presents some key points about the chapter.

Q: What was the motivation for setting up an IWA YWP Chapter in Finland?

For several years, Finland has had a community of young water professionals operating as a division under the Water Association of Finland (Suomen Vesiyhdistys). Recent activities required a renewed structure to maintain regular engagement of Finnish young water professionals. To address this, a newly selected committee for the term 2024-2026 decided to pursue official branding by the International Water Association (IWA). Their goals included organising professional events and social gatherings more consistently to strengthen the network of young water professionals and support their career development.
Motivated by these objectives, the steering committee developed a plan for upcoming events and initiated discussions with the IWA to achieve official recognition. Additionally, the committee aimed to lead the YWP Finland community on the international stage, fostering international collaborations for local young professionals and increasing the visibility of the Finnish community.

Q: How will the chapter contribute to the empowerment of YWPs to contribute to the national water agenda of Finland? 

On a national scale, YWP Finland is committed to accelerating the inclusion of young professionals to foster interdisciplinary and multigenerational dialogue within the water sector. As an integral division of the Water Association of Finland, YWP Finland participates in association meetings and events. Strengthening the organisational structure of YWP Finland would greatly enhance opportunities for young water professionals to influence the national water agenda and contribute their perspectives.

Furthermore, fostering a more structured collaboration with the national association will facilitate the organisation of valuable technical visits, seminars, and workshops. These initiatives are aimed at equipping young water professionals with both technical expertise and essential soft skills necessary for effectively contributing to the future of local and international water development agendas. By engaging in these activities, YWP Finland aims to empower its members and ensure they are well-prepared to address the challenges and opportunities in the evolving field of water management.

Q: What are your aims and objectives for your chapter, and what activities do you plan to do? 

The selected committee has planned a series of events aimed at bolstering Finland’s water agenda. These initiatives include technical visits, a dedicated research day focusing on student opportunities, and relaxed networking gatherings designed to bring together water professionals from diverse backgrounds. Looking ahead, the committee intends to actively participate in local events such as Vesihuoltopäivät, providing aspiring researchers with additional avenues to contribute to the field.

In addition, YWP Finland is pursuing collaborations with other YWP chapters, particularly in the Nordic region, to collectively advance the water agenda and facilitate the exchange of valuable experiences. This strategic partnership aims to enhance visibility and strengthen the YWP chapters’ presence on an international scale.

Furthermore, the committee’s proposal includes active participation in various YWP events and conferences, aimed at further elevating the profile of the Finnish YWP chapter. By fostering comprehensive dialogue and exchanging experiences among chapters, the initiative seeks to accelerate the development of the water community and drive forward impactful research initiatives.

Meet the founding committee of the IWA YWP Finland

Ksenija Golovko | Chair | Doctoral Researcher at Aalto University

Ksenija works at Aalto University on a multidisciplinary project aimed at developing a digital twin of the wastewater treatment plant in Helsinki to improve carbon balance. Her efforts focus on creating a tool for operators to promote proactive operations, involving collaboration and engagement with various stakeholders. Motivated by her commitment to promoting the sustainability of water systems, supporting the community, and addressing diverse challenges, Ksenija has taken a leading role in YWP Finland to foster networking and lifelong learning.

Dr. Aziza Baubekova | Vice-Chair | Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Oulu

Dr. Aziza Baubekova is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Water, Energy and Environmental Engineering Research Unit at the University of Oulu. With an extensive portfolio focusing on water issues in Central Asia, her current project examines the Water-Energy-Land nexus in the Zarafshan and Amu Darya River basins. Dr. Baubekova earned her PhD from the University of Oulu in 2023 with a thesis on “Catchment-Estuary-Coastal Systems under climate change and anthropogenic pressure”. As the Vice-chair of YWP Finland, Dr. Baubekova is driven by her passion for the water sector and her commitment to promoting professional growth, interdisciplinary collaboration, and knowledge sharing among young professionals. In this role, she advocates for innovative solutions to water-related challenges and supports the development of a vibrant, resilient community prepared to tackle future challenges in the field.

Maria Dubovik | International Relations & Professional Events Officer | Research Scientist at VTT and Doctoral Researcher at University of Helsinki

Maria is a Research Scientist at VTT and a Doctoral Researcher at University of Helsinki. Maria’s research revolves around urban water management including stormwater management and urban flooding and the role of nature-based solutions in climate adaptation. Her doctoral studies focus on developing techniques for defining, collecting and validating the limits to adaptation in the context of extreme floods and droughts and studying the public-policy drivers and responses that influence the spatiotemporal distribution of limits. As an International Relations & Professional Events Officer of YWP Finland, Maria aims to deliver high-quality opportunities that enable learning, networking and empowering the young water professionals within the Finnish water sector.

Milla Sieranen | Secretary | Doctoral Researcher at Aalto University

Milla’s research deals with greenhouse gas emissions of full-scale wastewater treatment plants in Finland. The focus is on collecting long-term emission monitoring data from treatment plants on-site to develop a process modelling tool for emission simulations and mitigation strategies.  Taking care of the secretary duties in YWP Finland, Milla assists in keeping the operation of YWP Finland running and organised, and thus, contributing to the goal of empowering young water professionals and the community in Finland.

Elina Paavonen | Communications officer | Doctoral Researcher at University of Eastern Finland

Elina works as a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Eastern Finland. Her research focuses on ecological impacts of anthropogenic changes in freshwater-supported systems. The goal of the research is to understand and quantify the ecological significance of human drivers influencing freshwater-supported systems to identify feasible and equitable possibilities to sustain the vital regulatory functions of freshwater in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. As a Communications Officer of YWP Finland, Elina keeps the network informed about the latest news, updates and events. Elina is also a board member of the Finnish Water Association, where she represents the YWP Finland Division.

Nikita Lukianov | Regional officer | Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology

Nikita is a dedicated Master’s student in the Water Technology program at LUT (Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology), based in Mikkeli. Currently working as a Research Assistant in the Separation Science department at LUT, Nikita is at the forefront of innovative water treatment research. His current project focuses on recovering phosphorus from wastewater using 3D printed materials covered with Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOF). As a Regional Officer, Nikita is responsible for engaging YWPs outside the capital region, fostering collaboration and innovation in the field of water technology.

Sofija Djukanovic | Utilities officer | Aalto University

Sofija is a Doctoral researcher at Aalto University, within Water and Environmental Engineering research group. Sofija is engaged in research in the drinking water field. Her doctoral research is focused on the impact of certain fractions of natural organic matter on microbial regrowth and the formation potential of disinfection byproducts in a distribution network. As a Utilities officer of YWP Finland, Sofija is making sure that YWP and drinking, and wastewater utilities are in collaboration.

Hafiza Aisha Khalid | Companies officer | Aalto University

Aisha is a doctoral researcher at Aalto University within the Water & Environmental Engineering research group. She is involved in researching the resistance offered by vegetation in riverine flows. Her research primarily focuses on investigating the impacts of vegetation patches and modelling the reach-scale friction caused by these patches, leading to more accurate predictions of the hydraulic characteristics of flows involving vegetation patches. As a company’s officer, Aisha is responsible for liaising with industrial partners, ensuring their involvement in YWP activities as needed, and facilitating effective collaborations with the water industry sector.

Timo Larsson | Research & Education officer | Aalto University

Timo is a postdoctoral researcher at Aalto University. He is mainly involved in a research project called “BioNH4”, which focuses on ammonium nitrogen recovery from biogas process reject water by combining a bio-electrochemical system with a membrane contactor. As the Research & Education officer of YWP Finland, his role is to ensure contact and collaboration between the YWP association and the academic partners (universities, research centres).

Thandie Marata | Finance and Sponsorship Coordination | Aalto University

Thandie is a doctoral researcher at Aalto University, conducting research within the Water and Environmental Engineering research group. Her work focuses on the valorisation of industrial side streams, particularly solid wastes from mining industries. She is focused on utilising these materials for the preparation of both dense and porous alkali-activated materials and geopolymers, with the aim of creating high value-added applications in water and wastewater treatment. Additionally, Thandie serves as the Finance and Sponsorship Coordinator, where she is responsible for managing the financial aspects and securing sponsorships to support the activities and goals of YWP Finland.

Lobna Amin | Social events officer | Aalto University

Lobna is a doctoral researcher at Aalto University in the field of water and wastewater treatment and recovery. She is doing her doctoral studies as a cotutelle between Aalto university in Finland, and INSA Toulouse in France. Her research focuses on recovering phosphorus from wastewater treatment plants. Lobna is responsible for planning and executing social events for YWP members and non-members.

Sanni Eerikäinen | Advisor | Mittausguru Oy

Sanni Eerikäinen works as a Head of Sales in a Finnish start-up company Mittausguru, specialising in online environmental monitoring. Mittausguru provides a turnkey service for monitoring and protecting our water resources remotely in real time, be it in lakes, rivers, industrial sites or cities. As a former chair of YWP Finland and a former board member of Finnish Water Association, she supports the YWP Finland committee as an advisor passing on information on previous activities, contacts and resources.

If you have questions regarding the IWA YWP Community, please, contact Isabela Espindola, IWA Membership Engagement Senior Officer.

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