CEnv Profile | Rebecca Hearn CEnv

What does an average day look like in your career?

In my role I have two types of average day (Office and Site): an average office day which involves a wide variety of project work including data analysis, risk assessment, project planning and people / business management. An average day on site looks like walkovers, meetings, supervision of a variety of intrusive ground investigation or remediation activities and completing works such as soil logging, collecting soil, groundwater, surface water and gas samples and a variety of in-situ testing and monitoring.

The only thing typical about any day is variety!

How did you get to where you are now?

From as early as I can remember I loved two things; Maps and Soil. Encouraged by my rural upbringing and grandparents with geology and theology backgrounds, I developed a passion for understanding the environment and how we interact with it. This led me to a masters degree in environmental dynamics via an undergraduate joint honours degree in geography and sports science. Initially a career in land quality was partly accidental but I was hooked straight away.

Researching the history of a site, how people had used it and where and how contaminants may have made their way into the environment was like being a detective. For me,  seeing it first hand on site,  finding former structures and weird and wonderful artifacts to add the colour to the conceptual understanding developed through from the desk study was the reward. I now co-run a business where I continue to work with maps and explore soils, and support others in finding the excitement of being a detective.

In what ways does your role consider and protect the environment?

Sites I work on come to someone like me to understand the historic impact that a human use has had on the environment. The work I do looks at how this impact can be mitigated and how brownfield and grey land can be re-used most beneficially, whilst also protecting the environment, supporting protection of natural habitats and human health.

How has your focus on environmental impacts changed over the course of your career?

Early in my career my main focus was on harm to human health, whilst this remains a key focus in risk assessment, I now look at a much wider picture; not only looking at how we deal with historic contamination but how in the face of climate change do we ensure that this is future proof.

We look for the most sustainable way for any mitigation to be implemented.

You’ve been an active volunteer of the SocEnv Soils & Stones project since Autumn 2023. How did being part of this project help you in your journey to becoming a CEnv?

Being part of the Soils and Stone project really boosted by confidence. I gained experience in the production of publications, contributing to consultation responses and was later encouraged to take the lead on a consultation response. My views and contributions were valued and I was encouraged to contribute to and present outputs from the project, both internally within the society and externally. This experience was invaluable in my chartership application.

What are the top three key knowledge areas that are crucial to your role?

• Regulation and guidance: Sound understanding of the regulatory framework which underpins land quality assessment
• Geology and hydrogeology: soils and soil water interactions are critical to understanding the fate and transport of contaminants entering the environment.
• Social History: Every site is different but having an appreciation of how industry has developed and key industrial processes gives a head start in understanding the background of a former industrial site.

What part of your role do you find the most exciting?

Finding the answer to the mystery like why have we got a certain chemical in the groundwater here? Or why is the soil blue? It is really rewarding supporting a client to bring an unused brownfield site back into beneficial use, I sometimes go out of my way to go back past sites I have worked on to see the regeneration completed.

What are your 3 top tips for those applying for CEnv?

• Use the process as an opportunity to really reflect on your career, looking at how you have developed as well as developments in your field.
• Take time to question yourself on your motivations and values and how you think about the environment.
• Broaden your horizons – reading the Environmental scientist journal regularly and push your boundaries to attend events which you wouldn’t usually attend is a great start.

Why would you encourage others in your sector to aspire to become a CEnv?

Being chartered gives recognition not just to you but allows the industry as a whole to be recognised.