Priory Rooms, Birmingham | 15 – 16 October 2025
Registration is now open! Please register below.
This year, the Groundwater Modellers’ Forum is hosting two adjacent events, connected by the consideration of uncertainty and its implications. On the first day, 15th October, we are hosting a training day “Models in the Dock”, where experts including a barrister will run practical sessions relating to using and defending groundwater model results in courtroom settings. On the second day, we are running our regular conference, with the theme “Groundwater Modelling: a Risky Business”, with a focus on addressing probability and uncertainty. We offer a discount for delegates who book the two days together, and they will complement each other well as we consider the long-term implications of the written-up results of our work and how others may rely on them. Delegates are also welcome to sign up for either day on its own.
Wednesday 15th October 2025 | Models in the Dock
As a one-time event the Groundwater Modellers’ Forum is hosting “Models in the Dock”. This event promises to be rare opportunity where an abridged legal case is role-played in front of an audience of peers. Models are increasingly used in challenging management decisions with legal appeals becoming more common. Legal settings, however, are environments that Hydrogeologists are typically unaccustomed to. Furthermore, as model users and developers it is helpful to see the potential outcomes of our decisions. The main part of the day, following a series of mini-lectures, will involve a simulated and fictional (but plausible) UK environmental legal case in which an industrial water user is appealing against a decision made against their water supply. The Barrister will cross-examine Hydrogeologist Expert Witnesses (pre-selected volunteers) who will present their understanding of the environment and groundwater model to the Inspector. Through this dynamic teaching environment, participants will see, first-hand, techniques for presenting a case convincingly. Handling of uncertainty and data gaps will be particularly tricky to navigate. This is an art which goes beyond technical expertise and model skill. There will be break points in the proceedings for the Barrister and others to feedback to the room and share key learnings, and for participants to ask questions. This evolving learning experience is designed to be entertaining and thought-provoking as well as equipping participants with vital communication skills to use in a potentially hostile setting.
When you sign up for this day, please indicate if you would be interested in volunteering as Expert Witness. Materials will be provided and a small amount of advance preparation will be necessary for volunteers.
Thursday 16th October 2025 | Groundwater Modelling: a Risky Business
When we publish groundwater model results, we realise that there are uncertainties and imperfections, and that these could have real implications for the environment and for people. As such, they are open to scrutiny, sometimes in a law court! It is vital that we are open and quantitative about the potential for inaccuracy, whilst still showing what confidence has been added by our work. How confident can we be that the models we’ve built are reliable enough for their intended purpose? What methods can we use to quantify the risk that arises from our system uncertainty, and can we justify the extra expense of implementing them? It can be a risky business – especially if there’s a chance someone may end up in court defending something they know is imperfect. At this year’s conference we will explore these important themes and inviting presenters to help us with the technical and communication skills to navigate uncertainty and risk.
The list of presenters and programme are available here. The abstract booklet is available here.
Venue
We will be in central Birmingham (Priory Rooms, Bull Street: www.theprioryrooms.co.uk) for both events. We include an option to attend online for the conference on the second day, but not for the training day. Although in-person interaction is very valuable, we are keen to open the conference to those for whom travel is difficult, or who are located overseas. For bookings, please complete the form below, taking care to select In-Person or Remote. In-Person bookings have a carbon offset fee of £1.12, which will go towards a United Nations carbon offset scheme (link).
We are thankful to our sponsors: Groundwater Science, WSP, INTERA, and OGI Groundwater Specialists.
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Registration
If you are registering as a member of the Geological Society of the Institute of Geologists of Ireland, please record your membership number in the notes and comments box to confirm that you are eligible for the lower rate. Please use the notes and comments box to include any dietary and access requirements if you are attending in person.