Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Director of the UNESCO Centre for Water Law, Policy & Science since 2022 with a mandate to advance sustainable and equitable development, with particular focus on SDG6: 'Ensuring access to water and sanitation for all'. For the five years prior, he was Vice Principal Research, Knowledge Exchange & Wider Impact with overall institutional responsibility for research strategy and excellence in academic performance.
John is a Professor of Physical Geography, with expertise in the study of environmental change and human-environment relations. His systems-based work on climate change and its impacts on water, food, energy and biodiversity has a strong policy focus. Current collaborations extend across multiple countries, e.g., Bangladesh, India, and Kenya. His strong national profile is reflected in various recent and current advisory roles, including serving on the Board of Scottish Government’s Centres of Expertise in Climate Change (CXC) and Centre for Research on Water (CREW) and Steering Group for the Hydro Nation Scholars Programme.
John has been at the University of Dundee since 1998. He was Founding Director of the Centre for Environmental Change and Human Resilience (CECHR), a strategic partnership with the James Hutton Institute, established to tackle interdisciplinary challenges around food, water, energy and health security. He was the inaugural Dean of the multidisciplinary School of Social Sciences created in 2015 amalgamating the Schools of Environment, Business, Natural Resources, Psychology and Law.
Research
Research expertise on water resources and different aspects of river basin management including erosion and sedimentation issues, environmental change, governance and ecohydrology.
Teaching
Global resources, ecosystem services and water resources management
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
External positions
UK International Hydrological Committee, UNESCO
1 Sept 2022 → 1 Sept 2027
Keywords
- GB Physical geography
- GE Environmental Sciences
- QE Geology
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Integrated River Basin Management Framework under the Lens of Loss and Damage
Rowan, J. (Investigator)
Project: Research
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Tackling the Challenges of the Water Food Energy Nexus in India and Scotland
Rowan, J. (Investigator)
Project: Research
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Community Energy Planning and its Potential for Delivering Environmental, Economic and Social Change
Lynch, W. (Investigator), Rodley, D. (Investigator) & Rowan, J. (Investigator)
Project: Research
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Water Resource Vulnerabilities From Climate-Induced Tipping Point Behaviour in Runoff Volumes and Seasonality in the Region of the ‘Karakoram Anomaly’: A Snow-Glacier Melt Perspective
Ougahi, J. H. & Rowan, J. S. (Lead / Corresponding author), Jun 2025, In: Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies. 59, 23 p., 102386.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile9 Downloads (Pure) -
Enhanced streamflow forecasting using hybrid modelling integrating glacio-hydrological outputs, deep learning and wavelet transformation
Ougahi, J. H. (Lead / Corresponding author) & Rowan, J., 22 Jan 2025, In: Scientific Reports. 15, 26 p., 2762.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile4 Citations (Scopus)34 Downloads (Pure) -
Supporting the development of climate-resilient water safety plans through a risk-screening framework for drinking water source protection
Vorstius, C. (Lead / Corresponding author), Rowan, J. S., Brown, I., Leith, F. & Frogbrook, Z., 1 Oct 2024, In: Journal of Water and Climate Change. 15, 10, p. 5207-5218 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile48 Downloads (Pure) -
A global typological approach to classify lakes based on their eutrophication risk
Politi, E. (Lead / Corresponding author), Cutler, M. E. J., Carvalho, L. & Rowan, J. S., Apr 2024, In: Aquatic Sciences. 86, 2, 16 p., 52.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
4 Citations (Scopus) -
Review of monitoring approaches to deliver healthy ecosystems for Scotland's protected fresh waters and wetlands
Gosling, R., Coles, N., Halliday, S., Pawar, S., Black, A. & Rowan, J., 19 Mar 2025, Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW). 64 p.Research output: Book/Report › Other report
Open AccessFile4 Downloads (Pure)
Prizes
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Gold Engage Watermark Award
Rowan, J. (Recipient), Stanley-Wall, N. (Recipient), Wallace, L. (Recipient) & Urch, J. (Recipient), 1 Dec 2020
Prize: National/international honour
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United Nations Risk Award 2019 to PhD Student (Dr Nandan Mukherjee)
Rowan, J. (Recipient), 17 May 2019
Prize: National/international honour
Activities
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10th World Water Forum, Bali
Rowan, J. (Invited speaker)
18 May 2024 → 25 May 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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COP29 - UNFCCC Climate Assembly, Baku Azerbaijan
Rowan, J. (Contributor) & Mukherjee, N. (Invited speaker)
15 Nov 2024 → 22 Nov 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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World Water Day - Scotland's Hydro Nation Celebration
Rowan, J. (Invited speaker)
22 Mar 2024Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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INITIATE PhD platform (InternatioNal InTercultural Interdisciplinary wATer nEtwork)
Rowan, J. (Organiser)
24 Nov 2024 → 30 Nov 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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Scottish Government Ministerial Round Table (Advisory)
Rowan, J. (Invited speaker)
23 Apr 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
Press/Media
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Anthology celebrates collaboration between scientists, writers and artists
Rowan, J. & Duncan, J.
30/09/13
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Other