About Me
I am a Research Fellow at the University of Exeter specialising in AI and data science for environmental & health applications. I am affiliated with the Net Positive Health and Climate Solutions Centre and the Centre for Environmental Intelligence.
I have a multidisciplinary background in water systems, spanning hydrological modelling, water quality assessment, marine applications, and climate resilience. My doctoral research at the QUEX Institute (University of Exeter & University of Queensland) used numerical modelling and machine learning to assess climate resilience in water systems. As a postdoctoral researcher at Eawag (ETH Domain), I applied deep learning to forecast sewage spills, while also serving as scientific assistant to the Directorate. At PML, my work focused on remote sensing and machine learning for marine applications, contributing to ESA SCOPE, ESA TIME, and the Simons Foundation CBIOMES projects.
Research Interests
My research sits at the intersection of environmental intelligence, climate , and health, applied to water systems, marine environments, and climate adaptation.
Climate change impacts & adaptation
Artificial intelligence
Data engineering & science
Geospatial information systems
Urban hydrology
Hydrodynamics & hydraulic engineering
SDG 6 — Clean Water
SDG 11 — Sustainable Cities
SDG 13 — Climate Action
Positions
University of Exeter
Research Fellow
University of Exeter — Exeter, United Kingdom
Oct 2025 – present
Doctoral Researcher
QUEX Institute — Australia & United Kingdom
Jan 2019 – Oct 2022
Academic Positions
Earth Observation Scientist
Plymouth Marine Laboratory — Plymouth, United Kingdom
Feb 2024 – Oct 2025
Post-Doctoral Researcher
Eawag (ETH Domain) — Dübendorf, Switzerland
Sep 2022 – Oct 2023
Scientific Assistant to the Directorate
Eawag (ETH Domain) — Dübendorf, Switzerland
Mar 2023 – Oct 2023
Research Assistant
Universidad de la República — Montevideo, Uruguay
May 2013 – Sep 2015
Industry
Water Engineer
Arup Group — Bristol, United Kingdom
Oct 2023 – Feb 2024
Plant Engineer
Montes del Plata — Uruguay
Sep 2015 – Sep 2017
Education
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PhD
Engineering
QUEX Institute — University of Exeter & University of Queensland
Jan 2019 – Oct 2022
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MSc
Water Engineering with Management
University of Exeter — Exeter, United Kingdom
2017 – 2018
-
BSc
Chemical Engineering
Universidad de la República — Montevideo, Uruguay
2010 – 2015
Selected Publications
12 peer-reviewed publications · 366 citations · h-index 11
Rodriguez, Cavadini and Cook — Do baseline assumptions alter the efficacy of green stormwater infrastructure to reduce combined sewer overflows?
Water Research, 253, 121284 · 2024
Rodriguez et al. — The effect of green infrastructure on resilience performance in combined sewer systems under climate change
Journal of Environmental Management, 353, 120229 · 2024
Rodriguez et al. — Global resilience analysis of combined sewer systems under continuous hydrologic simulation
Journal of Environmental Management, 344, 118607 · 2023
Rodriguez et al. — Exploring the spatial impact of green infrastructure on urban drainage resilience
Water, 13(13), 1789 · 2020
Rodriguez et al. — A study of the Resilience Analysis Grid method and its applicability to the water sector in England and Wales
Water and Environment Journal, 34(4), 623–633 · 2019
Full list on Google Scholar →
Other Writing
Commentary and non-peer-reviewed pieces
Times Higher Education — THE Campus
Environmental researchers know the impact of AI – so why do they still use it?
Hartley, Robinson & Rodriguez · June 2026
On the gap between what environmental researchers know about AI's footprint and how they actually work — and who they hold responsible for closing it.
The Conversation UK
Climate change could overwhelm our sewers – here's how green infrastructure could help
Rodriguez · December 2024
Why the UK's combined sewers spill more as rainfall intensifies, and what green roofs, rain gardens and permeable paving can realistically do about it.
Teaching
Urban Water Management Course
MSc Sustainable Engineering, ETH Zürich — hydrological-hydraulic modelling lab support
2022 – 2023
Postgraduate Teaching Assistant
University of Exeter — MATLAB practical courses; LTHE Level 1
Jan – Feb 2020
Materials Engineering Lecturer & Practical Tutor
Into, University of Exeter — International Year One (Engineering)
Sep – Dec 2019
Awards & Honours
- 2023 Best Poster Award — Novatech Urban Water, Lyon, France
- 2022 Best Oral Presentation — IWA YWP Conference, Wales
- 2020 Best Oral Presentation — 2nd Year PhD Conference, University of Exeter
- 2019–21 QUEX Institute Doctoral Studentship — University of Exeter
- 2018 Dean's Commendation for Exceptional Performance — University of Exeter
- 2018 MSc Award for Best Engineering Project — University of Exeter
- 2017 Pro-Chancellor Scholarship — University of Exeter
Outreach & Service
Outreach
- Planet Ocean Super Saturday — The Box, Plymouth Marine Laboratory (2025)
- Atlantis Project Stand — Royal Society Summer Science Fair, London (2024)
- Organising member, Women in Climate — University of Exeter (2019–2021)
- STEM Ambassador, Engineers Without Borders — University of Exeter (2017–2018)
Community
- Reading Group Organiser — Centre for Water Systems, University of Exeter
- Weekly Seminar Organiser — Urban Water Management Dept., Eawag
- 12+ oral presentations at international conferences; 7 poster presentations
Languages
- English — Bilingual
- Spanish — Native
- French — B2
- German — A1
Technical Skills
Python
PyTorch
Scikit-learn
Xarray · Pandas · NumPy
GeoPandas · Rasterio
QGIS · ArcGIS
Git
HPC · SLURM
InfoWorks · SWMM · pySWMM
Linux · Mac · Windows
Beyond Research
When not at my desk, I'm usually outside in England's South West. I love Dartmoor — the tors and boggy paths suit me. I'm also working through the South West Coast Path, section by section.
See the map of what I've walked →
