ECHN

The Early Career Hydrogeologists’ Network (ECHN) is an official network of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) providing a forum for hydrogeologists at the start of their professional or academic careers.

52nd IAH Congress: “Groundwater now and for the future”, Melbourne, Australia

ECHN welcomes you to the 52nd IAH Congress that will be held in Melbourne, Australia on 14-19 September 2025. We are organizing several events dedicated to early career hydrogeologists during the whole week, including a co-organized debate, a evening social event, a book-exchange and the annual general meeting.

See you in Melbourne, and do not forget to pack a book before your trip to Australia!

The Groundwater Youth Debate: Tapping into the Future

The UNESCO Groundwater Youth Network (GWYN) and the ECHN, with the support of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), are organizing a youth-led debate. The topic of the debate has been selected through an online voting shared shared with the early careers attending the Congress to reflect the priorities and curiosity of the next generation of groundwater leaders. The debate will be shaped around one of the following 5 groundwater questions:

Can future advancements in desalination and wastewater reuse fully replace groundwater as a vital resource for humanity?
Can AI and remote sensing replace traditional field-based hydrogeology in groundwater management?
Should groundwater extraction be strictly regulated to prevent depletion, even if it slows economic growth?
Which poses a greater threat to groundwater resources: current human activities or projected climate change?
Should groundwater policies rely more on local knowledge or models?

The Groundwater Youth Debate will take place in the Meeting Room on Wednesday, 17 September at 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm.

ECHN Social Event

The Early Career Researcher / Student Social Event will take place on Tuesday, 16 September at 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm in the River Pavillon. Meet us, early career and senior hydrogeologists there to start creating your own professional network!

ECHN Book Exchange

A Book Exchange dedicated to manuals and specialized texts on any hydrogeological topics will be held. The initiative is promoted and organised by ECHN with the support of the LOC of IAH2025.

Congress participants are invited to participate in the initiative by dropping off any book they wish to donate during coffee breaks and lunches. Participants are welcome to the Book Exchange to consult, exchange, and take the available books free of charge. The initiative is intended to be a moment of networking and exchanging of knowledge among the participants, both senior and early career hydrogeologists.

The Book Exchange event will take place in the Meeting Room on:

Wednesday, 17 Sep: 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm (lunch break)
Thursday, 18 Sep: 10:00 am – 10:30 am (morning tea break)

ECHN Annual General Meeting

The ECHN Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday, 17 September at 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm, in the Meeting Room.

ECHN Oral and Poster Presentation Award

The ECHN, with the support of the LOC, will honor the best oral and poster presentation.

How to participate: add the logo available below to your poster or presentation title slide.

Winners will be announced during the Closing Ceremony on Friday, 19 September.

‘ECHs in Action’ Photo Gallery

Share with us your ‘Hydrogeology In Action Moment’, the best photos will be published here. Send us by email to echn.iah@gmail.com with a short description, location and the photo author’s name.
Visit the ‘ECHs In Action’ Photo Gallery!