In this episode of Doing Hope, I walk with Leslie through Dublin’s Phoenix Park to talk about the power of engineering, patience, and community in the face of climate change.
Leslie is a French engineer who specialises in water, flooding and climate resilience. After a master of engineering in France, she moved to Ireland and now works on the development of flood defences and water-related projects for an consulting engineering company. She is passionate by sustainability and undertook a second master in environmental engineering for sustainable development to further her knowledge. On the side, she is deeply involved in volunteering organisations about the protection of nature, sustainability education and climate justice.
Leslie shares how her work designing flood-resilient systems connects data, biodiversity, and human lives — and how staying hopeful means embracing collaboration, curiosity, and care for our shared planet.
Our conversation covers a number of interesting areas in climate adaptation:
* 💧 From Data to Impact – How flood-resilience engineering protects communities from climate change while respecting nature.
* 🧭 Beyond the Blueprint – What it really takes to design long-term climate adaptation projects that balance cost, biodiversity, and community needs.
* 🕰️ The Patience of Change – How to stay motivated when your work’s impact might not be visible for another decade.
* 🌍 Hope in Systems Thinking – Why engineers need both technical precision and social awareness to solve complex sustainability challenges.
* 🤝 The Power of Community – Leslie’s vision of a future where collaboration replaces isolation in solving the climate crisis.
“You can’t really design a flooding solution without thinking about the impact on biodiversity, on residents, or even the politics behind it. You have to see the whole system, not just the engineering.”
Leslie on the importance of systemic awareness to climate adaptation work
👉 Links with further reading and learning:
* Learn more about climate mitigation vs adaptation here
* Ongoing project relief schemes in Ireland 🇮🇪
🙋 Want to connect with me or share feedback?
* Email: claudia@claudiageratz.com
* Website: claudiageratz.com
* LinkedIn: @claudiageratz
📍 Nominate a guest for the podcast: Submit your idea here
🎵 Music by Alberto Gariglio Instagram | YouTube
