Rifat Foysal witnessed the devastating impact of climate change in his native Bangladesh. After working in nuclear power, he did a Masters Degree in the UK and joined City Science to be part of the solution…
What’s your role at City Science, and what does that involve day-to-day?
I’m a Graduate Transport and Sustainability Consultant.
That means I support our development projects by diving into the data. I collect and analyse it, wrestle it into shape with the help of our senior modellers and consultants, and then use it to create maps that visually tell the story the data is trying to say.
So, data analysis, map-making, and sometimes even writing reports for clients – that’s my day-to-day world!
How did you find yourself working at City Science?
It’s a bit of a journey! Back in 2015, I finished my undergraduate degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering in my home country of Bangladesh.
After that, I went straight into engineering, working for a multinational company building cellular network towers, and later I was involved in quality control engineering for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh.
It was a good start to my career, in many ways, but not very fulfilling. I became increasingly aware of the environmental challenges my country faces, from rising temperatures to extreme weather events. I wanted to be part of the solution, not contribute to the problem.
So, I took some time to think things through and realised that the urban planning courses I took during my undergrad were what truly sparked my interest. That led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Transport Planning at Cardiff University in the UK.
It was during a local transport summit in Cardiff in 2022 that I met Simon Lusby, City Science’s Managing Director and Head of Consultancy. His passion for using data science and innovation for climate solutions was contagious! I approached him, learned more about City Science, and ended up landing a summer internship in 2023.
That internship solidified my desire to be part of this amazing team.
Can you share an example of a project you’re working on?
Right now, I’m helping develop a regional active travel strategic plan for Transport for the Southeast (TfSE), a sub-national transport body.
The goal is to create a plan that reduces dependency on private cars and encourages people to choose sustainable transport options like walking and cycling. My role involves working on the baseline evidence report. This means analysing data for the entire region to understand the current situation. Then, using geospatial analysis, we identify areas where we can create more cycling and walking infrastructure.
We’re basically creating a network of strategic hubs and corridors that connect different spaces, allowing people to travel easily using sustainable modes.
It’s fascinating to see how data about things like bus stations, train stations, and everyday amenities like schools and hospitals can help us design a more sustainable transport system.
What motivates you most about working at City Science?
City Science is a powerhouse of passionate and skilled individuals, all united by a common goal: achieving net zero. That resonates deeply with me.
We work across various sectors to achieve this goal, from developing local energy plans to creating sustainable transport solutions and decarbonisation plans for local transport bodies.
Being part of that bigger picture, working towards a singular goal of a sustainable future, is incredibly motivating. It allows me to feel like I’m making a real difference in tackling global climate change.
You mentioned experiencing the effects of climate change in Bangladesh. Can you tell us more about that?
Absolutely. Growing up, I remember winters being much colder, with temperatures around 8-16 degrees Celsius. In recent years, it’s become noticeably warmer. Winter temperatures in cities now hover around 20-30 degrees, with only occasional dips to 12-15 degrees. These colder days are becoming increasingly rare.
We’re also experiencing more extreme weather events like cyclones, displacing people and causing widespread damage. Bangladesh is a low-lying coastal country, and predictions suggest that by 2050, millions of people could be displaced due to rising sea levels, submerging 30% of the southern part of the country.
It’s a very grim situation – hence my desire to help find solutions.
When you’re not working on making the world a better place, what do you enjoy doing?
My wife and I have a beautiful baby boy who has just turned two! Spending time with him and my family is my biggest joy.
In my limited free time, I love going for runs. Cooking is another passion. Being away from home, I sometimes miss the traditional dishes my mom used to make. So, I try to recreate them myself, following her recipes.
It’s a small way to feel more connected to home.
If you could wave a magic wand and change one policy or legislation to make a bigger impact, what would it be?
Ideally, I’d love for all major industries to become acutely aware of their environmental impact. However, realistically, focusing on my area of expertise – sustainable transport – I find the current state of public transport in the UK quite frustrating.
Buses are unreliable, and trains are often so expensive that flying can be cheaper! This all creates a huge barrier to people adopting the sustainable transport options the government is trying to promote.
For example, you can have people in some isolated areas where there’s very infrequent services or a very small number of services that run, especially on weekends. So if people do not have a car, they practically don’t have any social life.
To truly achieve net zero and encourage people out of cars and planes, we therefore need a truly robust and attractive public transport system. People need to be able to rely on it, making it a more convenient and attractive choice than their cars.
Ultimately, this means we have to make public transport more accessible, more affordable, and more frequent.