Sam on turning climate science into practical decisions

For Sam, a Principal climate adaptation consultant in the Sustainable Futures sub‑practice, part of our Environment practice, based in Birmingham, a meaningful career started with a last‑minute change of direction. She had planned to study math. Instead, she followed her interest in the environment and switched to Geography and Environmental Science. That decision shaped a career that now brings together technical skill, collaboration, and practical climate action.

Today, Sam helps clients make sense of climate risk in ways that support better decisions for communities, businesses, and investment. As she puts it, “I am particularly focused on helping communities and businesses adapt to the impacts of climate change by developing practical, data‑driven solutions.”

Choosing a path with purpose

Sam’s route into climate adaptation did not begin with a fixed plan. It began with a decision to choose work that felt meaningful. Over time, that choice brought her full circle. Alongside her environmental focus, she built strengths in statistics, programming, and analysis. Now she uses both geography and math in her day‑to‑day work.

That combination matters. Climate adaptation needs people who can turn evidence into action. It also needs people who want their work to lead to something tangible. For Sam, that means helping organizations understand climate risk clearly so they can respond with confidence.

Turning climate science into action

One of Sam’s most innovative recent projects brought that into focus. Working alongside ECMWF and the European Investment Bank, she helped develop a climate data service that translates complex climate science into practical decision‑making tools.

Together, they co‑created a suite of climate hazard indicators aligned with the EU Taxonomy. They combined large‑scale climate datasets with sector‑specific risk insights and built them into a user‑friendly web viewer. The goal was simple. Make climate information easier to use in real decisions.

For Sam, the value of the work came from making something operational and useful. What made it particularly complex, and exciting, was bringing together cutting‑edge climate modeling, stakeholder engagement across multiple sectors, and real‑world investment needs to create something operational, not just theoretical.

Growing through trust and opportunity

Since joining AtkinsRéalis six years ago, Sam’s career has grown from a technical climate scientist role into one that also includes leadership, client engagement, and her role as Sustainable Futures Digital Lead. She has taken on responsibility early, shaped methodologies, supported complex projects, and helped drive better ways of working across the practice.

That growth reflects more than career progression. It shows what can happen when people get trust, support, and room to stretch. Sam has also expanded her impact through mentoring, business development, and her work as Sustainable Futures Digital Lead, helping shape how teams deliver climate adaptation work at scale.

Working alongside clients and communities

For Sam, some of the most meaningful work happens in direct collaboration with clients and stakeholders. That is where technical analysis becomes more grounded in real conditions and local priorities.

A standout example came when she traveled to Egypt to work with stakeholders in the Nile Delta, including government ministries focused on water and agriculture. Seeing how climate risks play out on the ground, and working together to shape solutions that are relevant to local priorities, really brought home the importance of this work, she says.

Why Sam stays

Sam’s story is also about the people around her. I’ve been supported from day one by mentors and senior colleagues who’ve actively invested in my development, she says. That support, combined with flexibility and meaningful opportunities, has helped her build a career that continues to grow with her.

If Sam’s journey speaks to the kind of career you want to build, one grounded in purpose, data, and real‑world climate impact, explore our Environment practice: Environment Practice - UK.