Jerome Bowen has been a main driver in promoting Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) through his employer’s involvement with EWB and the Tenganan Water Supply Project. The EWB community would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you for his dedication to community development and for his contribution to EWB, and wish him good luck for the new adventure – we look forward to having you back soon!
Jerome was a founding member of the WA Chapter of EWB, and in September was named the WA Young Engineer of the Year by Engineers Australia.
Jerome works on one of EWB’s biggest projects, the Tenganan Water Supply Project, which involves the delivery of a water supply system through community-appropriate techniques to the Tenganan community. Jerome has worked on the project since its inception – he set up the project as the first volunteer in the community. As one of the Project Directors, he has managed the growth of the project into a team of volunteer engineers in Australia, alongside a permanent Indonesia-based project team, pulling together the various stakeholders required to fund and deliver the project, as well as project marketing and publicity.
Jerome’s work consistently demonstrates his understanding that engineers can be leaders in society as well as designers, and that their contribution to society through leading large teams and inspiring others is many times more powerful than their contribution as individuals.
Through his years of involvement in community-related events and projects, Jerome has a proven ability to communicate with many different audiences, from high school students to professionals at conferences and the general public through the media.
Member Profile
Name Jerome Bowen
Current home town Perth, Western Australia
Current/previous employer and position WorleyParsons (WP), Strategy Development – EcoNomics™ Global: working on strategic projects in carbon, water and energy
What has been your involvement with EWB in the past? I was a founder of the WA Chapter and have been involved in the programs area since it began. I went to Tenganan in Indonesia on EWB placement and was fortunate enough to work with a very proactive community. From there the Tenganan Water Supply Project evolved, where EWB assists the Tenganan community to provide water for their people. Since then I have helped support the technical, administrative and fundraising aspects of the project as one of the Directors. I also oversee the relationship between EWB and WP, one of our major sponsors.
What has been your funniest moment either overseas or with the chapter? Being self-conscious enough to carry a load of water for a young boy as we trekked upslope. He was hesitant to give it to me, and I found out why later, when I was beaten to the top by all the other boys by a long way, let alone the other men carrying water! At the top, we all joked and laughed about how weak bule (white people) are for a few hours with some fresh coconuts and palm wine.
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be? I’d double everybody’s ability to empathise.
Is there any highlight in particular that stands out for you in your time with EWB? My highlight is seeing the people of Bukit Kauh (a Tenganan sub-community) installing their own pipeline and tanks and seeing their faces when they received their first water ever. It was a major milestone for the fledgling water management group in Tenganan, and a very rewarding experience for the Tenganan team, the WA Chapter and EWB. The annual conferences and national councils, and all the stories about what is going on in EWB, are pretty good too, though.
What do you like to do outside of work and EWB time? Outside of work and EWB, I have a few hobbies such as art, cycling and tinkering with things. However, I spend most of this time connecting with my family, friends and any other communities that I am a part of.
Anything else you want to share with the EWB community? I feel very privileged to be a part of what I think is the biggest social movement in Australian engineering of our time. The effect of EWB ideas and philosophy has swept quickly through our profession, and is constantly widening through our colleagues and the other professions that we work with to achieve engineering outcomes. I believe we can’t help but succeed.