Lipa grew up in Botswana and Zimbabwe where he exposed to the adverse effects of water insecurity in both countries in terms of water quantity and water quality, respectively. These experiences led him to develop a keen interest in the water field, especially in the contexts of developing countries where adequate infrastructure is often lacking. Lipa got his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Botswana, which was focused on Soil and Water Engineering. Through this degree he was exposed to the technical components of water infrastructure in relation to the agricultural field. Prior to starting the degree, and during his time at UB, Lipa volunteered and interned at an environmental group which was focused on conducting One Health research. His time at the organisation exposed him to the field of public health and how it interacts with river ecology and climate change, and essentially sparked his interests in research work. He then went on to Virginia Tech for his master’s degree, where he studied the influence of hydro-meteorological and land use regimes on the presence of antibiotic resistance genes in Escherichia coli isolates from river water and sediment samples. His thesis project allowed him to gain valuable experience in conducting robust scientific research through sampling design, field and laboratory work, etc., and exposed him to the many factors that affect water quality. Through his InventWater project, he intends to build on his knowledge in the water field, particularly on how to use modelling tools for both water quantity and quality to inform sound decisions for water managers and policy makers.