Research

Our research program aims to increase our reach and influence across the industry and ensure our methods and technical offerings are best practice and industry-leading.

We have been building our research program since 2018 and have a group target of investing 10% of our profits into research each year. The aims of the program are twofold:

To support and attract staff at the forefront of their fields and contribute to the way we lead conversations that influence communities and nature.

To contribute to the latest thinking on management and policy. This includes encouraging a culture of investigation and exploration.

Research Partnerships

We collaborate with research organisations, focusing on two-way knowledge exchange to explore research questions that best harness our collective capabilities. We have more than 15 partnerships with research organisations. Some of our recent work with our partners includes:

University of Newcastle

We have partnered with the University of Newcastle to jointly deliver the Centre for Water, Climate and Land (CWCL). The CWCL focuses on understanding and dealing with the impacts of climate variability and change in the Asia-Pacific region. The partnership provides an avenue to effectively embed the latest thinking about climate change science and hydrology into industry best practice.

One Basin CRC

As a partner of One Basin CRC, we led one of the first projects that focused on studies about the effects different levels of water flows – from floods to droughts – have on rural communities in the northern basin. We are actively participating in the CRC, as Consulting Industry Convenor, and co-delivering the knowledge exchange project for the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder’s Flow-MER Program.

Western Sydney University

In collaboration with Western Sydney University, we have cofounded a PhD project investigating the natural canopy dynamics of urban trees across metropolitan Sydney.

Research Program Leadership

Our research leadership team manages partnerships with research organisations, ensures research is integrated into our consulting projects and communicates our insights with the industry.

Amanda Shipp

General Manager – Research and Insights

Professor Ian Rutherfurd

Dr Matt Francey

Group CEO

Professor Barry Hart

Director

Dr Paul Maxwell

General Manager – EcoFutures

Research Projects

We fund internal grants for our staff to explore new ideas, collaborate across the business, consolidate knowledge on an issue, develop tools and processes that improve what we do, and develop new knowledge and techniques.