2006 Playford Trust PhD Environmental Scholarship
I was the first student to receive a Playford Trust Environment Scholarship in 2006. Studies in the environment tend to include a lot of fieldwork and trips away from civilisation, so the scholarship really helped me with these costs!
My PhD research brought together my background in engineering with my environmental studies to trial a novel device for restoring environmental flows in streams affected by farm dams. The device was designed with no moving parts and using gravity rather than requiring pumping or siphoning, to minimise maintenance requirements for landholders.
My original device was recently tested and found that it is still functioning as designed after 18 years in the field.
In 2010 my thesis was awarded the John Lewis Medal from the Royal Geographical Society of South Australia for ‘significant theoretical or empirical contribution to geography (including environmental studies)’. My research was jointly funded by the SA Government and has formed the basis of a multi-million dollar program across the Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges where 143 of these devices have since been installed.
I’m currently working with the Department for Environment and Water as a Senior Project Officer on various water infrastructure projects, having worked a few stints as a lecturer and various different project and policy roles.