National Water Commission fellowship program
Project details
| Objective: |
To develop future leaders for Australia's water sector. |
| Funding: |
$1.35 million over two years plus applicable GST |
| Jurisdiction: |
National |
| Commenced: |
July 2007 |
| Completion: | 2011 |
About the project
A National Water Commission fellowship program was established to develop future leaders for Australia's water sector. The fellowships are helping to advance knowledge, build capacity and contribute to filling skills gaps in the sector.
The fellowship program provides a substantial opportunity, of at least one month's but no more than one year's duration, to undertake research in National Water Initiative areas of priority. Up to $170,000 was made available for a fellowship under the program, depending on the length of the fellowship, topic and other requirements.
The topic, research methodology, term and deliverables were agreed between the recipient of the fellowship and the Commission. Recipients are expected to produce a tangible product that can be used by the Commission to further levels of knowledge and capacity in the sector.
Project benefits
The fellowship program has been designed to make practical and tangible contributions to current and future levels of knowledge and capacity to support ongoing improvements in Australia's water management and use.
2007 - Fellowship round one
Following the initial call for proposals in August 2007, three fellowships were awarded. Two of the successful applicants, Dr Stuart Khan and Dr Kaye Power, undertook research in the urban water area. They have produced final reports that provide information to support NWI and COAG reform priorities related to safe and efficient water re-use:
- Waterlines 27 - Quantitative chemical exposure assessment for water recycling schemes by Dr Stuart Khan.
- Waterlines 26 - Recycled water use in Australia: regulations, guidelines and validation requirements by Dr Kaye Power
Commission media release 9 March 2010.
2009 - Fellowship round two
In July 2009, the Commission opened a second call for proposals and awarded eight new fellowships. Five of these fellowships relate to urban water issues. Others cover environmental water, groundwater and sustainable irrigation communities.
The Commission's 2009 fellows are:
- Mr Graham Cole
Fellowship title: Time-of-use tariffs - reforming the economics of urban water supply
Thematic area: Urban water - Dr Shahbaz Mushtaq
Fellowship title: Technological Change in the Australian irrigation industry: implications for future resource management and policy development
Thematic area: Sustainable irrigation communities - Dr Joanne O'Toole
Fellowship title: Identifying data gaps and refining estimates of health risks
Thematic area: Urban water - Mr Ian Overton
Fellowship title: Approaches to environmental water planning in a changing climate
Thematic area: Climate change and water/environmental water (discontinued) - Dr Zoe Sofoulis
Fellowship title: Cross-connections: linking urban water managers with humanities, arts and social sciences researchers
Thematic area: Urban water - Dr Rodney Stewart
Fellowship title: Verifying the end-use potable water savings from contemporary residential water supply schemes
Thematic area: Urban water - Dr Moya Tomlinson
Fellowship title: Ecological water requirements of groundwater systems: a knowledge and policy review
Thematic area: Environmental water/groundwater - Professor Andrew Worthington
Fellowship title: Productivity, efficiency and technological progress in Australia's urban water utilities
Thematic area: Urban water