Some of the world’s most influential water industry experts will present at the Melbourne Ozwater09 exhibition and conference, designed to raise awareness of the country’s water shortages and create opportunities for solutions in the sector.
The Ozwater09 conference and exhibition will bring together community and government delegates from 16th to 18th March 2009, representing one of the largest water industry events in the southern hemisphere.
UK-based environmental scientist, explorer and author Tim Jarvis has undertaken expeditions to some of the world’s most remote regions, including Antarctica and the Arctic, and holds the world record for the fastest unsupported journey to the South Pole. He is author of several books including the bestseller The Unforgiving Minute about his three polar expeditions to date. Tim will be Ozwater09’s leading keynote speaker, providing the context for debate and discussion on water issues in a world increasingly affected by climate change.
Scarcity, and dealing with a world where there is less water available, is inevitably a central theme for the conference. Professor Mike Young has an enviable reputation as one of Australia’s foremost water experts. An ecological economist, Prof. Young specialises in the development of policy principles and their application to resource management issues. A member of the highly respected Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, Prof Young is a passionate and knowledgeable speaker on current issues, providing a wealth of economic and scientific expertise, and has been awarded the Centenary Medal and the Eureka Prize for water research. Pulling no punches, Prof Young is a must-see on the Ozwater09 program.
Professor In S. Kim is currently a professor at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Korea, as well as the Executive Director of the Centre for Seawater Desalination Plant (CSDP). Prof. Kim has authored three books, published over 300 papers and is internationally recognised as a leader in some of the most cutting-edge water treatment technologies related to water reuse, desalination and environmental nanobiotechnology.
Further international perspectives will be provided by US representatives Maureen Stapleton, General Manager of the San Diego County Water Authority, and Peter Binney, Director of Sustainable Planning for Black & Veatch. As General Manager, Stapleton oversees a dynamic agency that is aggressively pursuing a comprehensive array of water supply and infrastructure for over 3 million residents in a region that experiences many of the supply and climate challenges faced by water authorities in Australia.
Peter Binney has more than 30 years of private and public sector experience, including a period as Director of Aurora Water in Colorado, where he conceived and developed the innovative ‘Prairie Waters Project’, designed to provide a sustainable level of water availability — despite severe drought conditions — to the growing community. Peter Binney was recently honoured by the American Council of Engineering Companies with the General Palmer Award for his contributions to professional engineering and to the state of Colorado, and is set to be an engaging speaker.
For more information on the Ozwater09 program and speakers, visit www.ozwater09.com.au