Our research safeguards ecosystems and prepares communities for climate change. This theme includes developing advanced water treatment and recycling technologies to ensure sustainable water supplies, as well as innovative methods for monitoring environmental health and remediating pollution. Our engineers also create climate adaptation solutions – from flood defenses to heat-resilient designs – to help infrastructure and communities cope with extreme weather impacts. Through these efforts, we protect natural resources and build climate resilience.
Our research spans three subthemes across multidisciplinary research
The aim of this research theme is to develop safe, reliable, and sustainable water treatment and reuse technologies that support long-term environmental and public health outcomes. By focusing on innovative methods for water purification, waste transformation, and contaminant prediction, the research aligns with our strategic priorities in sustainability, infrastructure resilience, and environmental protection.
We are advancing low-cost, ecologically sound technologies for treating water from diverse sources, including seawater, stormwater, and wastewater. Key efforts include developing predictive models for emerging contaminants, recovering energy and materials from water systems, and creating decision-support tools for infrastructure management. Strong industry and government partnerships ensure real-world impact and support for future water security.
This research aims to improve sustainable water treatment and reuse technologies with a focus on ensuring safe, reliable, and low-impact water supply from diverse sources, by developing advanced treatment methods, predictive models for emerging contaminants, and tools for infrastructure resilience, which enhances water quality, extends asset life, and reduces environmental impact, and supports everyday needs like clean drinking water, safe recreational use, and reliable water access during droughts or floods..
Professor Yuan Chen, Professor PJ Cullen, Professor David Fletcher, Professor Andrew Harris, Professor John Kavanagh, Professor Stuart Khan, Professor Marjorie Valix, Dr David Wang
Water NSW, Sydney Water
Our research theme aims to develop innovative, science-based engineering solutions that protect environmental and human health. By integrating civil, chemical, and environmental engineering, the research addresses pollution in air, water, and soil, while also tackling broader challenges such as climate change, waste management, and ecosystem restoration. This aligns with our strategic priorities in sustainability, resilience, and interdisciplinary collaboration, contributing to long-term environmental protection and healthier communities
Researchers are developing advanced technologies for monitoring and remediating environmental pollution, including clean water production from seawater, stormwater, and wastewater using low-cost, ecologically sound methods. Projects include modelling environmental phenomena like algal blooms and fish kills, improving catchment management, and creating carbon-based adsorbents from biomass. These efforts support resource recovery, circular economy outcomes, and infrastructure resilience, ensuring real-world impact through collaboration with industry, government, and community stakeholders.
This research aims to improve pollution detection and environmental restoration with a focus on water, soil, and air quality, by developing advanced sensors, data analytics, and sustainable engineering solutions, which enhance ecosystem health and contribute to cleaner communities, helping ensure safe drinking water, cleaner air, and healthier natural spaces for everyday life. .
Professor Ali Abbas, Professor Jun Huang, Professor Stuart Khan, Professor Chengwang Lei, Professor Marjorie Valix, Associate Professor Alejandro Montoya, Dr Jacqueline Thomas
Waste Management Association of Australia,
Our research theme aims to develop innovative, equitable, and community-led solutions that help societies and infrastructure respond to the increasing frequency and severity of climate-induced disasters. By integrating engineering, environmental science, and social systems, the research focuses on designing technologies and strategies, such as flood defenses, heat adaptation systems, and nature-based solutions, that enhance resilience and reduce vulnerability. This aligns with our broader strategy of interdisciplinary collaboration, sustainability, and real-world impact, ensuring that adaptation efforts are inclusive, just, and grounded in community needs.
To achieve these goals, researchers are undertaking interdisciplinary projects that combine engineering, science, policy, and community engagement. We are developing technologies for zero-emissions energy and carbon removal, and urban redesign projects using data science to reduce emissions and improve climate resilience. These efforts are supported by purpose-built labs and partnerships with government and industry to deliver scalable, sustainable solutions.
This research aims to improve climate adaptation technologies with a focus on protecting communities and infrastructure from extreme weather and rising sea levels, by developing civil engineering solutions such as flood defences, heat-resilient materials, and early warning systems, which enhance public safety and ensure critical services remain operational during climate events, and help everyday Australians, like families living in flood-prone areas or workers commuting during heatwaves, feel safer and more supported as climate risks grow..
Professor Stuart Khan, Professor Gianluca Ranzi, Dr Ali Amin, Dr Jacqueline Thomas
Hazer Group, Gelion Technologies, NSW Government
