Water e-Journal Technical Committee

Daniel Visser (Chair) is a Chartered Chemical Engineer and Chemist specialising in water treatment, desalination and recycling. His experience covers the entire water cycle and includes a broad range of water treatment technologies. Daniel has undertaken work for utilities, government, mining and oil & gas at various stages including planning, concept modelling, detailed design, construction/commissioning advice and troubleshooting.

Daniel took on the role of Chair of the Editorial Committee at the retirement of longserving Editorial Committee member and Chair, Dr Robbert van Oorschot in June 2022.

Bob Ford (Secretary) was Chief Engineer with Central Highlands Water before retiring in 2008. He is a Life Member of the Australian Water Association, was President of the Victorian Branch from 1996–1998 and has been a member of the Editorial Committee since 2009. Bob’s areas of expertise include public health aspects of water supply and wastewater management, management of on-site wastewater treatment systems, land use planning and catchment management, and water supply and wastewater treatment processes.

Dr Dharma Dharmabalan is a Director of Dharmabalan Advisory and is currently working on water projects in Sri Lanka and India. Dharma has worked in the Australian water sector for over 30 years including as General Manager - Capital Delivery & Systems Performance with TasWater from 2013-19. Dharma holds several degrees in Civil Engineering, Environmental, Hydrology, Computing and Water Systems Risk Management Philosophies. Dharma is also a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers UK, American Society of Civil Engineers US and Australian Institution of Engineers. He is also a past Director for Water Research Australia and the National Centre of Excellence in Desalination.

Ted Gardner (PSM) chaired the Editorial Committee from 2016-2018. He is a retired scientist who spent most of his career in the Queensland government sector, with a few of his final years in CSIRO. He has had wide experience in experimental soil research & hydrology, complemented by extensive research experience in on -site sanitation, water recycling and alternative urban water supplies. Ted was awarded a Public Service Medal in 2005 for his work in the urban water industry and the Maclean-Iedema Award from Irrigation Australia in 2014. During his retirement, Ted has co-edited two books on urban water issues (Rainwater systems & Stormwater), mentored a number of post graduate students and undertaken consultancies in waste water irrigation, science reviews and the testing protocols used to certify on-site secondary sewage treatment technologies. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at Victoria University.

Kala Senathirajah is a Water Industry engineer with over 20 years experience in all areas of the water supply cycle, and all stages of the asset life cycle. Her areas of expertise encompasses strategic development, asset & risk management, environmental and catchment management, hydrology, water quality and emerging contaminants. Kala also has keen interest in working towards Sustainable Development Goals and mitigation of climate change. She is currently undertaking research on the global issue of microplastics in the water supply cycle. Kala has extensive work exposure across a range of multidisciplinary teams of diverse backgrounds in a variety of environmental settings in Australia and internationally.

Nick Swain is a chemical engineer with over 20 years of experience in the consulting and utility sectors of the water industry. He has taken on diverse roles covering research and development, planning, design, project management, operations, safety, quality systems and data management. He has experience in water, wastewater, stormwater and recycled water treatment, water quality management, optimisation of operations, environmental and heritage management, asset management and WATSAN. With this background Nick takes a broad perspective on the social, technical, economic, environmental and political elements of our industry, one that is fundamental to the health and prosperity of our communities and our planet.

Dr Md Shamsur Rahim is a data and analytics specialist at Sydney Water with a strong background in water metering technologies, leak detection and applied AI. He holds a PhD in Analytics and a Master’s in Computer Science, and brings a combined academic and industry lens to his work. Prior to joining Sydney Water, Shamsur spent over five years in academia, publishing more than 20 journal and conference papers on water data analytics, customer behaviour, and conservation. He was a finalist in the NSW Student Water Prize and continues to contribute to the sector through research and innovation in digital water solutions.

Dr Seema Karki holds a PhD in Environmental Hydrology and Water Resources from The University of Melbourne, where she developed river network geometry models to explore the effects of geomorphology on water quality, flow, sediment transport and habitat variability. Seema brings deep technical expertise from her work as Program Leader - Ecological Water at Parks Victoria, where she coordinated statewide environmental watering programs with Catchment Management Authorities. She also served as an Environmental Water Resources Planner at Melbourne Water, leading the development of Stream Flow Management Plans for unregulated catchments in the Yarra River Basin and preparing critical water data reports for ministerial submission.

Assoc. Prof. Shihu Hu is an Associate Professor at the Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland. With 20 years’ experience in greenhouse gas emissions, recycled water, water and sewage treatment, and water chemistry and microbiology, Shihu is passionate about bridging research and practice. He promotes the sharing of case studies - including failures - to capture practical lessons often missing from academic literature, and advocates for quantifying research impact in economic terms. A prolific researcher, Shihu has published more than 100 journal articles (including in Nature and Science), holds two international patents, and has over 8,900 citations.

Slobodanka Stojkovic is Knowledge Broker at Melbourne Water, with 25 years’ experience in water chemistry and microbiology, stormwater management and reuse, environmental assessment, ecotoxicology, and climate change impacts. She has worked across academia and industry, including roles at RMIT University, Monash University, and CSIRO. Slobodanka’s career is driven by the promotion of science in industry and finding the best tools for knowledge mobilisation. A long-standing contributor to peer-reviewed journals and national and international conferences, she brings extensive academic and industry networks to the Technical Committee to help attract high-quality submissions and strengthen research uptake.

James Currie has more than 40 years’ experience in the water sector in the UK, South East Asia, and Australia, working in consulting, environmental assessment, recycled water, public health, desalination, and energy management. Since 2008 he has been with Black & Veatch in Australia and New Zealand, following senior roles in Singapore and the UK. James has been an AWA member since 2009 and is a regular reviewer of Ozwater abstracts and papers. He has authored or co-authored more than 30 technical papers, many of which focus on water reuse, advanced treatment processes, and sustainable infrastructure.

Prof. Qilin Wang is a Professor at the University of Technology Sydney and Environmental College Board Member at Engineers Australia. With 18 years’ experience spanning academic research, consulting, AI and digital management, environmental assessment, and water and sewage treatment, Qilin is passionate about advancing water research and practice. He has published more than 260 journal papers in top 10% journals including Science, Nature Communications and Water Research, and has reviewed over 100 papers for International Water Association journals. His contributions to the sector have been recognised with awards including the Eureka Prize and an AWA QLD Excellence Award. He has mentored students presenting at Ozwater, helping to showcase emerging talent.

Brenton Gibbs is Principal Process Engineer at Downer Engineering, with 20 years’ experience in wastewater engineering, recycled water, and biosolids. His career includes senior engineering roles at CH2M Hill, Tenix, and CSIRO, and he holds a PhD in Biotechnology and Bioengineering. Brenton brings a balanced perspective from both fundamental research and industry delivery, and has presented widely on membrane bioreactor (MBR) and advanced nutrient removal technologies. He has authored multiple Ozwater and specialty conference papers and published in the AWA Water Journal.

Christie Cole is Principal Process Engineer at Jacobs, specialising in wastewater treatment intensification technologies. With 25 years’ experience in water and sewage utilities, public health, consulting, academic research, and greenhouse gas emissions, Christie is a 2024 Churchill Fellow who travelled internationally to investigate the full-scale application of leading-edge intensification processes. She has held senior roles with GHD, Tyr Group, Gold Coast Water, and Worley, and is a frequent technical reviewer for Ozwater and Qwater. Christie brings strong international and national networks to connect the latest global expertise with Australian practice at a time when intensification is on the cusp of realisation in Australia.