Speakers

Dr Jacqueline Balston

IPWEA Australasia

Dr. Jacqueline Balston has been an applied climate and environmental scientist for the past 25 years during which time she has researched the impacts of climate variability, climate change and environmental degradation on agriculture, natural resources, ecosystems, emergency management and the built environment across Australia. She currently works as Director of Sustainability for the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA), as a member of the South Australian Government Climate Science Advisory Committee and as a private Consultant to local, state and federal governments and other organisations nationally.

Associate Professor Douglas Bardsley

The University of Adelaide
Douglas Bardsley is an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Geography, Environment and Population at The University of Adelaide. Trained as a geographer and agricultural scientist, his research focusses on responses to environmental and agricultural risk in Australia and internationally. He undertook the first integrated assessments of climate change impacts and adaptation for the Adelaide-Mt Lofty Ranges and Indigenous Alinytjara Wilurara regions in Suth Australia, which became templates for the State’s regional adaptation policy. Subsequent local work has examined adaptation to the wildfire, coastal flooding, farm management risks, biodiversity loss, invasive species and the energy transition. 

Professor Sarah Bekessy

RMIT University
Sarah Bekessy leads the ICON Science research group at RMIT University which uses interdisciplinary approaches to solve complex biodiversity conservation problems. Professor Bekessy is particularly interested in designing cities to encourage ‘every day nature’ experiences, in defining and measuring ‘nature positive’ development and in undrstanding the role of human behaviour in conservation. She co-developed the Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design protocol that has now been used by numerous developers, governments and non-government organisations to design innovative urban biodiversity strategies. Professor Bekessy is a Lead Councillor with The Biodiversity Council, a Board member of Bush Heritage Australia and a member of the WWF Eminent Scientists Group.

Abby Crisostomo

Head of Green Infrastructure, London Authority, UK

Abby Crisostomo is the Head of Green Infrastructure at the Greater London Authority, leading policies and programmes to deliver London’s greening ambitions. She also founded and chairs CIWEM’s SuDS and Water Reuse Policy Leadership Group. Previous roles include: director for delivery of Thames Estuary 2100 at the Environment Agency; head of climate adaptation and sustainable development at the Greater London Authority; leading sustainable design and construction projects for KLH Sustainability, including London Olympic Park legacy projects; and environment and social policy and planning in the US at the Alliance for the Great Lakes and Chicago’s Metropolitan Planning Council.

Dr Kate Delaporte

The University of Adelaide

Kate Delaporte is the Curator of the Waite Arboretum and Waite Conservation Reserve, a position that enables her to implement her knowledge of trees and Australian native plants, her skills in working with volunteers and community groups, and grow her various research interests. Kate’s main interest is improving Australian native plants for horticulture by research into propagation, cultivation, and breeding and selecting new varieties and species. She also has interests in supporting indigenous knowledge of food/medicines from plants; renewing the Urban Forest, sustainable agriculture and the environment; amenity horticulture (nursery, cut flower, garden design), and general horticulture (in particular small fruits and new crops such as essential oils, herbs, spices and Asian vegetables). Kate co-leads the Future Trees project with Dr Stefan Caddy-Retalic. The first stage of the project has resulted in a report on Benchmarking Adelaide’s Urban Forest, co-funded by Green Adelaide, the University of Adelaide, Wellbeing SA and SA Power Networks. Both Kate and Stefan received a 2024 Climate Leaders Research Award.

Professor Xiaoqi Feng

University of New South Wales

Xiaoqi Feng is the Professor of Urban Health and Environment in UNSW’s Faculty of Medicine and Health and an Honorary Professorial Fellow at the George Institute for Global Health, Australia. As a top-ranked researcher in cities and health with over $21 million in grants and over 200 publications, Professor Feng leads research programs informing urban planning strategies that improve cities and health sustainably and equitably for millions of people.

Professor Feng teaches multiple university courses and coaches the next generation of early-career researchers and future leaders in UNSW as Founding Co-Director of the Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab). As the Chair of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee in her faculty and the Chair of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology’s Capacity Building and Education Committee, Professor Feng is leading initiatives to support career advancement opportunities, representativeness, and fairness in higher education and research within Australia and worldwide

Gail Hall

Greener Infrastructure Consulting and Australian Green Infrastructure Network

Gail Hall is the Director of Greener Infrastructure Consulting and is well known in the urban greening, planning, environment and water sectors in Australia and the UK. Gail has worked for over 20 years in environmental planning roles, helping to build a greener future in cities. As co-founder and President of the Australasian Green Infrastructure Network, Gail is committed to providing a strong collective voice for Urban Green Infrastructure in Australasia.  Gail's work includes authoring the award winning Growing Green Guide, Roadmap for greener cities, developing multiple strategic plans and policy, and the Melbourne Green Factor tool.

Dr Tim Johnson

Director, Treenet

Dr Tim Johnson’s interest in biodiversity including urban trees has developed through his time observing the complexities of nature as a child, his work in the private sector as a horticulturist and landscaper, and career in the public sector as a local government arborist, technician and civil engineer. After studying wildlife and park management he began protecting mature urban trees and establishing saplings for the benefit of current and future communities. Studies in applied science, management, outdoor education, arboriculture, and civil engineering followed, to inform novel engineering to better accommodate and support trees and urban nature. After 32 years working with councils he took up the role of Director of TREENET, a non-profit, urban tree research and education organisation he’d begun volunteering with in 1997. Through TREENET Tim now contributes to local government and supports individual, corporate and research associates and members nationally. His research on interrelationships between tree roots and civil engineering revealed synergies that can be designed into the urban fabric to better accommodate trees, improve sustainability, and reduce costs. Tim’s research has been presented at TREENET’s annual street tree symposium, at national and international conferences, and published in peer reviewed journals.

Dr John Kandulu

Flinders University

John Kandulu is an applied economist with over 15 years of experience across education, non-profit, private, and government sectors. His research focuses on formulating and assessing natural resource and environmental management policies. He has contributed to projects evaluating policies, programs, and initiatives related to urban green spaces, food and water security, renewable energy, and water quality management. John employs various analytical techniques to guide policy and investment decisions, calculating anticipated net returns on potential opportunities. Currently, his research interests centre on designing and evaluating effective diversity and inclusion policies to support inclusive natural resource management.

Dr Angeliki Karanasiou

Spanish Research Council, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona

Angeliki Karanasiou is a researcher at the Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Studies (IDAEA-CSIC) of the Spanish Research Council in Barcelona, Spain. Her expertise focuses on air pollution, particularly air quality monitoring, the identification and contribution of emission sources, and the physico-chemical characterization of atmospheric aerosols. She also investigates emerging pollutants, such as airborne micro- and nano-plastics. Her research aims to evaluate and promote effective mitigation strategies, with a specific focus on nature-based solutions to reduce air pollution and minimize its health impacts.

Dr Mark Kohler

Environment Institute, University of Adelaide

Mark Kohler’s research has a focus on factors that impact child wellbeing and learning, with a specific expertise in child sleep and engagement with nature. He currently directs a small team in the Wellbeing in Learning and Development laboratory (WiLDlab ) and is a member of the Environment Institute at the University of Adelaide. Mark’s applied work is largely in collaboration with Resilient Youth Australia, working with primary and secondary schools.

Professor Denia Kolokotsa

Technical University of Crete, Greece and Varcities EU

Denia Kolokotsa serves as a Professor at the School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the Technical University of Crete. Her research centres on promoting sustainability within the built environment, which includes buildings and living spaces. Recently, she has focused on implementing and enhancing Nature-Based Solutions in these areas, integrating social and cultural dimensions through digital innovation. Additionally, she is dedicated to creating a Healthy and Well-Being Urban Environment for all, emphasising the interconnectedness of planetary ecosystems and the built environment in alignment with the New European Bauhaus Principles.

Denia Kolokotsa coordinates the VARCITIES European project, an ambitious initiative that recognises the complexities and opportunities within urban environments. This project places “human communities” at the heart of its vision for future cities. It actively involves citizens in fostering necessary changes towards a healthier, happier, and more inclusive future through nature-based solutions.

With over 140 publications in high-impact journals and accumulating more than 10,000 citations, her research has significantly impacted the academic community.

Professor Prashant Kumar

University of Surrey, UK

Professor Kumar a founding Co-Director of the pan-university Institute for Sustainability, Professor & Chair in Air Quality and Health, and founding Director of the internationally-leading research centre Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE) at the University of Surrey, UK. He is the founder of successfully running Guildford Living Lab, a Trustee at Zero Carbon Guildford (ZERO), an Adjunct Professor at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; and a Guest Professor at Southeast University, China. Professor Kumar also leads a global network for Nature-Based Solutions (UGPN-NBS) involving more than 30 researchers from around the globe.

Professor Michelle Leishman

Macquarie University

Michelle Leishman is the Director of the Smart Green Cities Research Centre at Macquarie University. She is a plant ecologist with research interests in urban greening and climate change adaptation. Michelle leads the Which Plant Where project that has delivered an Australia-wide online climate-smart plant selector tool, as well as projects focusing on urban forest resilience into the future. She is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of NSW and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. She is also a member of the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Advisory Panel and a Councillor of the Biodiversity Council Australia.

Professor Stephen Livesley

University of Melbourne

Stephen Livesley focusses his research on quantifying and modelling the ecosystem services and biodiversity benefits provided by urban forests. Stephen leads urban forest research at The University of Melbourne, Australia and contributes to the Green Infrastructure Research Group at the Burnley campus (GIRG). Stephen has published extensively and supervised many young researchers through their own Masters and PhD studies.  He works closely with local governments and industry within Australia to ensure his research is applied and has impact for society and environmental benefit. Stephen believes that a scientific evidence-base is essential for the role of urban forests to be front and centre of future urban planning and climate change adaptation actions.

Professor Veronica Soebarto

University of Adelaide

Veronica Soebarto is a professor at the School of Architecture and Civil Engineering. She is the Initiative Lead in Green Urban Futures and Planetary Health of the Environment Institute and the Theme Lead in Sustainable Futures theme of Adelaide-Nottingham Alliance. Her research interests span from age-friendly built environment, environmental performance assessments of buildings, building performance simulation, building monitoring, human thermal comfort, to the social dimension of sustainable design, and have published widely in these areas. She is part of the UGPN-NBS led by Professor Prashant Kumar from University of Surrey.

Associate Professor Mark Thyer

University of Adelaide

Mark Thyer has over 22 years research experience in developing better ways to use our limited water resources. Research interests include smart stormwater systems, flood and drought risk assessment; streamflow prediction and forecasting. Mark is a researcher who is internationally recognised, award-winning, highly cited and with a passion for undertaking ‘industry-relevant’ research. He regularly collaborates with industry and government and has secured over $7 million funding over his career. The majority of projects are multi-institutional collaborations with industry including Australian Bureau of Meteorology, SA Water, South Australian Department of Environment & Water, CSIRO, SA Local Govt. and Goyder Institute for Water Research.

Carmel Williams

University of Adelaide and CHiAPR

Carmel Williams is Director of the Centre for Health in All Policies Research Translation based in South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute and the School of Public Health at the University of Adelaide. Carmel co-authored the World Health Organization guidance: Working Together for Equity and Healthier Populations: Sustainable multisectoral collaboration based on Health in All Policies Approaches and was founding director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Health in All Policies Implementation. Carmel led numerous collaborative projects on the social and environmental determinants of health, drawing research, policy and practice together to deliver evidence informed public policy outcomes. Carmel works extensively with the WHO and other international organizations, undertaking knowledge translation and capacity building programs, with researchers, policy makers and practitioners. Carmel is the Editor in Chief of the Health Promotion Journal of Australia.

Professor Tan Puay Yok

National University of Singapore and National Parks Board of Singapore       

Dr. Tan Puay Yok is Professor and cluster leader of the Landscape Studies group in the Department of Architecture at the National University of Singapore. His academic training was in horticulture science and plant physiology, and his current research, teaching, and professional activities focus on the science, policies, and practices of urban greening and ecology of the built environment. He is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Landscape and Urban Planning (Elsevier), Associate Editor of Journal of Urban Ecology (Oxford University Press), and Editorial Board Member of npj Urban Sustainability (Nature Partner Journals).

He is concurrently appointed by the National Parks Board, Singapore as the Executive Director of National Parks and Gardens Cluster and Chief Science and Technology Officer. The National Parks Board is the national agency responsible for greenery, ecology and conservation matters in Singapore. As part of his duties, he also oversees the Singapore Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a leading centre for tropical botany.