2017 George Seddon Memorial Lecture

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Not just hot water: The science, stories and importance of Perth’s ground water resources

A public lecture by Dr Megan Clark AC

Perth has long relied on its ground water resources. Today just under half of Perth’s water supply comes from ground water. The science of our water resources is a fascinating story of different aquifers and how they interact with the landscape around Perth. The story of how we have tapped into these different aquifers over time and their potential for the future is a fascinating journey that stretches from the scandalous to the most modern water-cooling technology.

This presentation provided a unique insight into the science behind our ground water and shared personal experiences ranging from hot springs on Garden Island to wild brumbies to cooling a supercomputer.

Dr Megan Clark AC was CEO of the CSIRO from 2009-2014. Prior to CSIRO, she held various roles with Western Mining Corporation, was a director at NM Rothschild and Sons (Australia) and was vice president, Technology and subsequently Health, Safety, Environment, Community and Sustainability with BHP Billiton. She has a PhD from Queen’s University, Canada and is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, the Australian Institute on Mining and Metallurgy and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In 2014, she was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia. She is currently at non-executive director of Rio Tinto and CSL Limited and an advisory board member of the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Australia and the Australian Agricultural Company.

Emeritus Professor George Seddon AM (1927-2007) was an Emeritus Professor of Environmental Science at the University of Melbourne and a Senior Honorary Research Fellow in English at UWA. He was a Fellow of the Royal Australian Planning Institute, the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences, and the Australian Academy of Humanities. His books include Swan River Landscapes, Landprints, From the Country, A Landscape for Learning and Sense of Place. He was awarded the Eureka Prize from the Australian Museum in 1995, the Mawson Medal from the Academy of Science in 1996 and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Planning Institute of Australia.

The annual George Seddon Lecture is sponsored by the Institute of Advanced Studies and UWA’s Friends of the Grounds.