2025 Environment Institute Research Symposium

The 2025 Environment Institute Research Symposium was held in early August. This one-day event brought together members and partners of the Environment institute to celebrate and showcase the Institute’s research partnerships.

With more 120 attendees this was an opportunity for research partners, stakeholders, Environment Institute members, higher degree research students, and EI Advisory Board members to connect, share knowledge and learn about the Institute’s nine Research Initiatives, research capabilities, including key partnered projects, future directions, and cross sector trends. The format of the day provided ample time for two-way dialogue.

The event began with a welcome from Prof Laura Parry, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Excellence), University of Adelaide. Our Institute Director Prof Andrew Lowe provided a wonderful overview on the Environment Institute itself, and the state of the Environment.

Showcasing the Institute’s nine Research Initiatives provided up-to-date information on the Institute’s unique capacity and capabilities to attendees, who included more than 20 research partners and stakeholder groups across industry, Government and non-government organisations.

Our first panel “Partner-connected research showcase” focussed on the multi-discipline solutions driven by the Environment Institute from our partners’ perspective. Taking the stage together with facilitator Professor Lowe:

• Alan Noble, marine restoration and technology
• Dr Alec Rolston, Goyder Institute for Water Research
• Wendy Telfer, Mt Lofty ReBird the Ranges
• Prof Robert Nasi, The Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF)

Discussions explored how the Institute’s research has been implemented and the difference it has made at a local, national and global scale.

The second panel “Cross Sector Future Trends” was an insightful and engaging exploration of what the future may hold for research into environmental issues, This session was facilitated by Prof Chris Daniels, EI Advisory Board Member, and featured:

EI Advisory Board members: 

• Christopher Wilson, Impact Accounting
• Dr Sarah Keenihan, Science Writer and Editor

Together with Environment Institute Future Making Fellows:

• Dr Ania Kotarba, archaeology and cultural heritage
• Dr Dominic McAfee, coastal marine ecosystem restoration
• Dr Phillipa McCormack, law & policy in climate adaptation

An open floor discussion ensured, focussing on how the Environment Institute can best support its partners and stakeholders. The day closed by an address by Prof Hugh Possingham, Chair of the EI Advisory Board.

We thank everyone who presented and participated on the day.