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From left to right: A/Prof Ron Cox, Convenor Australian Climate Change Adaption Research Network for Settlements & Infrastructure: His Excellency Dr Ken Michael AC, Governor of Western Australia: Mr Chris Fitzhardinge, President Engineers Australia (WA)

As part of his responsibilities as Engineers Australia (EA) 2008 Sir John Holland Civil Engineer of the Year, Associate Professor Ron Cox recently undertook an EA Eminent Speakers tour which took him to ten cities across the continent.  Ron addressed over seven hundred professional members of Engineers Australia, in Canberra, Melbourne, Hobart, Newcastle, Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin and Sydney. Whilst in Perth, Ron met with the Governor of Western Australia , His Excellency Dr Ken Michael AC, for wide ranging discussions on climate change related issues.

Ron used the opportunity to advise the engineering community of the activities and aims of the recently established Climate Change Adaptation Research Network for Settlements and Infrastructure which is hosted at the School. His talks focused on climate change adaptation issues related to coastal settlements and coastal communities – in particular drawing upon the research findings from the study undertaken by Water Research Laboratory (WRL) for Clarence City Council, Hobart, and funded by the Dept of Climate Change. See http://www.ccc.tas.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=807

Ron discussed the issues of people safety in scenarios of fast flowing water, this being an important parameter in determining risk, and other life threatening conditions that may arise in floods, coastal storms, and tsunamis.   He introduced the concept of multi-disciplinary and complex numerical models for public education, emergency management planning, warning and evacuation procedures of vulnerable areas exposed to extreme weather events (dam breaks, tsunamis, cyclones, etc).  Ron strongly supports the development within Australia of modelling capabilities similar to those of the Life Safety Model developed by BC Hydro in Canada.

Videostreaming record of Ron‘s presentation at the Brisbane venue can be viewed at:

http://eaq.mediavisionz.com.au/090611-P36/fHI.htm