CERN APAC Water Stream Webinar

Please join us for our Water Research Stream Webinar.

"Closing the Loop: Water and Wastewater Management for a Circular Economy"

Pricing

• Free

Dates and Times

Contact

Natasha Porter

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Brief:

Growing water demand, climate change, resource constraints and ageing infrastructure are challenging conventional linear approaches to water management. This webinar explores how circular economy and One Water approaches can transform water and wastewater systems through recycling, reuse, decentralised solutions and resource recovery. Bringing together perspectives from research, industry and practice, the session will examine the technological, governance, regulatory, economic and community challenges to scaling recycled water and circular water solutions. Speakers will share research findings, practical experiences and emerging opportunities, with a focus on strengthening research–industry collaboration and translating innovation into sustainable and resilient water systems across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.

Presenters:

Danielle Francis

Danielle Francis is Manager, Customer and Policy at the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA), the peak industry body representing the urban water sector in Australia and New Zealand. She leads WSAA's national water reform and policy agenda, working with water utilities and government to shape policies and strategies for the sector. Her work has a strong focus on customer value, water security, water reuse and the transition towards more resilient and sustainable water systems. Danielle has played a leading role in advancing the national conversation on purified recycled water and water reuse, including WSAA's international work examining the global growth of potable water reuse. In 2026, she was recognised with the NSW Water Professional of the Year award and received an Advocacy Achievement Award at the WateReuse Symposium for WSAA's work on potable reuse.

Duc Canh Nguyen

Dr. Canh Nguyen is an environmental engineer specializing in rainwater harvesting, water treatment, and circular water solutions. He holds a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Seoul National University, Korea, and serves as Head of the Water Circular Economy Unit at the Institute for Circular Economy Development (ICED), Vietnam National University – Ho Chi Minh City, and Director of the Research Institute for Water and Environmental Management (RIWEM). His work advances sustainable water management and climate resilience across Vietnam and the wider Mekong region, where he leads international projects on water reuse, decentralized treatment, and community-based innovation — including the Rain School Initiative, which builds climate-resilient rainwater systems in schools across Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Korea. He publishes on circular water governance and works closely with government partners to translate research into policy.

Ashok Sharma

Ashok Sharma is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia. He has more than 35 years of research, teaching and industry experience in integrated urban water management, water-sensitive urban design, and the planning and design of centralised and decentralised water, wastewater and stormwater systems. His research interests also encompass circular economy approaches to urban water management, system optimisation, water recycling and emerging technologies for sustainable water systems. He has co-authored four books, 16 book chapters and more than 100 journal publications. He is a Fellow of Engineers Australia and a Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng).

Naomi Carrard

Naomi works with governments, development partners, researchers and communities across the Asia-Pacific to advance water security, sustainability and the transition towards a circular water economy. With more than 20 years of experience, her work spans water security, climate-resilient water and sanitation, integrated water management, circular economy and inclusive development. Her applied and transdisciplinary research bridges theory and practice, bringing together different disciplines, sectors and communities to co-produce knowledge and translate evidence into practical solutions. Her work is particularly relevant to closing the loop in water and wastewater management, including strengthening collaboration, governance and community participation to support sustainable and resilient water systems. Qualified in Environmental Law and Geography, she connects global sustainability goals with local realities and works to drive systems change in response to complex water and sustainability challenges across the region.

Reba Paul

Reba Paul is an Adjunct Fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF), University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and has served as a Leader of the Water Research Stream at CERN-APAC since its establishment in 2022. She holds a PhD in Sustainable Futures, with a major in Urban Water Futures, from ISF/UTS and a Master's in Integrated Water Management from the University of Queensland. Her specialisation spans integrated urban water management, water and wastewater treatment and recycled water technologies, water circular economy, energy-sensitive urban design, systems thinking, institutional governance, sustainability and advanced research. For more than a decade, she has contributed to advancing Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), promoting balanced approaches to economic efficiency, environmental sustainability, and social equity, particularly across the Asia-Pacific region. Her research focuses on transitioning urban water systems towards more circular, resilient and sustainable models through technological, institutional, and governance perspectives. She has authored research publications across sustainable water management, urban sustainability and the circular economy, and regularly serves as a reviewer for leading international journals.

Host: Rebal Paul, CERN APAC Water Research Stream Lead

For further event information, please contact: NatashaPorter@csiro.au

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For more information on CERN APAC please see our website - Circular Economy Research Network Asia-Pacific and LinkedIn Profile - CERN APAC LinkedIn