The CRC for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CARE) relies on contributions from a dedicated team of scientists, postgraduate students, head office staff and partners in industry and government.

For Program Leaders, Project Leaders, students and other research staff, see our Research and Education sections.

The Head Office at Mawson Lakes in South Australia consists of the following people:

MANAGING DIRECTOR Professor Ravi Naidu

Ravi has been a research scientist in the fields of environmental contaminants, toxicology, bioavailability and remediation for over 20 years. He has co-authored over 500 technical publications and co-edited 10 books in the field of soil and environmental sciences including field remediation of contaminated sites. Since 1994 Ravi has worked with scientists from USA, Europe and Asia on environmental contamination, including recent arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh, India and China.

Ravi was awarded a Gold Medal in environmental science in 1998 by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, elected as a Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America in 2000 and also a Fellow of Soil Science Society of New Zealand in 2004. In 2012 Ravi was chosen as a winner of the Soil Science Society of America's International Soil Science Award, and in 2013 was elected a Fellow of the prestigious American Association for the Advancement of Science.

He is Chair of the International Committee on Bioavailability and Risk Assessment and a sitting member of the Victorian EPA Contaminated Sites Auditor Panel. He has also been Chair of the Standards Australia Technical Committee on Sampling and Analyses of Contaminated Soils (1999-2000), Chair of the International Union of Soil Sciences Commission for Soil Degradation Control, Remediation and Reclamation (2002-10), and President of the International Society on Trace Element Biogeochemistry (2005-07).

top 

BUSINESS MANAGER Michy Kris

Michy has tertiary qualifications in Applied Physics, and has had a broad range of leadership experiences spanning government (Rural Solutions SA, International Education Services), commercial R&D (SOLA International) and private industry (SOLA Optical). He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds an Executive MBA from the University of South Australia.

Rural Solutions SA, a customer-focussed organisation, operates on a fee-for-service basis within government. As General Manager (Business Development & Marketing) there, he established clear business branding, and was proactive with websites, forums and exhibitions to promote and communicate business understanding.

Michy has collaborated with Universities and research institutions both locally and internationally to explore a range of product and service attributes leading to several new developments. In each of the business areas he has worked in, there were a vast range of stakeholders with varied expectations representing considerable complexity in terms of their respective business drivers.

He is accredited with several patented innovations whilst at SOLA International (commercial R&D), and had the good fortune of being able to be directly involved in all aspects of product development, which led to huge commercial successes.

 top

EXECUTIVE PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO THE MANAGING DIRECTOR Caryn McArthur

FINANCE MANAGER Kevin Weidenhofer

Kevin has more than 25 years of experience in a variety of roles, ranging from accountant to financial controller. He brings to CRC CARE an expanse of knowledge gained in commerce and industry, particularly in manufacturing. Kevin holds a BA in Accounting, and is a Fellow of Certified Practicing Accountants. 

 top

FINANCE OFFICER Sue Begley

Sue Begley is responsible for payroll, payment of accounts, issuing invoices and reconciliation of project expenses. She has more than 20 years experience in the finance industry, including private consultancy work in the areas of accounts and finance training and has extensive experience in the banking industry.

top

 

EXECUTIVE POLICY ADVISOR Dr Bruce Kennedy

Bruce is Program Leader for the Best Practice Policy program, which includes responsibility for developing guidance for the remediation of contaminated sites.

Bruce was previously Executive Officer of the National Environment Protection Council and the Environment Protection and Heritage Council, and Executive Director of the NEPC Service Corporation, for 14 years. He was responsible for national policy development for environmental protection matters within the remit of the Councils, including the assessment of site contamination. Prior to taking up his roles with NEPC, he was a manager with the Western Australian EPA.

Bruce has qualifications in chemistry (BSc, PhD) and management (MBA), and is a Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.

top

 

PROJECT MANAGER, BEST PRACTICE POLICY PROGRAM Kerry Scott

Kerry is a geographer by profession, and has 30 years experience in project management - almost 10 of those in the area of environmental legislation.

Kerry previously worked for the National Environment Protection Council Service Corporation, and was project manager for the Assessment of Site Contamination NEPM review and variation work.

top

 

EXECUTIVE OFFICER Jo Norton

Jo provides executive support to CRC CARE’s Managing Director, the board, and a range of committees and working groups. Duties include the facilitation of key meetings, writing, collating and distributing information, and engaging with industry groups and stakeholders.

Jo holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) with a major in English, and is currently studying towards the completion of a Master’s Degree in Management. Previous experience includes executive and administration support in the higher education, engineering and defence sectors, as well as project and program management in the arts and new media industries.

top

PROGRAM LEADER: EDUCATION AND TRAINING Andrew Beveridge

Andrew manages the CRC’s Industry Training and University Education Programs, and coordinates the Australian Remediation Industry Cluster (ARIC). Andrew holds a Diploma in Applied Science (Aquaculture) from the University of Tasmania and a Graduate Diploma in Business (Administration Management) from University of South Australia. He has worked in various industries including aquaculture and university administration.

Prior to working with CRC CARE, Andrew held positions with the University of South Australia, where he managed a portfolio of major research programs. These included Cooperative Research Centres and the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy, as well as research education and scholarship activities.

top

COMMUNICATION MANAGER Adam Barclay

Adam has more than 10 years’ experience in science communication, working in agricultural science, international development, the public sector, private business, and as a freelance writer/editor. His work has spanned several countries and diverse clients including government agencies, scientists and non-government organisations, and he holds a Graduate Diploma in Science Communication and a Bachelor of Science (Hons), majoring in genetics. Adam spent more than five years in the Philippines (2003-08) working for the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), where he managed, wrote for and edited the institute’s magazine, Rice Today, and handled IRRI’s media relations during the international rice crisis of 2008.

top

COMMUNICATION OFFICER Dr Victoria Leitch

 

 

Victoria has a PhD in Biomedical Science, giving her extensive scientific understanding. She has previously worked as a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide in research areas including bone growth and infant nutrition. More recently, she has worked as a science communicator in the water filtration industry and is completing a Masters in Science Communication through the Australian National University. 

top

DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM COORDINATOR Dr Prashant Srivastava

Prashant oversees CRC CARE’s demonstration programs for BHP Billiton Iron Ore and the Australian Institute of Petroleum (AIP). He works closely with mining and oil sectors, environmental practitioners, regulatory authorities and scientific researchers from around Australia. He also coordinates Exxon Mobil’s Port Stanvac Demonstration Project and the Petroleum LNAPL Forum.

Prashant has experience working in both academia and the environmental industry. He graduated in chemistry and botany from the University of Allahabad (India), and subsequently joined the GBP University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar (India) for his Masters and doctoral research in soil chemistry, fertility and plant nutrition. He later obtained another PhD degree in environmental soil chemistry from the University of Sydney.

Prashant conducted his post-doctoral research at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory of the University of Georgia (USA). His research interests include fate and transport of petroleum hydrocarbons, heavy metals and nutrients in soil and plants.

Before joining CRC CARE, Prashant worked as an environmental scientist/consultant in Sydney, engaged on a variety of projects on contamination assessment and remediation of soil and groundwater with various clients. Prashant has also worked on a number of research projects in India, Australia and the USA.

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE PROGRAM COORDINATOR Dr Sreenivasulu Chadalavada

Sreenivasulu is responsible for CRC CARE's Department of Defence program.  He has a Master of Technology (M.Tech) from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT Kanpur), in the area of Hydraulics and Water Resources Engineering, and a Bachelor of Technology( B Tech) in Civil Engineering from University of Pondicheery.

After graduation he worked in an engineering consultancy as Design Engineer, designing the surge phenomena in hydro-electric power plants.

Sreenivasulu joined CRC CARE after completing his PhD at the University of South Australia. During this time he also worked at the University as a hydrogeologist engaged in modelling groundwater flow and pollutant transport processes.

PROJECT OFFICER (CONTRACTS) Lotte Nielsen

Lotte’s educational background includes a BA in Biology from Aarhus University in Denmark, a Master’s degree in Tropical Environmental Management, and a Graduate Diploma in geographical information systems (GIS) – the latter two from Charles Darwin University.

Lotte’s previous employment includes a three-year long stint in marketing and market research, a role in which she spent the third year as project manager. Prior to this, Lotte was employed as a GIS analyst in utility assessment.