Cheryl Desha

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Cheryl is the Science and Innovation Director for Natural Hazards Research Australia, and a visiting Professor with Griffith University (Sciences Group) to support several PhD completions. She has a long history in sustainable development, disaster resilience and decision support. Previously leading the resilient infrastructure and communities research group within Griffith University's Cities Research Institute, she founded the University's Disaster Management Network and established a Disaster Resilience Management Facility on its Nathan campus to support the Queensland Government's State Disaster Centre. Cheryl also co-founded the Queensland Disaster Research Alliance of seven universities to build collaborative research capability and capacity for impactful and at-scale disaster research. She is passionate about being 'ahead of ready' - empowering resilient and regenerative communities through evidence-based, locally-relevant action.

Cheryl was awarded Engineers Australia's Queensland’s Professional Engineer of the Year in 2021 and in 2020 was awarded the Queensland Government's Individual Champion of Change Award by the Inspector General Emergency Management. With the reality that "everything is connected and 'where' is critical to thriving, now and into the future", evidence-informed partnerships between industry and government are critical to delivering right-time and right-place decision support.

Cheryl’s career goal is to grow leaders, empowering society with the language, knowledge and skills needed to thrive in the face of 21st Century challenges and opportunities. This draws on her research efforts into building capacity for resilient and livable cities, spanning research and supervising more than 15 PhDs to completion in scenario planning, resilient infrastructure, biomimicry (innovation inspired by nature), biophilic urbanism (nature-loving cities), lean and green thinking, decoupling and sustainable business practice.

Over the last two decades and including with the team from The Natural Edge Project, she has co-led more than $10M of research, and co-authored more than 200 publications including 7 books, 2 of which have previously been listed in the top 40 publications by the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

Experience

  • 2024–present
    Science and Innovation Director, Natural Hazards Research Australia
  • 2024–present
    Visiting Professor, Griffith University
  • 2022–2024
    Director, Disaster and Resilience Management Facility, Griffith University
  • 2018–2022
    Engagement Director (Engineering & Built Environment), Griffith University
  • 2016–2018
    Head of Civil Engineering (Nathan Campus), Griffith University
  • 2012–2016
    Discipline Leader (Environmental Systems), Queensland University of Technology
  • 2011–2012
    Lecturer in Sustainable Development, Queensland University of Technology
  • 2005–2010
    Lecturer in Sustainable Development, Griffith University

Education

  • 2024 
    Australian Institute of Company Directors, GAICD
  • 2014 
    Queensland University of Technology, Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice
  • 2010 
    Griffith University, PhD (Rapid Capacity Building)
  • 1999 
    Griffith University, Bachelor of Engineering (Environmental)

Professional Memberships

  • Institution of Engineers Australia (Chartered)
  • International Society of Digital Earth

Research Areas

  • Environmental Engineering Design (090701)
  • History And Theory Of The Built Environment (Excl. Architecture) (120502)
  • Environmental Technologies (090703)
  • Community Planning (120501)

Honours

GAICD FIEAust CPEng NER EngExec

Contact Cheryl for

  • General
  • Media request
  • Speaking request
  • Consulting / Advising
  • Research collaboration
  • Research supervision