Speakers

Karin Bryan

Director, Environmental Research Institute, University of Waikato

Karin Bryan is professor in physical oceanography at the University of Waikato, specialising in coastal dynamics and sediment transport. Since arriving at the University in 2002, she has completed a wide range of research projects, covering mangroves, wave climatology, rip currents, estuarine tidal dynamics and sediment stability, graduating 23 PhD and 29 MSc students and writing 140+ peer-reviewed papers to support this work.

She believes strongly in making physical oceanography useful and accessible to the people who need knowledge to make difficult decisions. With climate change, the timescales of traditional scientific discovery may too slow to be useful. We need to think of innovative ways to make decisions on incomplete research. For example, using short cuts and optimisation to provide workable solutions, making existing data more easily available for exploration, and to understand better the level of complexity needed for an effective solution. We no longer have the luxury of a purely academic approach.

Her latest work is on the TAIAO Environmental Data Platform, where she is working on combining dynamical modelling and remote sensing to optimize predictability in the coastal environment.

Marika Calfas

Chief Executive Officer, NSW Ports

Marika Calfas is the Chief Executive Officer of NSW Ports, the organisation responsible for managing Port Botany, Port Kembla and the intermodal terminals at Cooks River and Enfield in NSW, Australia.

Marika has almost 20 years’ experience in the port sector including in port planning and development.

With a strong belief that ports are crucial to our wellbeing and essential for the Nation’s economy Marika is passionate about driving improvements and efficiencies across port supply chains, informing the wider community and decision makers of the importance and value of ports and identifying new opportunities.

Marika was appointed by the Commonwealth Minister for Infrastructure & Transport to the Expert Panel advising the Australian Government Inquiry into the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy Priorities in 2017.

Marika is a board member of Infrastructure NSW and the Australian Logistics Council, Deputy Chair of Ports Australia, Member of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia National Advisory Board and University of Wollongong SMART Advisory Board as well as Australia’s representative to PIANC’s International Environmental Commission. 

Prior to working in ports, Marika worked in water resources with Sinclair Knight Merz. 

Marika holds an Engineering Degree (Environmental), Masters of Engineering Management and Masters of Environmental Law.