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The Australian Chapter of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH)

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Meet the National Committee

PRESIDENT
Dr Rick Evans (VIC)

Dr Rick Evans is Principal Hydrogeologist with Sinclair Knight Merz. Rick has 28 years experience in groundwater resource management and has worked on numerous water resource projects throughout Australia and Asia, at both a technical and management level. He is the author of several National policy documents, including the COAG National Groundwater Management Policy, and is also a Member of the World Bank Groundwater Management Advisory Team. Rick is a committee member of the Victorian State IAH Branch, and a member of the National Water Commission Groundwater Technical Advisory Committee.

VICE-PRESIDENT
John Ross (NSW)

John is a Principal Hydrogeologist with Parsons Brinckerhoff in Sydney. John has more than 35 years experience in regional groundwater investigations, groundwater policy, water resources planning and investigations, contaminated site investigation and remediation projects, and specialist catchment investigation and management studies. He was employed by NSW water resource agencies for more than 20 years, and the Principal Hydrogeologist for the NSW Government in the early 1990s. Since 1994, John has worked for two large consultancies in the private sector in State Operations Manager, Principal Hydrogeologist, Groundwater Team Leader and Senior Project Manager roles.

Most recently, John has been project managing the multi-million dollar groundwater supply initiatives for Sydney, particularly the comprehensive technical investigations, planning approvals and borefield design aspects associated with four drought water supply sources around the fringe of the Sydney Basin.

John has been an active member of IAH for more than 20 years, and was a former Committee Member (NSW Branch) and a past Executive Member of the Australian Chapter of IAH (1990 - 1994). John is also a member of the Association of Groundwater Scientists and Engineers, a member of the National Well Water Association, USA, and a former executive member (Secretary/Treasurer) of the Australian Contaminated Lands Consultants Association.

SECRETARY
Dr Lange Jorstad (NSW)

Lange is a Senior Hydrogeologist with Golder Associates in Sydney, with eleven years academic and professional experience primarily in the field of contaminant hydrogeology. Lange is originally from California, where he earned his BSc in Geological Sciences from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and spent the first three years of his career with a consultancy in San Francisco. He migrated to Australia with his future wife in 2000 as a PhD student at the University of New South Wales, where his research focused on hydrogeochemical processes in landfill leachate. Lange took a consulting role with ERM in 2003, and moved to Golder in 2007. In his spare time, he got married, became a father, became an Australian Citizen, and completed his doctorate (in that order).

Lange has been involved with the IAH NSW committee since 2006, as a Communications Officer the first year and as Committee Chair thereafter. Over the past three years Lange has worked closely with the NSW committee to increase meeting attendance (which now averages 30+ per meeting) and restructure the meeting format to help the committee turn from nearly bankrupt to financially solvent. The stabilised financial position has allowed the NSW committee to apply increased funding towards the stated objectives of the IAH organisation; initiatives include sponsorship of registration and return airfare for one outstanding groundwater research student for the 36th IAH Congress in Japan in October 2008, and assistance with development of a technical workshop in high resolution field investigation techniques. Lange also successfully coordinated the Australian national application for the 2008 Darcy Lecture in conjunction with the national IAH network, which toured all the major cities in Australia in November 2008.

TREASURER
Ron Colman (WA)

Ron is a hydrogeologist with extensive experience in water supply development and water resource management throughout Western Australia and the Northern Territory for mining, municipal, commercial, horticultural and industrial clients. Overseas experience includes groundwater investigation and water supply development work in Peninsula and East Malaysia (Sabah), Kalimantan (BHP Minerals Indonesia) and Orissa, India (Indo-Australian Aid Project).

Ron has been a member of IAH since 1984 and has been a WA Branch committee member for a large portion of that time. He has filled the roles of Branch Chairman, Vice Chairman and meetings organiser. He is currently both the National and WA Branch Treasurer.

PAST-PRESIDENT
Philip Commander (WA)

Philip Commander is Principal Hydrogeologist with the Department of Water Western Australia. His 38 year career with the Public Service includes 25 years with the Geological Survey of WA. Philip joined IAH in 1977, is a founder member of IAH in Australia, and has served on the National Committee as Treasurer from 1987 to 1990, as well as involvement with the WA State Branch over many years.

He has stood for re-election to oversee the transition from a state based National Committee to an National Committee with stronger links to the State Branches. He envisages that the National Committee will seek incorporation, which would involve annual elections, and will set up a permanent secretariat, which would facilitate improvements to the website and newsletter.

INTERNATIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT (AUSTRALIA)
Dr Ian Acworth (NSW)

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS: STATE BRANCH CHAIRMEN

New South Wales: Dr Wendy Timms
Northern Territory: Chris MacHunter
Queensland: Mal Cox
South Australia: Steve Barnett
Victoria: Chris McAuley
Western Australia: Gary Brophy

President
Dr Rick Evans
Sinclair Knight Merz
Tel: (03) 9248 3369
Fax: (03) 9248 3364
e-mail: revans@skm.com.au

Vice-President

John Ross
Parsons Brinckerhoff
e-mail: jross@pb.com.au

Secretary
Dr Lange Jorstad
Golder Associates
e-mail: ljorstad@golder.com.au

Treasurer
Ron Colman
e-mail: rcolman@fmgl.com.au

Past President
Philip Commander
Department of Water
e-mail: philip.commander@water.wa.gov.au

International Vice-President (Australia)
Dr Ian Acworth
University of New South Wales
e-mail: i.acworth@unsw.edu.au

Membership Secretary & Web Admin
Joel Pillar
e-mail: joel@iah.org.au

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