Dr Geoff Syme's research focuses on the theoretical and applied aspects of social and organisational research in water resources, and other natural resources management.
Current activities
Dr Geoff Syme is the Theme Leader of the Society, Policy and Economy research theme.
He also chairs the CSIRO Social and Economic Integrations (SEI) science forum, and has been Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia, since 1988.
Background
Dr Syme has been a research psychologist in the area of water resources management for 30 years. He joined CSIRO in 1977 and has expertise in the following areas:
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social psychology of natural resources management
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procedural justice in negotiation and decision making
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uncertainty and acceptable risk in community involvement.
For the past ten years, Dr Syme has been developing theory and methods to incorporate stakeholder definitions of fairness and equity in policies of water allocation and re-allocation. His research team has developed a normative decision making model which has been tested for cross-cultural applicability in Germany and Australia.
Dr Syme is an experienced consultant providing advice to more than thirty government agencies and a variety of private industries. He is also a regular peer reviewer for universities.
He has led numerous major research projects and consultancies with both national and international clients, including:
Dr Geoff Syme has led major national research projects in social justice issues associated with water re-allocation and catchment management.
His projects have varied from quantitatively analysing public perceptions of particular developments, through to assessment of social impacts of water policies such as:
Dr Syme has also conducted various analyses of institutional processes for a number of major water institutions in Australia.
Academic qualifications
Dr Syme received a Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours in 1970, and a Doctorate in Psychology in 1973, both from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand.
Achievements
Because of his reputation in environmental justice and his alternative dispute resolution methods Dr Syme has regularly consulted for both national and international agencies, helping to resolve seemingly intractable sharing problems.
He has led major national research projects in the areas of catchment management, and social justice issues associated with water re-allocation.
Dr Syme is a member of several professional societies, including:
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Australian Psychological Society
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International Water Resources Association
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Australian Water Association
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International Association for Applied Psychology
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Australasian Environment Institute
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Society for Psychological Study of Social Issues.
Dr Syme's recent professional experience also includes:
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Member, Technical, for the advisory group on hazardous wastes export, Department of Environment and Heritage
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Member of the Western Australian Government advisory panel on sustainability assessment south-west Yarragadee aquifer
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Consultant Regional Water Plan Development, ASEAN.
Dr Syme's awards and other professional activities include:
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Robin Winkler Award from the Australian Psychological Society, 1996
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CSIRO Medal for contributions in the designing of methodologies to measure community risk/benefit trade-offs, 1995
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Co-winner of the Inaugural AWWA Peter Hughes Water Award for research to promote water conservation in Australia, 1993
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Editorial Board member Social Justice Research
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Editorial Board member Australasian Journal of Environmental Management
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Member Review Panel, International Review of National People and Environment Program, Germany, 2003.
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