My role in DEECA's IWM team included: - Project manager for the Integrated Water Management (IWM) Forums for the Werribee and Maribyrnong catchments, in Melbourne's west- Coordinating the Forum-led delivery of Metropolitan Melbourne's first Catchment-Scale IWM Action Plans, in partnership with 50 stakeholder organisations- Collaborating with project partners on strategic IWM projects in Melbourne's west, including the Werribee System Reconfiguration Project

My research project aimed to increase our understanding of the importance of protecting and restoring headwater streams from human impacts. Specifically, aiming to understand how catchment characteristics influence rates of organic matter (OM) decomposition and microbial communities. This research has contributed to a better understanding of the ecological value of headwater streams enabling managers to use organic matter processing as an indicator of ecosystem health in Australia.

Leading and supporting the delivery of: - Melbourne Water's guidance for new and emerging assets to tackle the Healthy Waterways Strategy flow targets- Melbourne Water's MUSIC Modelling guideline updates- NSW DPE's case studies for the application of the Risk-Based Framework for Waterway Health

Steph works across a range of projects, including: - Integrated water management plans for City of Whittlesea, and the Macedon Ranges Shire Council- Catchment-scale IWM Plans for Greater Metropolitan Melbourne- Green infrastructure strategies & guidelines: DELWP's Trees for Cooler and Greener Streetscapes, Toowoomba's Green Infrastructure Strategy, CRC WSC's National Passive Irrigation Guidelines- Water sensitive urban design: Rosemeadow's 5 Million Trees Demonstration Project - Waterways and catchment management planning: Ipswich City Council's Scrubby Creek Future Vision- Infrastructure planning: Sunshine Coast South's Local Government Infrastructure Planning for Stormwater Quality

- Small Creek Naturalisation - the transformation of 1.6km of concrete channel into a functioning urban waterway- Water quality improvement and remediation works for local creeks- Planning and strategy work, including the Townsville Regional Stormwater Strategy and the Greater Parramatta and Olympic Peninsula (GPOP) Irrigated Green Grid Strategy (an urban cooling strategy for the rapidly expanding greater Sydney region)- Policy and planning reforms - Flood modelling and drainage studies- Integrated open space and stormwater design- Site based stormwater management plans and development approvals

In her final year of study, Steph completed a research thesis on waterway protection and hydrology in partnership with Alan Hoban at Bligh Tanner. The research involved a literature review into the stresses urban development and population growth place on our waterways, as well as the current stormwater management practices in Australia available to address waterway degradation. The thesis examined the effects of best-practice stormwater management to assess whether 'flow-regime-management' is a feasible objective in the face of significant industrialisation within the upstream catchment. While completing her research thesis, she joined the Bligh Tanner team in June 2015 as a student, before continuing on with a full-time role upon graduation.

During Steph's time at BMT WBM as a student engineer, Steph worked in the flood modelling and management team, as well as assisting with water quality monitoring as part of field work.