Ian Rutherfurd is a geographer and fluvial geomorphologist. He has worked for 25 years in the water sector as an academic, consultant and in policy.
At present he is a Professor in the School of Geography at the University of Melbourne. Ian’s research interests relate to processes of erosion and sedimentation in river channels. Specific areas of research are human impacts on river channels, interactions between vegetation and rivers, and the dynamics of fine and coarse sediment pulses in rivers. His work has turned increasingly to the physical and social dimensions of restoration of disturbed fluvial systems. He has published over 80 journal articles, 50 consulting reports, and has been involved in over $6 million in research grants. He has been assisted in his research by over 60 co-authors and 30 PhD students. At present he is a Chief Investigator in four major Australian Research Council research grants including the ‘Rivers-of-gold’ project investigating impacts of historical gold mining on rivers, threats to water supplies from debris-flows, the role of vegetation in trapping sediment and nutrients in SE Queensland, and the consequences of China’s South-North Water Transfer project. He has also acted as advisor to numerous state and federal government expert panels and committees related to river and catchment management, most recently being Chair of Melbourne Water’s Healthy Waterway Strategy Science Committee. He also spent five years working as a senior manager in the water sector in the Victorian State Government between 2008 and 2011. Ian is invited to speak regularly at many conferences, but also to local Landcare Groups, Community groups, and river managers. His international work includes projects in South East Asia, China, the USA, Canada and South Africa. He has also completed numerous consulting projects related to river erosion and sedimentation all over Australia and Asia. Ian is the Immediate Past President of the Institue of Australian Geographers, past president of the Australia New Zealand Geomorphology Group, and past co-president of the Geography Teachers Association of Victoria. A fuller bibliography and career description can be found by copying this link into your browser: https://www.dropbox.com/s/pgki9wlf7zwjj5q/Rutherfurd%20CV%20July%202019%20extended.doc?dl=0
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Ian Rutherfurd's highlights
FEATURED Journal article
The daily-scale entrance dynamics of intermittently open/closed estuaries
Read moreIan Rutherfurd's selected work
The Technopolitics of China's South - North Water Transfer Project
Research Grant
Freak mud flows threaten our water supplies, and climate change is raising the risk
NEWS ARTICLE
Intermittently Closed/Open Lakes and Lagoons: Their global distribution and boundary condi..
Journal article
Mitigating extreme water supply contamination in bushfire burned catchments
Research Grant
Why is everyone talking about natural sequence farming?
NEWS ARTICLE
A geomorphic classification of intermittently open/closed estuaries (IOCE) derived from es..
Journal article
Ian Rutherfurd's selected work
Projects
Displaying the 10 most recent projects by Ian Rutherfurd.
Project Types
12
Research Grant
7
Research Contracts
2
Internal Research Grant
Scholarly Works
Displaying the 10 most recent scholarly works by Ian Rutherfurd.
Keyword Analysis
News
Displaying the 4 most recent news articles by Ian Rutherfurd.
Honours, Awards and Fellowships
FULL - ITT Fulbright Fellowship
Credentials
Positions
Positions
Professor
Geography
Education
Education
Doctor of Philosophy
Monash University
Bachelor of Arts (Hons)
University of Melbourne