Erin Hughes

With water being fundamental to life, no wonder it is being heralded as the next global crisis. Growing up in the Torres Straits, Erin was surrounded by water and saw first-hand the impact engineering could have on local communities when trying to manage water challenges. As a result, surface water engineering became the focus of Erin’s career. Erin has worked predominantly within the private sector on a variety of projects which have shaped our nation, including supporting local councils after the 2011 Brisbane floods to being involved in large infrastructure projects like Sydney’s WestConnex. She holds a Masters of Integrated Water Management from the International Water Centre and a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) from the University of Queensland. As a result of Erin’s background she is passionate about STEM education and improving the quality of life in remote indigenous communities. Her belief is that it can be achieved through both sustainable, evidence based engineering projects and the two-way sharing of knowledge and cultures underpins her practice. In her free time you still can’t get her away from water as she loves free diving, beach combing and hanging out with her family.