‘Their Stories’ is a mini-series of conversations exploring the thoughts, motivations and lives of people who work in connection with nature – whether it be as a scientist, communicator or landholder.  In this episode, Siwan talks to Professor Ross Thompson, Director and Chair of Water Science at the Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra. Their talk focuses on work currently underway in environmental flows, with both involved in the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office’s Flow – Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Program project, which is exploring how to manage and deliver water to gain the greatest environmental benefit in areas of the Murray-Darling Basin.

The discussion covers Ross’s transition from a brief medical career to an ecological one, the value of systems thinking, and how science can be used effectively within the interdependent political, social, economic and environmental context that is our society.  The conversation is fun, interesting, and interspersed with lots of laughs and a few ‘accidental’ accent jibes about Ross’s New Zealand heritage.