Conference

Climate Smart Engineering

8.00 am — 5.00 pm ACST, 27 — 28 August 2025
North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000
Adelaide Convention Centre
Resilience engineered: solutions for our climate reality

The climate reality is all around us. As engineers, we’re responding with resilience and tackling it head-on. 

Only through determined adaptation and mitigation can we address the impacts of climate change today, and prepare for those of tomorrow. We’re going to need every open mind to navigate it – including yours. 

The Climate Smart Engineering Conference (CSE25) is your opportunity to join the engineers and industry experts taking action to create a more resilient world. 

Together, we’ll explore: 

  • the latest tech innovations, including digital and AI solutions
  • the push to build more circular economies
  • strategies to protect our built and natural worlds
  • the ways workforces can adapt to uncertainty and change. 

Expect a comprehensive program that covers every sector, offering multi-disciplinary, interactive, innovative and inspiring experiences for speakers and attendees alike. The two days of action-oriented sessions will include: 

  • a leading technical program
  • an interactive plenary to debate real-world problems and solutions
  • networking and collaboration opportunities to share knowledge and expertise.

Lead the change with us

CSE25 call for abstracts

This is your opportunity to contribute to critical solutions for our climate reality.

If you have work to contribute, we’d love to hear from you. Submit your abstract.

Learn more

Submissions are due by 11.59 pm AEDT on Tuesday 25 February.

Contact us

If you have any questions about CSE25, email us at [email protected]
 

Principal partners
Abstracts

This is your opportunity to contribute to critical climate change conversations.

If you have work to contribute, we’d love to hear from you. We’re seeking submissions that address these key themes: 

  • Regenerative and circular economy: taking a holistic approach to sustainability, restoring natural resources, efficiencies, optimsation and beneficial reuse.
  • Resilience, adaptation and mitigation: overcoming the challenges of an ever-changing world.  
  • Clean energy transition: moving towards a fossil fuel free future – decarbonisation, achieving net zero, emission reductions, alternative and renewable energy sources.  
  • Technology and innovation: accelerating sustainable outcomes – digitisation, automation, AI and battery technology. 
  • Workforce: meeting workforce needs – addressing the engineering skills gap through education and upskilling as well as leveraging engineers’ transferrable skills. 
  • Stakeholder engagement: making a positive impact on society by engaging the community, government and industry both locally and internationally, financial reporting for sustainability, regulatory solutions.
  • Projects and other: corporate social responsibility, community engineering, social impacts, systems thinking, case studies, climate finance, global movements and international agreements.

There are three presentation types to choose from:

  1. Technical oral – paper required
  2. Industry oral
  3. Poster

Oral presentations require a 15-minute presentation and five-minute Q&A. 

You’ll find everything you need to know about the process in the submission guidelines, which include our speaker and author agreement. 

Submit now

Submissions are due by 11.59 pm AEDT on Tuesday 25 February.

Need help convincing your manager before you can join us at CSE25? Put forward your best case with this editable email template.

  • Submissions are due by 11.59 pm AEDT on 25 February 2025.
  • All abstracts and papers are peer reviewed. Poster presentations are not peer reviewed. 
  • You may submit and present one abstract only. A presentation may be delivered by a maximum of two authors however, both must be registered to attend CSE25. 
  • An oral presentation consists of a brief presentation and question and answer time. Slides are mandatory for all oral presentations. 
Registration

Don't miss out on early bird pricing. Register now to take advantage of these discounted prices before early bird registration closes on Friday 16 May.

Members can claim CPD hours for attending CSE25.

Register now

Need help convincing your manager before you can join us at CSE25? Put forward your best case with this editable email template.

 Full conference Day registration
Early bird  
Member $935$470
Non-member $1155$580 
Student $470 $265
Speaker$825$415
Standard  
Member $1125$565
Non-member $1385$695
Student $470$265
Speaker$825$415
Late or onsite  
Member $1385$665
Non-member $1585$795
Student $470$265
Speaker$825$415

Group discounts

Save on full registration rates with group bookings.

Group discounts apply to full registrations only, excluding already discounted abstract speaker registration fees. Discounts are not available retrospectively.

Register now

Attendees  Discount  
5–9  10%  
10–19  15%  
20 or more  20%  

Inclusions 

Full registration includes: 

  • In-person participation at the Adelaide Convention Centre. 
  • Access to all plenaries and conference sessions within the program. 
  • Access to the networking reception on day one. 
  • Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea each day.
  • Post-conference access to recordings of all plenary sessions.

Day registration includes:  

  • In-person participation at Adelaide Convention Centre on the specific day you attend.
  • Access to all plenaries and conference sessions within the program for the day you have registered to attend.
  • Morning, lunch and afternoon tea on the day you attend.
  • Post-conference access to recordings of all plenary sessions from the day you have registered for.

Day registration does not include:  

  • Access to the networking reception. Tickets are available for an additional cost.
Not a member yet?

If you've been thinking about becoming an Engineers Australia member, join today and save on your conference registration rate.

  • All registration fees are quoted in and will be charged in Australian dollars. 
  • To view the current foreign exchange rates, visit x-rates.com
  • Registration fees are inclusive of Goods and Services Tax (GST). 
  • Sharing of registrations is not permitted, a separate registration is required for each individual. 
  • A student is defined as a holder of a student identification card from an accredited engineering institution. 
  • A copy of your student identification card must be supplied at the time of registration. Without this copy, the full registration fee will be charged. 
Terms and conditions
  1. The following refund terms will apply for cancellation of an event registration: 
    1. Cancellation more than 60 days before the event will incur a AU$50 cancellation fee. 
    2. Cancellation between 30 and 60 days before will incur a AU$100 cancellation fee. 
    3. Cancellation within 30 days of the event will not be refunded. 
    4. Transfer of event registration will be permitted if you notify us with at least five business days’ notice of the event. Any difference in fees will need to be paid if the substitute registrant is not entitled to the same event registration rate. No refunds will be provided for transfers to a lower event fee item. 
  2. Engineers Australia reserves the right to alter, amend or cancel any or all of the elements in the event program. 
  3. Where a payment has been made, there will be no refund for those who do not attend. 
  4. By attending, or registering to attend an event, you agree to Engineers Australia's Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy and Terms of Access
Speakers

CSE25 will feature an exciting line-up of expert speakers. Stay tuned for more speaker announcements in 2025. 

Opening speakers

Stephen Yarwood headshot
Stephen Yarwood – Master of ceremonies
Urbanist, Futurist, and former Lord Mayor of Adelaide

Stephen Yarwood is a renowned Futurist, highly respected Urbanist and the Former Lord Mayor of Adelaide. Serving as a catalyst for change for both corporate and community organisations, his passion extends beyond envisioning the future; he educates, motivates and empowers people to shape it.

With a strong skill set in cross-disciplinary strategic foresight, Stephen is deeply fascinated by the dynamic interplay between people, places, technology and change. Recognised as an international thought leader on "the future citizen," Stephen is committed to collaborative leadership that aids corporate and community leaders in navigating the rapidly changing and complex social, environmental, and economic landscape, allowing them to explore possible futures and create preferred outcomes.

Stephen has a Bachelor of Arts in Planning, Graduate Diplomas in Regional & Urban Planning and Environmental Studies, an MBA from Adelaide University and is an award-winning Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia.

He has a wealth of international experience working around Australia and in NZ, Asia, the Middle East and North America. He has been on a global advisory board for Airbnb, worked on mega projects in Saudi Arabia and provided keynote presentations to over 150,000 people in the last 10 years in several countries.

During his time as Lord Mayor (2010-2014), his emphasis on collaboration with the private sector and State Government delivered many outcomes and saw Adelaide recognised internationally as an innovative destination by Lonely Planet, National Geographic and The New York Times.

Prior to being Lord Mayor, Stephen worked in the South Australian Government and Parliament, in Local Government, and internationally as a planner, researcher, educator and speaker. His planning experience is exceptionally diverse; from strategy to implementation on many large projects dealing with most land use types and a diverse range of environment, economic, community, design and development issues.

Headshot of Cliffy 'Tangku Munaitya' Wilson
Cliffy 'Tangku Munaitya' Wilson
A proud Kaurna, Narungga, Ngarrindjeri, Ngadjuri and Arrente Man
Headshot of Hon Susan Close MP
Hon Susan Close MP
Deputy Premier of South Australia

Susan Close is the Deputy Premier of South Australia and the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water; Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science; and Minister for Workforce and Population Strategy. 

Susan has been the Member for Port Adelaide since 2012. 

Before entering parliament, Susan was an executive in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and played a key role in the establishment of the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary as a community advocate. She previously worked at the University of Adelaide managing student services and holds a PhD from Flinders University.

 

Keynote speakers

Professor Cheryl Desha
Professor Cheryl Desha FIEAust CPEng EngExec NER
Science and Innovation Director, Natural Hazards Research Australia

Professor Cheryl Desha is the Science and Innovation Director at Natural Hazards Research Australia. Cheryl has a long history and interest in sustainable development, disaster resilience and decision support. Previously leading the resilient infrastructure and communities research group within the Cities Research Institute, she founded Griffith University's Disaster Management Network and established a Disaster Resilience Management Facility to support the government's state disaster centre.

Cheryl also co-founded the Queensland Disaster Research Alliance of seven universities to improve the extent and calibre of multi-university disaster research. Cheryl is passionate about being 'ahead of ready'– empowering resilient and regenerative communities through evidence-based, locally-relevant action.

 

Headshot of Professor Mark Howden
Professor Mark Howden
Director of the ANU Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions and Vice Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Prof Mark Howden is Director of the ANU Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions, a Vice Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Chair of the ACT Climate Change Council and contributes to several other major national and international science and policy advisory bodies. 

Mark has worked on climate variability, climate change, innovation and adoption issues for more than 30 years in partnership with many industry, community and policy groups via both research and science-policy roles and is a high profile public communicator. He helped develop the national and international greenhouse gas inventories that are a fundamental part of the Paris Agreement and pioneered sustainable ways to reduce emissions. 

He has been a major contributor to the IPCC since 1991, with a record number of roles across all four dimensions of the IPCC: climate science, impacts and adaptation, mitigation and GHG inventories, sharing the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with other IPCC contributors and Al Gore. 

Headshot of Simon Kuestenmacher
Simon Kuestenmacher
Director and Co-founder, The Demographics Group

Simon Kuestenmacher is a Director and Co-founder of The Demographics Group. He presents on demographic and global trends that are shaping Australia today and into the future and his observations are enjoyed by corporate, government and industry audiences alike. 

Simon is a columnist for The New Daily newspaper and a regular contributor to The Australian newspaper; and he is a media commentator on demographic and data matters. 

In his spare time Simon has authored three books on maps and runs what is by now the world’s largest X (formerly Twitter) account dedicated to maps and data. His social media posts reach more than 35 million people every month. Simon ranks as one of the world’s top 10 influencers in data. 

Headshot of Associate Professor Anita Parbhakar-Fox
Associate Professor Anita Parbhakar-Fox
Group Leader - Mine Waste Transformation through Characterisation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, University of Queensland

Associate Professor Anita Parbhakar-Fox is a Principal Research Fellow in Applied Geochemistry at the W.H. Bryan Mining and Geology Research Centre within the Sustainable Minerals Institute and the founding leader of the Mine Waste Transformation through Characterisation (MIWATCH) group. Anita's research is focused on mine waste characterisation to improve mine planning and waste management practices where she has worked with mining industry, METS sector and government stakeholders. 

Most recently, Anita is leading government and industry funded projects characterising a range of mine waste materials across Australia to evaluate their economic potential with a focus on critical metal recovery. 

Anita is an Australian ‘Superstar of STEM’ and a twice winner of the IOM3 Materials World Medal.  

 

Speakers

Headshot of Bernadette Foley
Bernadette Foley FIEAust CPEng EngExec NER 
Acting Chief Engineer, Engineers Australia

Bernadette Foley was appointed Acting Chief Engineer in March 2024. Bernadette first joined Engineers Australia in 2019 as the Head of Accreditation. She has been General Manager of Professional Standards since 2021.

Bernadette is a civil engineer with more than 30 years of experience across industry and education in Australia and the UK. Her technical expertise is in urban concept planning, water resource management and sustainability. Prior to joining Engineers Australia, Bernadette was the Associate Dean (Curriculum and Accreditation) in the Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Adelaide.

Bernadette has a background in engineering education, including curriculum reform, improving educational outcomes and graduate employability, improving professional standards and strengthening connections between academia and industry. She was an International Engineering Alliance working group member for the 2021 review of the international Graduate Attributes and Professional Competencies for the engineering profession.

Bernadette holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) with First Class Honours and a Graduate Certificate in Education (Higher Education) from the University of Adelaide. 

Program

The CSE25 technical and plenary program will be released later in 2025. Stay tuned for more information. 

Program

  2.00–5.00 pm
Pre-registration
  7.30–8.45 am
Registration
  8.45–11.00 am
Plenary session 1: Resilience, disaster recovery, adaptation
  11.00–11.30 am
Morning tea
  11.30 am – 1.00 pm
Technical session 1
  1.00–2.00 pm
Lunch
  2.00–3.30 pm
Technical session 2
  3.30–4.00 pm
Afternoon tea
  4.00–5.00 pm
Plenary session 2: Circular economy
  5.00–6.30 pm
Networking function
  7.30–8.45 am
Registration
  8.45–10.30 am
Plenary session 3: Workforce
  10.30–11.00 am
Morning tea
  11.00 am – 12.15 pm
Plenary session 4: Energy transition
  12.15–1.10 pm
Lunch
  1.10–2.40 pm
Technical session 3
  2.40–3.10 pm
Afternoon tea
  3.10–5.00 pm
Technical session 4 and conference close
Location

The Climate Smart Engineering Conference (CSE25) will be held in Adelaide, Australia at the Adelaide Convention Centre. Renowned for its commitment to sustainability, the venue integrates eco-conscious practices into every aspect of its operations – from innovative design and locally sourced cuisine to environmentally responsible procedures. The Adelaide Convention Centre is also highly accessible, ensuring a welcoming experience for all visitors. 

Find us

Adelaide Convention Centre
North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5000

Transport

When attending CSE25 please consider sustainable transport options such as walking or utilising convenient public transport options rather than driving. Visit Adelaide Metro to find out about Adelaide’s public transport options or Adelaide Convention Centre for more options.

Adelaide river with rotunda in foreground

Adelaide

Adelaide’s ‘city in a park’ is the perfect example of a sustainable business event destination. With the goal of achieving 100 per cent renewable energy by 2027, South Australia is a global leader in decarbonisation, with 75 per cent of its energy coming from renewable sources. In Adelaide, you’ll enjoy a clean, green and walkable city with cultural institutions, shopping, an enviable variety of renowned restaurants and wine bars and a fun laneway culture to explore. 

There is so much more to see and do in South Australia. Extend your stay in one of South Australia’s beautiful wine regions, sample the outback in the vast landscape of the Flinders Ranges, take a short flight to Port Lincoln – the seafood capital of Australia, or indulge in a luxury escape on the world-renowned Kangaroo Island. You’re never too far away from your next adventure.

Learn more

 

Principal partners
Sponsorship

Unique opportunities exist to explore new markets and strengthen your brand presence at CSE25.  Choose a package that best matches the marketing strategy of your company.  

Benefits of sponsorship include:

  • elevating your organisation's visibility
  • showcasing your commitment to engineering 
  • enhance awareness of your brand
  • highlighting your products and services to a diverse audience. 

For information on sponsorship opportunities or tailored packages, contact:   

 

Principal partners