Professor Lex Brown from Griffith University’s School of Environmenthas received the prestigious Rose-Hulman Award for his international contribution to impact assessment.
Professor Brown travelled to Chile in April to accept the honour at the annual conference of the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA). The award acknowledges his work over ‘a sustained period through teaching, research and practice, with an emphasis in integrating assessment with planning and development’.
Impact assessment identifies the future consequences of a current or proposed action and IAIA is the leading global network on best practice in the use of impact assessment for informed decision-making regarding policies, programs, plans and projects.
With more than 1600 members from more than 120 countries, IAIA brings together researchers, practitioners and users of various types of impact assessment. Members include government and corporate planners, managers and administrators, public interest advocates, private consultants and policy analysts, university and college teachers and their students.
Professor Brown was recognised for his contribution to tertiary course development in environmental impact assessment (EIA); international EIA capacity building, especially in developing countries in Asia, the Pacific and sub-Saharan Africa; and his long-term support of EIA expertise in tertiary education and national institutions in developing countries and multilateral organisations. He has worked with groups including the World Health Organisation, United Nations and World Bank.
Having joined Griffith University in 1980, Professor Brown’s emphasis is integrated assessment, namely the adaptation of environmental assessment tools to effectively integrate with planning activities including project development, plan-making, policy development and international development assistance.
Head of the School of Environment, Professor Hamish McCallum, said the Rose-Hulman Award was an outstanding achievement for Professor Brown.