The Aquatic Environmental Stress (AQUEST) research group are leaders in research on stressors and pollution in waterways and their catchments, delivering science that supports the health of waterways, including wetlands, estuaries, rivers, and bays across urban and rural landscapes. The AQUEST team is a trusted collaborative research group with a strong history of providing science that informs waterway management, policies, decision-making, and practices to enhance waterway health, biodiversity, productivity, and environmental and industrial sustainability.
AQUEST has a proven track record of influencing policy through collaboration with government agencies. Our recent research has informed improvements in the EPA State Environment Protection Policy, Yarra River Action Plan, Port Phillip Bay Environmental Management Plan, Victorian Water Sensitive Urban Design guidelines, and has contributed to filling knowledge gaps and setting direction in the Healthy Waterways Strategy.
We respect client confidentiality and welcome inquiries from the community, traditional owners, private sector, and government agencies.
Contact aquest@rmit.edu.au for further information.
Let’s rethink how we manage PFAS pollution in Australia.
Read this new article in The Conversation penned by Dr Bhavna Middha (ARC DECRA Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University), Ralph Horne (Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research at RMIT University) and our very own Vincent Pettigrove comparing the approach Australia is taking with PFAS regulation compared to the Europe proposal:
Highlighting RMIT’s environmental science links between research and education read this article in COSMOS magazine.
While Vin is on a six-month secondment to RMIT Europe in Barcelona,
Dr Sara Long is very capably leading AQUEST. Working with our partners, delivering a range of project activities and outcomes, supporting staff and students.
Soon, Sara too will grow wings to present at SETAC Europe in Vienna, presenting research on revising the current Aluminium guideline thresholds and will see firsthand Vin's European endeavours. Drs Claudette Kellar and Jackie Myers will each step into the top job during this time, taking the opportunity to expand their leadership skills.
The AQUEST research group at RMIT University have a long-standing collaborative relationship with the Australian Federal Government’s National Measurement Institute.
More than just a commercial laboratory arrangement, this collaboration has seen:
See the latest waterway research from Melbourne Water research partners, featuring A3P. Information is also available in the individual project pages.
Find out more about our researchers and the work that they are doing.
Find out more about the journal articles, technical reports, and books we've produced about our research. For a copy, please email: aquest@rmit.edu.au
Meet our research team as they star in videos about topics close to our heart, share Webinars on Volunteer Training, Project Results videos and some “how-to” videos for pollution sampling.
For videos on our A3P research projects supports the Healthy Waterways Strategy in our region, go to: Melbourne Water Waterways and Research Annual Forums. Enjoy!
Follow us on LinkedIn: AQUEST@RMIT
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.
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