Griffith has a long-standing international reputation for excellence in environmental research since establishing Australia's first School of Environment 30 years ago.
Griffith's Australian Rivers Institute is home to more than 120 scientists and research students, making it the largest concentration of university-based water researchers in the country.
The Institute plays a leading role in managing water resources with a focus on freshwater, estuarine and urban water. Researchers help protect river and coastal ecosystems in Australia through major collaborations such as the $16 million Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge and the $50 million Urban Water Security Research Alliance.
Australian Rivers Institute researchers have developed a set of ecosystem health assessment tools for measuring conservation efforts adopted in producing the South East Queensland's annual Healthy Waterways Report Card.
They have also revolutionised work in wastewater testing and identified the key factors that cause poor quality in drinking water.
The University is expanding its water research capabilities by establishing an $18 million Queensland Smart Water Research Facility, which will provide Griffith researchers access to specialised laboratories.