Maureen Papas

Maureen Papas serves as an Honorary Research Fellow at the UWA Law School, University of Western Australia, where she actively contributes to research and higher degree supervision. With a robust academic background including a PhD in Law, she specializes in international and comparative environmental law, with particular expertise in water governance frameworks and climate change adaptation strategies across national and transboundary contexts.

Her academic qualifications include:

• PhD in Law from Macquarie University
• Master of International Relations and Master of International Environmental Law from Macquarie University
• BA (Hons) from Macquarie University

Dr. Papas' research centers on freshwater conservation law, multi-level governance systems, and the critical intersection of climate policy with water management. She pioneers the application of the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus to overcome sectoral silos in environmental governance, emphasizing how scientific knowledge integration can drive effective policy formulation. Her work examines Australia's Murray-Darling Basin reforms while expanding to Asia-Pacific regional challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration.

Analysis of her 2017-2025 publications reveals consistent thematic evolution toward integrated resource management frameworks, with growing emphasis on the WEF nexus as a catalyst for transdisciplinary solutions. Her scholarship bridges legal theory and practical policy implementation, particularly in climate-vulnerable regions where water governance intersects with energy security and food systems.

Her recognition includes:

• Best Paper Award at the Fifth Annual International Conference on Sustainable Development (ICSD) 2017

Dr. Papas supervises PhD candidates at UWA while maintaining significant external engagements: Special Advisor for Sustainability at Pottinger (2015-present), Project Waterfall Board Trustee (2016-present), and Professional Agricultural Entrepreneur in South Italy (2023-present). Her 11 documented public engagements between 2017-2020 demonstrate active knowledge translation through climate adaptation workshops and water governance seminars targeting policymakers.

Her research operates at the nexus of academic inquiry and real-world application through partnerships with Project Waterfall and Pottinger, focusing on operationalizing the UN Sustainable Development Goals in water-stressed regions. Current projects integrate legal analysis with agricultural entrepreneurship to develop climate-resilient freshwater management models.