Expect the Unexpected

What a paddle. Steve Posselt left Canberra 15th January 2015 in his kayak and this photo was taken 10th October that year. It’s not about the paddle, although you will be gobsmacked when you see what it involved. It is the lessons learned. In his sixties, Steve was fascinated by the communication difficulties he encountered on his trip. It took four years and many conversations to understand what was being heard, as opposed to what was being said.

For the past two years he has been part of a small team developing sustainability training for all engineers. What was thought to be simple concepts proved very difficult to convey, even to other engineers. What was a 1 in 1000 year event when he trained as an engineer is now a 1 in 100 year event. This is so profound that his passion for water and its relationship with the land has taken second place to the existential crisis that confronts us.

Steve will take you on a journey, sometimes confronting, sometimes funny. At the end you will be left in no doubt as to where we are at and what we need to do.

About the Presenter

Steve Posselt is a civil engineer. He worked in the water industry in many different forms. He has owned his own successful manufacturing company, has served on many boards, is currently the chair of The Sustainable Engineering Society, has written two books, Cry Me a River and Trough Is Not Enough, is proud that people whom he considers to be real adventurers think of him as an adventurer and he is a grandfather which spurs him on to attempt to make the world safe for his grandchildren.