Ashleigh Kathryn Smith

18 Esher Street, Tarragindi, Brisbane, QLD

[M] 0408 420953
[E] ashleigh.smith4@griffithuni.edu.au
[L]https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=327736991

Tertiary Qualifications: Double Degree with Honours.

Double degree in a Bachelor of Urban and Environmental Planning (with honours) and a
Bachelor of Science (Environment), Majoring in Natural Resources and Pollution, Griffith University.
Honours Thesis; Transition towards renewable energy at local government level.
Grade Point Average: 6.14 (out of 7.0), distinction average.
th
Graduate: Complete studies 30 September, 2015. Officially graduate early November, 2015.
Key subjects:
Geographic Information System
(6, distinction)
Hydrology
(7, high distinction)
Wetland Systems
(7, high distinction)
Land degradation and Catchment Management
(6, distinction)
Key Skills:
Excellent verbal and written communication skills/ ability to apply these within a multidisciplinary team.
Leadership skills as well as enthusiasm and passion for environmental conservation
Ability to combine scientific understanding with my knowledge of how planning instruments can be
appropriately applied to achieve planning outcomes. I am also able to think objectively.
Team work approach as well as strong people skills.
Resilience and ability to embrace and adapt to change.

Career Objective:
My career objective is to develop my passion for the conservation and protection of Australias natural
environment (particularly soil, air and water) into my career path. I would be an asset to Murrumbidgee
Irrigation Ltd, as I have the unique ability to combine my scientific understanding of contaminated land
and natural resources management, with my knowledge of how planning instruments can be
appropriately applied to achieve the desired policy outcomes. My inter-disciplinary skills and experience
will enable me to enhance communication between the planning and environment teams in order to
improve existing policy and program outcomes for a cleaner environment and sustainable community.

Professional Work History:

2015:
Brisbane City Council- Development Assessment South Team/ Planning Information Office
Key Responsibilities:
Providing planning advice to the general public (PIO team).
Experience in referring to sections of Brisbane City Plan 2014 and Neighbourhood Plans.
Submission summaries.
Conducting Development Assessment history searches.
Conducting code assessments, such as; multiple dwelling, community facility code, biodiversity code
and open space zone code.
Attended various meetings such as; pre-lodgement meetings, negotiations of conditions and internal
meetings regarding air quality.
Analysing gecko and interactive mapping for; zoning, neighbourhood and local plans, overlays, PIP/
TRUNK infrastructure and NALL vegetation.
Generating a planning portfolio, conditions package and an information request.
Key Skills relevant:
Ability to interpret and apply the planning scheme to individual community enquiries.
An understanding of how planning instruments can be appropriately applied to achieve a desired
outcome; as well as
An understanding of the public consultation and community engagement processes.

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2014-2015:

Griffith University Course Tutor, Environmental Planning and First year Student Success Tutor,
Brisbane, QLD (10 months)
Key Responsibilities:
Preparing and facilitating studio workshops for Environmental Planning studio.
Correcting/ grading students work and providing feedback.
Providing guidance and instruction to students during class activities.
Liaising with teaching team.
Key Skills relevant:
Ability to lead a group of individuals and offer them direction on challenging issues presented.
Further developed my strong people skills as well as my presentation and communication skills.
Further developed my resilience and ability to quickly adapt to change when required.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
2013-2014:
Environmental Technician, Coffey Environments, Site Assessment and Remediation (14 months)
Key Responsibilities:
Assisting with the preparation of an environmental social plan for the Coffey Environmental and Social
Impact Assessment (ESIA) team, Brisbane.
Writing Phase 1 SAR Reports (contaminated land report) and compiling Phase 2 SAR Reports.
Conducting site history searches, aerials photograph searches, regional geology searches, DBYD
searches, regional hydrology searches, cadastral plan searches, site vegetation searches as well as
EMR and CLR searches. This enables targeted onsite sampling regimes.
Field work; Conducting Ground water monitoring events (GMEs), soil sampling and validation
sampling, including organising equipment and documentation required to conduct field work.
WHS Asbestos report writing for the Victorian Education Department (for Coffey Environments
Melbourne Team).
Preparing proposals and notifying clients of the outcome from site investigations conducted.
Use ESDAT to convert laboratory results into usable format for report writing and analysing anolyte
results against relevant legislation in order to make recommendations for future site use, as well as;
Writing a journal article on site remediation procedures.
Key Skills relevant:
Further developed my communication skills and ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team.
Demonstrated my ability to adapt to change i.e. if a client changes the project requirements.
Further developed my written communication skills i.e. writing contaminated land reports for a client.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Jan 2013:
Office of Environment & Heritage, Contract Work through Griffith University; Gunnedah (1 month).
Key Responsibilities:
Developing a user manual to assist Natural Resources Managers to remain up to date with the status
of soil erosion in their NRM region.
CODII is a soft-ware which enables Australian Natural Resource Managers to monitor, understand
and reduce soil erosion within their natural resource area. It allows users to access data showing the
concentration of dust from 40 dust watch monitors located throughout New South Wales, South
Australia and Western Australia.
Key Skills relevant:
Increased public awareness of Australias environmental issues, such as soil erosion.
Further developed my interdisciplinary skills by working with soil scientists and environmental experts.
Ability to communicate key messages to the community and natural resource managers.
Ability to embrace change whilst working in a new environment (Gunnedah).

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Dec 2012:
Strategic Planning work experience; Tamworth Regional Council, N.S.W (2 months).
Key Responsibilities:
Assisting my team write a heritage planning report.
Attending and observing community engagement meetings and internal meetings; as well as
Providing written responses to submissions made by residents.

____________________________________________________________________________________

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July-Nov 2012: Intern with Griffith University Atmospheric Research Centre (Dust Watch); Brisbane, QLD
Key Responsibilities:
Education and research assistant developing products to be disseminated to organisations and
community partners to increase public awareness of Australias soil erosion problem.
Skills developed include: learning how to build a new website and communicating scientific messages
to Natural Resource Managers and the general public.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Nov 2011
XSTRATA Vacation program; Environmental Advisor; Mount Isa, QLD (3 months)
Key Responsibilities:
Completing I.D.A.S applications to rezone land to allow for the installation of additional air quality
monitors in the Mount Isa township
Assisting in the completion of environmental social reports and air quality assessments.
Worked in a team to rehabilitate a diamond drilling site
My main project was to work with two engineering-geologist teams to develop a National Pollution
Inventory (NPI) sampling program and safe work risk assessment for the Black Star Open Cut Mine.
Conduct remote bore, water and sediment sampling; this involved driving to remote locations using
GPS co-ordinates, collecting samples, completing the chain of custody form (COC) and preparing
samples as specified by a NATA accredited ASL lab before sending them away for analysis.
Key Skills relevant:
Demonstrated resilience and ability to embrace change when relocated to Mount Isa for 3 months.
Demonstrated ability to communicate well within a multi-disciplinary team and achieve set objectives.
______________________________________________________________________________________________

Community Involvement:
2014-2015:

Griffith University Urban Planning first year mentor:

Assisting first year Urban and Environmental planning students adjust to university life.

July- Nov
2013:

Griffith University Buddy program mentor:

Assisting incoming international students transition into the Australian University system and the
Australian way of life by providing academic and social support on a weekly basis.

Feb 2011June 2012:

Volunteer member of Griffith University Residential Committee for KGBC:

My position was as a Block Representative, this involved being an active leader, assisting younger
students through their transition into university life, as well as assisting run numerous events.

May 2009:

Design and implementation of community fund raising events, such as Medic Malawi (raising
money to build a school in Malawi, Africa) -Wrekin College, England.

Achievements:
2015:

Soil Science Australia Membership Bursary; Academic excellence

2012/13/14:

Griffith Award for Academic Excellence

Awarded to the top 5% of students who obtain a cumulative GPA of >6.0 for that academic year.

2013:

Academic Exchange; 6 month university study exchange program at the Univerity of Life Sciences
(BOKU), Vienna, Austria.

2013:

Member of Golden Key International Honours Society; academic excellence.

2011:

Griffith Academic Award; Highest academic grade for environmental planning cohort: first year.

2009:

Gap Year Abroad; Working Gap Year at Wrekin College, Shropshire, England - Teachers assistant.

2008:

Nominated for HSC D&T Express; My work was one of the Top 30 design works from NSW.

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Professional Membership:
Student member of the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA)
Soil Science Australia
Australasia Land and Ground water Association (ALGA)
Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand (EIANZ)

Professional Skills and Attributes:

Strong verbal, presentation and written communication skills;
I have a distinction average in all of my written University reports and oral presentations.
Developed through environmental report writing in industry employment and university courses.
Well-developed research skills
Developed during work experience i.e. when creating an NPI sampling plan and rehabilitation plan for
Mount Isa mine, also when creating a user manual for the Office of Environment and Heritage.
Developed during five years of university study, particularly during my honours thesis.
Integrity
I approach all tasks with integrity as I am honest, reliable, respectful and trustworthy.
Teamwork/ strong people skills/ resilience and ability to embrace change
Fostered during vacation work in Mount Isa; i.e. as a team of three we worked together to conduct
remote water and sediment sampling to fulfil the mines sampling requirements in a limited amount of
time.
Fostered through living and studying in group work situations with people from various ethnic,
linguistic and cultural backgrounds (exchange, Vienna).
Fostered through working on 8 university group projects (received high/distinctions in all).
Excellent Time management skills
Demonstrated by maintaining excellent university marks whilst taking five subjects most semesters,
working, participating in volunteer work as well as maintaining a healthy sporting and social life.
Please refer to the online form for a list of referees.

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