Making communities safer through water knowledge and collaboration

Maryam’s STEM journey started early. Her parents instilling in her a determination to pursue engineering as a way to make meaningful impact has stayed with her throughout her life. Her own values of empathy and resilience, her care for communities, and her concern for climate impacts into her work, helping communities protect their livelihoods and infrastructure. Motivated by collaboration, she brings scientists and decision-makers together to develop real world solutions.

Dr Farzadkhoo cites the recent major flooding in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred to illustrate how working together is paramount to ensure local communities have access to timely and relevant data – information that can be life altering in a weather crisis. Her work is contributing to improving early flood warning systems empowering local authorities to take emergency responses at the right time.

“The most important thing in science and engineering is to have a strong, supportive network that fosters collaboration, innovation and inclusivity. In my work as a floodplain scientist, I engage with a diverse range of experts from engineers, hydrologists and policy makers to local communities. Solving these complex challenges wouldn’t happen without these collaborations.”

Left: 3D render of a topographic map of the Coral Sea with the clouds from 28 February 2025, showing category 4 severe Tropical Cyclone Alfred east of Australia. Source: iStock

From studying water quality in river communities to learning about fish migration and the overlap of engineering and biodiversity, Maryam is currently applying her knowledge of water flows to design flood prevention strategies. Floods are some of the most damaging natural hazards – now more than ever with climate change making extreme weather events a norm.

Maryam is also focused on opening doors for others around her.

She says that, “by fostering a culture of inclusion, we are ensuring that science is benefiting and that diversity is actually strengthening the quality of solutions.”

She is one of the very few women in water engineering, which drives her to create support networks and mentoring for others coming after her. She founded the Women of Water, affectionately known as WOW, within her NSW Government department.

“I saw a need to build a network.”

The Elevate: Boosting diversity in STEM Leadership Scholarship Maryam received from ATSE “was a turning point in my life.”

It ignited her sense of purpose and allowed her to build her skills as a leader – not just as an engineer but as an advocate for change. The scholarship has allowed Maryam to pursue an MBA at the intersection of science, engineering and innovation.

Science policy is central to her career aspirations. She has received mentoring from the Chief Scientist as Maryam becomes a more familiar face throughout the STEM ecosystem.

The power of the connections made through ATSE speak volumes on the impact and intention of the Elevate program..

Elevate is creating a robust network of STEM professionals capable of responding to the challenges we face with innovation, creativity and resources. It will create better social outcomes, environmental outcomes and community resilience.

Maryam is clear — knowledge sharing leads to more robust outcomes.

As she says, “It is crucial to uplift and empower one another – engineers and scientists from across the ecosystem. Excellence meets real world impacts when diverse voices are shaping the future of science policy and driving solutions to global challenges.”