Robert Niven

Associate Professor Robert Niven is affiliated with the University of New South Wales, where he obtained his BSc (Hons) with the University Medal in Chemistry and Geology in 1991 and his PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering in 1998. At UNSW Canberra's School of Engineering and Technology, he served as Undergraduate Aeronautical Coordinator and Research Development and Mentoring Coordinator from 2016 to 2018. He coordinated and lectured numerous undergraduate courses in fluid mechanics, hydraulic engineering, environmental engineering, materials engineering, geology, soil mechanics, hydrology, contaminant hydrogeology, and nuclear engineering across Bachelor of Engineering programs in aeronautical, civil, mechanical, and naval architecture engineering, as well as Bachelor of Technology programs. Niven also delivered masters-level workshops and short courses in Bayesian inference to events such as the Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference Summer School and the American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics, and taught postgraduate courses in Maximum Entropy Analysis at institutions including the University of Copenhagen.

Niven's research focuses on thermodynamics and fluid mechanics, particularly entropic insights into dimensional analysis and flow systems, generalised conservation laws, and Lie symmetries; probabilistic inference in data science, including maximum entropy analysis and Bayesian inference applied to dynamical systems, flow networks, hydrological systems, and geological mineralisation; and environmental contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs), and heavy metals in subsurface soils, groundwater, surface waters, and the atmosphere. He has secured A$4.501 million in career research grants and fellowships, including the Churchill Fellowship (1998), Fulbright Professional Fellowship (2003), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Invitation Fellowship (2006), Marie Curie Incoming International Fellowship (2007-2008), Endeavour Executive Award (2010), Isaac Newton Institute Visiting Fellowship (2010), and multiple Invited Professor positions at French institutions. His publication record includes 4 books, 6 book chapters, 76 journal articles, 56 conference papers, 3 edited conference proceedings, 8 reports, and 1 patent. Niven holds key leadership roles as Elected Council Member of the Australasian Fluid Mechanics Society since 2021 and Founding Chair of its ACT Chapter since 2019; Founder and President of the MaxEnt and Bayesian Association of Australia since 2013; organizer of international conferences including AFMC 2024 and MaxEnt 2013; and Editorial Board Member for Entropy since 2007 and Stat since 2019. He has provided public commentary on PFAS contamination to an Australian parliamentary inquiry and expert opinions in NSW Supreme Court disputes.

Professional Email: r.niven@unsw.edu.au