Richard Gijsbers

I am a consultant assisting organisations with strategic development and information management. This includes planning and developing strategic projects, conducting change management and advising on the use of information technology (including e-business, e-Learning and other things “e”). I also have a passion for pragmatic approaches to project-based management: ensuring that projects deliver effectively in an ever-changing environment.

I have had 25 years of experience in the Victorian public service working as a field forester and in policy development and planning. This has included being heavily involved in forest management planning and introducing GIS (effectively computerised mapping) to government planning.

I was a Visiting Research Fellow at both the Melbourne and Australian National Universities and have several years of community forest development experience in Nepal, India and Cambodia.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Forest Science, Melbourne University 1977
• Diploma of Forestry, Victorian School of Forestry, Creswick 1974

Science/Faith interests

I was brought up in a Christian family with an emphasis on making my faith real and relevant in my daily life. This is a constant challenge for me in my profession as I try to relate the teachings and example of Jesus to the modern challenges of adapting the new (particularly information) technologies and addressing the challenges associated with the way we live in and interact with the natural environment.

My particular interest is in responding to the environmental issues of our time; going beyond recognising the urgent need and working through how best we can respond in an effective, sustainable, responsible and fair manner.

Topics I can present on

I am available to talk on cultural change, community development, environmental change, and relating the challenges of Christ’s teaching and example to these situations.

Professional Associations

• Commonwealth Association of Forestry (www.cfa-international.org)
• Data Administration and Management Association (www.dama.org.au)
• ISCAST: Christians in Science & Technology (www.iscast.org)