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SHORT COURSE

CSARM Module B: Effective Site Assessment

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$ 2,000.00

START DATE

 09 April

MODE

 Mixed (online and in-person)

DURATION

 2.5 days

COMMITMENT

 Pre-readings + 2.5 days
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Lead Academic

Dr Sophie Wood

Dr Sophie Wood
CSARM Program Director

Sophie is a former NSW EPA and QLD accredited Site Auditor and is still a Certified Environmental Practitioner (Site Contamination Specialist) under the EIANZ scheme. She has a bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences, Geology (BA) from University of Cambridge, UK and a PhD (in geochemistry) from the University of Leeds, UK. With over 30 years’ experience in contaminated land and waste management consulting, Sophie has specialised in risk assessment for much of this time.

Prior to joining UTS in 2022, Sophie was a partner with ERM for 13 years. She was the lead author in the 2013 NEPM Schedules B4 (Site-specific risk Assessment) and B7 (Health-based Investigation Levels) and has worked on many major contaminated site projects including the Barangaroo site gasworks remediation, the remediation of the gasworks beneath the new Sydney Metro station at Central Station and for Western Sydney Airport. She is passionate about high quality teaching and learning and loves working with students to help them get the maximum benefit from their studies.

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Take the next step in your contaminated site assessment, remediation and management (CSARM) learning with this self-contained short course. You’ll explore the various stages of contaminated site assessment, from the development of conceptual site models (CSMs) and data quality objectives (DQOs) to the sampling design methodology and the acquisition of quality data.

About this course

This CSARM short course is the second in a series of five modules on offer through UTS Open. In Module B, you’ll work under the guidance of expert CSARM practitioners and academic specialists to explore the regulatory and practical drivers of effective and defensible contaminated site assessment. Course content covers:

  • The importance of sampling design in contamination assessment for a range of environmental media
  • Updates on new and planned guidelines
  • Current methods for investigation of soils, soil vapours and groundwaters
  • The role of the Site Auditor
  • How to develop and present useful conceptual site models
  • Understanding data quality objectives
  • Reporting of site assessment results with a particular emphasis on how to deal with uncertainties
  • Managing non-technical issues in contaminated site assessments.


This course is categorised as a short course on UTS Open however it meets the National Microcredentials Framework definition of a microcredential. Within the UTS Open site, we use a narrower definition of microcredentials as courses that align with subjects that form part of University of Technology Sydney award course structures. UTS Open short courses do not usually earn potential credit toward future postgraduate study, however there may be exceptions.

Key benefits of this course

In addition to building theoretical and practical CSARM expertise, this course will prepare you to:

  • Upskill or re-skill in this multidisciplinary field
  • Immerse yourself in the latest CSARM developments
  • Network with experts and other participants
  • Apply theory to practice during workshops and discussions.

Satisfactory completion of this course:

Digital badge and certificate

A digital badge and certificate will be awarded following the successful completion of any necessary tasks or assessments to demonstrate acquired learning of the short course or for meeting attendance and/or participation requirements.

Learn more about UTS Open digital badges.

Price

Full price: $2,000 (GST-free)*

Early bird price: $1,800 (GST-free)* available until Wednesday 26 March 2025 (AEDT). Use discount code CSARMEBB at checkout. 

*Price subject to change. Please check price at time of purchase.

Additional discounts for professional members and multiple module/learner CSARM enrolments are available for this course. For further details, please check the Discounts section under Additional course information.

Payment on invoice requests must be paid in full and reconciled by our Finance team before you can access your online course materials. Please make sure your invoice payments reference the UTS Open invoice number. You should also forward remittance advice to support@open.uts.edu.au for more efficient reconciliation.

Enrolment conditions

Course purchase is subject to UTS Open Terms and Conditions. 

COVID-19 response 

UTS complies with latest Government health advice. Delivery of all courses complies with the UTS response to COVID-19.

Additional course information 

Course outline

  • This is an intensive course for which you will need to do some preparation prior to attending.
  • The course is presented at UTS City campus, with simultaneous presentation via Zoom for online participants.
  • There will be recommended reading lists and occasional preliminary exercises that you will need to complete before the live lecture sessions - this material will be uploaded on the teaching and learning platform, Canvas, to which you will be given access on registration. The materials on this platform will be available for you two weeks prior to the start of the sessions so that you will have enough time to prepare. All presenters assume that you have completed this preparation.
  • You will also gain access to the lecture material (slide packs) shortly before the live lectures start.
  • During each day of the 2.5 day lecture course there will normally be four 90-minute presentations, with different experts presenting each session.
  • Between the lectures there will be tea and lunch breaks . The course is fully catered.
  • The lecture presentations are designed to be interactive. Questions from you are welcomed by the presenters as they provide the opportunity for the group to exchange experiences and discuss related issues.
  • All of our presenters use recent case studies to illustrate the concepts they present. Generally, real-life problems are workshopped in small groups so that you can apply the concepts yourself.
  • Through the preliminary readings, and lectures, workshops and group discussions you will gain the understanding of the appropriate application of acceptable site assessment methodology.

Specifically, you will learn about:

  • The regulatory guidelines as the drivers of effective site assessment
  • The elements of Preliminary and Detailed Site Assessment
  • The design and implementation of correctly developed CSMs and DQOs
  • The principles of field design and sampling
  • New developments and current trends in assessment approaches of contaminated sites
  • The variety and individual limitations of a range of site assessment approaches
  • The effective, defensible and reliable approach to the presentation of results of an investigation.

Course delivery

The course is delivered via lectures, workshops and panel discussions, giving you the opportunity to share your experiences with presenters and other participants.

Course learning objectives

By completing this course, you will:

  • Update your knowledge of current guidelines driving site assessment
  • Familiarise yourself with elements of preliminary and detailed site assessments
  • Understand the pivotal roles of CSMs and DQOs in assessments
  • Appreciate the variety of assessment methods used in a range of media.

Requirements

Online participants will need:

  • A personal computer with a web browser compatible with Canvas, Zoom and Microsoft Teams
  • Adequate internet access and sufficient software and bandwidth to support web conferencing. 

On-campus participants will need:

  • A personal computer with a web browser compatible with Canvas
  • Suitable clothing and footwear for the fieldtrip.

Discounts

Discounts are available for this course as follows:

  • Early bird until 26 March 2025 (use CSARMEBB): 10% discount 
  • Professional association membership e.g. ACLCA, EIANZ, Engineers Australia, Soils Science Australia: 10% discount
  • 2+ modules or 2+ learner enrolments in CSARM: 13% discount.

Discounts cannot be combined and only one discount can be applied per person per course session. Discounts can only be applied to the full price. Discounts cannot be applied to any offered special price.

How to obtain your discount code

Please email sophieann.wood@uts.edu.au with one of the below:

  • Your professional association organisation name and membership number
  • Details of your 2+ modules or 2+ learner CSARM enrolments.

How to apply your discount code 

  • Add this course to your cart. 
  • Click on "View Cart" (blue shopping trolley at top right of screen). You will need to sign in or sign up to UTS Open.  
  • Enter your eligible code beneath the "Have a discount code?" prompt and click on the blue "Apply" button.  
  • Verify your discount code has been successfully applied before clicking on the blue "Proceed to checkout" button. 

About the CSARM series

This course is one of five modules in the CSARM (Contaminated Site Assessment Remediation and Management) series.

Each course is a stand-alone module and does not necessarily require completion of other modules.

Courses can be studied in any order, regardless of the sequence in which they are presented over the year.

Contact us

For any questions on enrolment or payment, please email support@open.uts.edu.au  

For any questions about course content, delivery or progression, please contact the Course Coordinator, Dr Sophie Wood at sophieann.wood@uts.edu.au or on 0423 294 800.

Who is this course for?

This course is suitable for current and aspiring CSARM and related professionals, including:

  • Environmental scientists
  • Environmental engineers
  • Managers
  • Consultants
  • Local government officers
  • Anyone seeking certification as a consultant or site auditor
  • Anyone seeking a career change into CSARM or related professions.

   

Book a session

Wed 09 Apr 2025-
Fri 11 Apr 2025
Expert: Dr Sophie Wood
  • Participants will need to spend approximately 10-15 hours of self-directed online learning prior to commencing the course.
  • Mixed (online and in-person)
  • 3 sessions, 21 hours total
$ 2,000.00

Enrolments close at 11.59pm 7 April 2025 (AEST), or when all places have been filled, whichever occurs first. Note that invoices must be paid in full and reconciled by our Finance team before you can access your online course materials.

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Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.

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