Distinguished Laureate Professor Ravi Naidu has dedicated over three decades to research on contaminants and has developed extensive leadership and management expertise in environmental sustainability during this time. He earned his PhD and DSc in Environmental Science from Massey University in New Zealand. A former Chief Research Scientist at CSIRO's Land and Water Division, Professor Naidu has served as the CEO and Managing Director of crcCARE since 2005. He was also a Distinguished Professor of Environmental Remediation at the University of South Australia and, more recently, at the University of Newcastle. As a research professor, he has successfully supervised 70 PhD students to completion. Professor Naidu has co-authored more than 950 journal publications and co-edited 18 books in the fields of soil and environmental sciences. His contributions to environmental research have been recognized through prestigious awards, including the FAO of the United Nations World Soil Prize (the Glinka Award), as well as fellowships in numerous academies and societies.