Karlson 'Charlie' Hargroves 

A  graduate of the University of Adelaide in 2000, Charlie practiced as a Civil and structural  Engineer whilst volunteering extensively with sustainability related activities both locally and  globally with groups such as Young Engineers Australia.

Charlie has had a long-term commitment to sustainability, working on projects such as building homes in poverty-stricken areas of the Philippines (with Habitat for Humanity), running various sustainability based workshops and activities, and assisting in the set up of the International Young Professionals Foundation (which focuses on environmentally sustainable development) in which Charlie was the founding chief operations officer in 2002 and is currently President-elect.

Charlie is the co-founder and coordinator of a progressive project driven by young
engineers and scientists called 'The Natural Edge Project' (TNEP) and is on secondment to develop the project as the sustainability reTNEP is a multi stakeholder collaboration focused on an initiative to write an international publication bringing together Natural Capitalism (Amory Lovins et al) and Competitive Advantage of Nations (Michael Porter et al) with support from both, and many other leaders in the sustainability field globally. The book entitled ‘Natural Advantage of Nations’ will be complemented by a detailed database and a series of higher education modules suitable both for the university sector and for professional development.

The project receives strong support,regionally from the Institution of Engineers
Australia, IPENZ, CSIRO and RMIT and is internationally supported through partnerships with groups such as Rocky Mountain Institute. (Charlie and Mike Smith, the projects content coordinator, spent 3 weeks in May 2003 on study tour with RMI in Colorado), the UNEP International Environment Technology Centre, World Federation of Engineering Organisations, University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (ULSF) and many more active stakeholders both nationally and internationally. In addition, TNEP is working with the
Rocky Mountain Institute to develop a guide book on whole systems engineering design, assisting in the development of the Asia-Pacific UNESCO GHESP Network and developing a critical literacy's education module for engineers in sustainability with the Institution of Engineers Australia and the Australian Environmental
Engineering Society.