Dr. Ainun Nishat is an Emeritus Professor at BRAC University and working as an adviser at the Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research (C3ER). He represented Bangladesh in numerous national and international bodies, including the United Nations Climate Change Conferences (CoP), Indo-Bangladesh Joint River Commission etc. Dr. Nishat has More than 40 years of academic and capacity development experience in the field of conservation of the environment, conducting training on climate change aspects, and regulatory reform; Skilled in communicating with different stakeholders from different cultural, professional, and social backgrounds (ministries, governmental organisations, non-governmental organizations, international organisations, SMEs, and large businesses) in different languages (English, Bengali); Organisational skills and Competencies Strong capacity for interdisciplinary and analytical thinking acquired in doctoral research and studies of civil engineering, water resource, and climate change in different cultural settings. As a Chair of the Advisory Group, he will ensure the role amp; responsibilities of all other technical advisors.
Prof. Nishat earned his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from BUET in 1969. After graduating, he joined the Water Development Board of Bangladesh as an Asst. Engr. Later, in 1972, he joined the Department of Civil Engineering, BUET as a lecturer. After establishing the Department of Water Resource Engineering (WRE), he joined it as a faculty member in 1975. He completed his master’s in 1975 He went to the UK on a Commonwealth Scholarship and earned his PhD from the University of Strathclyde in 1981. He became a full professor in the Dept. of WRE in 1985. He retired from BUET in 1998 and worked as the Country Representative for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In 2010, he was appointed Vice-Chancellor of BRAC University, where he served till 2014.
As an academician and researcher in BUET, Prof. Nishat taught courses on hydrology, irrigation, flood control, river engineering, and water resources project planning. In his teaching, he brought social, institutional and technical considerations in water resources management and emphasized on sustainability issues. Under his leadership, the Institute of Flood Control and Drainage Research (Currently IWFM) was set up as a full-fledged institute in BUET, which is now established as a premier organization for advancing knowledge and developing human resources in water and flood management.
Besides working at various projects for the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNDP and other international and inter-governmental organizations; he has a close association with leading NGO’s in Bangladesh. Before joining BRAC University, he was a Member of the Governing Body of BRAC. He was Adjunct Professor at the Institute of Natural Resources Management, University of Manitoba, Canada; IHE, Delft, The Netherlands; Bangabandhu Sheik Mujubur Rahman Agriculture University.
He is a key member of the Climate Change Negotiation Team for Bangladesh and has represented Bangladesh at the United Nations Climate Change Conferences (CoP) since Bali, Indonesia at CoP 13 till today. He is also a member of the Compliance Committee of the Kyoto Protocol of the UNFCCC since 2006. He was a key member of experts that prepared the National Adaptation Program of Action (NAPA-2005), Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP 2008 and 2009) and also was one of the Lead Authors of Working Group-II of IPCC in preparation of the Third Assessment Report. For decades, he has worked as a catalyst, advocate, educator, and facilitator, championing Bangladesh’s wise use of natural resources and sustainable development. Currently, focus of his research is in the area of adaptation to climate change and related policy advocacy.
As an academician, researcher, environmentalist and water resource management specialist, Prof. Nishat authored more than fifty research articles, papers etc. at national and international level.