Alexandra Wawryk

Dr Alexandra Wawryk

Senior Lecturer

Adelaide Law School

Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics


Dr Alex Wawryk received First Class degrees in Economics and Law, and a PhD in Law, from the University of Adelaide. She is currently a senior lecturer at the Adelaide Law School in Mining and Energy Law, Environmental Law, Climate Change Law, Aboriginal Peoples and the Law, and Contract Law, and is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of South Australia.

Alex conducts research into various aspects of energy and natural resources law, including renewable energy law, petroleum regulation and environmental law. Her research into renewable energy and the law has focused on overcoming legal barriers to the development of renewable energy, while her research into mining and petroleum law is focused on environmental regulation of these industries.

Alex's research into renewable energy and the law has focused on overcoming legal barriers to the development of renewable energy. She has examined general instruments to encourage renewable energy in electricity generation in Australia, and conducted critical analyses of the States' planning systems in relation to wind energy, including offshore and onshore wind energy. Alex's early research in the field of petroleum law examined international environmental standards in the international petroleum industry. Following the Macondo well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, she has researched the changes to Australian and overseas petroleum regimes which seek to improve environmental protection and regulation, and the development of bilateral and regional principles to harmonize civil liability and compensation regimes for offshore oil pollution. Alex has also conducted research into environment protection and mining law in South Australia.

Alex is currently the Postgraduate Coordinator at the Adelaide Law School, and Co-director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Research Unit at the Adelaide Law School.

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2006 - ongoing Senior Lecturer University of Adelaide
    2004 - 2005 Lecturer Law School, University of Adelaide
    2002 - 2003 Associate Lecturer Law School
    1993 - 1994 Research Assistant South Australian Centre for Economic Studies
    1992 - 1993 Graduate Economist South Australian Treasury Department
    1992 - 1992 Graduate Economist Department of Industry, Trade and Technology
    1989 - 1989 Research Assistant Trade Practices Commission
    1988 - 1989 Summer Clerk Ernst and Young
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2013 Fellowship Barbara Kidman Women’s Fellowship The University of Adelaide - -
    2008 Scholarship Baker Scholarship in Law. Law School, University of Adelaide - -
    2003 Award Geoffrey Willoughby Prize Energy, Petroleum, Mineral and Natural Resources Law & Policy Education Trust - -
    2002 Award Bonython Prize for the Best Orginal Postgraduate Thesis University of Adelaide Law School, - -
    1997 Scholarship Australian Postgraduate Award - Australia -
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    1997 - 2000 University of Adelaide Australia Ph.D (Law)
    University of Adelaide Australia B.Ec (Hons) First Class
    University of Adelaide Australia LLB (Hons) First Class
  • Certifications

    Date Title Institution name Country
    Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice Law Society of South Australia -
  • Research Interests

  • 2023: DAFF, National Environment Science Programme, Identifying and overcoming barriers to coastal and marine habitat restoration and Nature based solutions in Australia.
  • 2023-24: Dept for Environment and Water, Navigating the legal regime for blue carbon projects in South Australia.
  • 2016-17, Member of the Academic Advisory Panel to the Leading Practice Mining Acts Review, South Australian government.
  • 2012: Consultancy, Stakeholder Democracy Network, Nigeria, co-funded by the UK and Nigerian government. Principles of Compensation for Loss and Damage Caused by Oil Pollution Damage.
  • 2003: Small Australian Research Council Grant. Designing a code of conduct for corporate social responsibility in the international oil industry.
  • 2003: Internal Grant Scheme. Analysing South Australia’s planning legislation as it applies to offshore wind energy, including a comparison with the new United Kingdom offshore planning regime.
  • 2002: Small University Research Grant. Analysing the effectiveness of the states’ legal frameworks for developing wind energy facilities.

Postgraduate Teaching

Senior Lecturer in, and Course Coordinator of, the following Masters courses:

  • International Energy Law: 2010, 2012, 2014.
  • Mining and Energy Law: 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015

 

Undergraduate Teaching

  • Environmental Law (Senior Lecturer and Course Coordinator): 2020-23, 2002-2006. Topics taught in this course include: international environmental law, including principles of international environmental law; environment and the common law; Constitutional issues; Commonwealth environmental regulation (Environment and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth)); planning law (Planning Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 (SA)); pollution control (Environment Protection Act 1993 (SA)); the conservation of natural resources (Native Vegetation Act 1991 (SA) and the Landscape South Australia Act 2019 (SA)); and the protection of Aboriginal cultural heritage (Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988 (SA)).
  • Mining and Energy Law (Senior Lecturer and Course Coordinator): 2004, 2017, 2019, 2023. Topics typically covered in this course include: mining and constitutional law; regulation of mineral development under the Mining Act 1971 (SA); mining and environmental protection law, including mining in protected areas; mining in the Woomera Prohibited Area; mining and Native Title; the regulation of deep sea mining and space mining; regulation of petroleum development under the Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Act 2000 (SA) and the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (Cth); principles of regulating electricity markets; renewable energy law and hydrogen regulation.
  • Climate Change Law, 2017-22 (Course Coordinator 2019)
  • Aboriginal Peoples and the Law (2022-23).
  • Biodiversity, Planning and Regional Australia Study Tour (2022-23).
  • Contract Law: 2003-2004, 2009-2012, 2014-22. Coordinator of Contract Law, 2014, 2015 and 2019.
  • Introduction to Australian Law: 2002, 2003.
  • Legal Research and Writing: 2002.

Guest Lecturing

University College of London (Adelaide Campus), International Energy Law, 2010, 2012-2015.

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2024 Co-Supervisor Using Conservation Covenants for Ecosystem Restoration & Climate Adaptation Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Mr Nate Gabriel Ames Camatta
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2017 - 2020 Principal Supervisor The Role of Legislation in Ensuring Sustainable Energy Development in Nigeria: Lessons from Kenya Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Mr Kamoru Taiwo Lawal
    2014 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Codifying Contract Law in Australia: Issues and Obstacles Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time John Anthony Eldridge
  • Position: Senior Lecturer
  • Phone: 83135021
  • Email: alex.wawryk@adelaide.edu.au
  • Fax: 83134344
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Ligertwood, floor 2
  • Org Unit: Adelaide Law School

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