When Science Gets Lost in Translation: Why Your CSM Matters More Than You Think

As environmental practitioners, it’s easy to forget that science is its own language, but who pays the price when things get lost in translation? A poorly constructed or communicated conceptual site model (CSM) isn’t just bad science, it leaves clients exposed, off-site receptors at risk and communities uninformed about the pathways that may affect their health, their property, and their livelihoods.

This presentation discusses what makes a CSM effective and how it’s a critical tool for identifying and communicating risk, informing remediation pathways and building trust with the client, regulator and community. By drawing on some of the industry’s most costly failures, both in Australia and internationally, Allison made the case that the gap between what is known and what is communicated is where projects go wrong, where trust breaks down, and how it can lead to financial and reputational damage. The science is only as good as the story you tell with it.