Higher Degree Research candidate Emma Austin is investigating the environmental, social, health and economic effects of drought on rural communities in NSW. Led by a multidisciplinary supervisory team that includes hydroclimatology, social science, public health and rural communities specialisation, Emma is working towards quantifying the critical relationships between drought, wellbeing and adaptive capacity in rural communities. The aim is to provide new and detailed information that will inform public policy and facilitate climate change adaptation. Emma’s research will improve understanding of how we can collectively support rural communities to pro-actively manage climate variability and improve the wellbeing of rural residents impacted by drought.