Rob Brander

‘Your first emotion is panic’: rips cause many beach drownings, but we can learn from the survivors

11 Aug 2023

We can learn a lot about avoiding and escaping this natural hazard by asking survivors what being caught in a rip is really like.

person taking selfie on rocks close to waterfall

Dangerous selfies aren't just foolish. We need to treat them like the public health hazard they really are

06 Mar 2023

People have died taking selfies at cliffs, waterfalls and natural pools. We need to try a different approach to reducing the risk.

Surfer with a board going into the surf off rocks

'Drowning for love' – 5 ways to protect your life while you're trying to rescue someone in trouble in the water

11 Jan 2023

When a loved one is struggling in the water, you might want to rush in to save them. But make sure you stop and think or you could become the one in trouble.

A person wades into the water at a beach

'Swim between the flags' has been effective, but we need a new message for unpatrolled beaches

14 Dec 2022

Research reveals the reasons why people continue to swim at unpatrolled beaches, despite the warnings.

Life savers in a surf rescue boat attempt a rescue in rough surf

'It's not their fault': study highlights risk factors behind South Asian migrant beach drownings

27 Jan 2022

Beach safety education needs to be better targeted at multi-cultural Australian migrant communities if drownings are to be avoided.

A surfer waits for a wave at sunset or sunrise

Surfers the unsung heroes of beach rescues

30 Nov 2021

UNSW scientists will be assessing the role surfers play in rescuing swimmers in distress as well as their broader contribution to society in a world-first, global survey.

Battling the elements: 30 years of coastal fieldwork, in pictures

22 Oct 2020

Swimming away from sharks, defending a tent during mini-cyclone and being threatened with a pet dingo are all in a day’s work for Professor Rob Brander, coastal geomorphologist at UNSW Sydney.

Stampedes, sharks and cyclones: uncovering the adventures behind 50 years of coastal research

16 Oct 2020

A new collection of coastal research fieldwork stories reveals the exciting – and sometimes life-threatening – tales behind the science.

How coronavirus self-isolation fatigue may lead to more beach drownings this summer

03 Jul 2020

COVID-19 is changing the dynamics of people swimming at beaches around the world, potentially making it more unsafe.

1 in 2 people in NSW’s coastal community don’t think sea level rise will impact them directly

07 Jun 2019

50% of surveyed NSW coastal users don’t think that sea level rise will impact them, a report into the NSW community’s views on coastal hazards shows.

Rob Brander

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