Cheryl Desha is Theme Leader for the Cities Research Institute's 'Digital Earth and Resilient Infrastructure' research agenda (12 academics, 13 PhD candidates), and a professor within the School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University. 

She co-leads Griffith University's Disaster Management Network and directs the Disaster and Resilience Management Facility (DRMF) in Griffith’s newest 6-storey AUD$70 million building ‘N79: Engineering Technology and Aviation’. She also sits on the Queensland Disaster Research Alliance (QDRA) as Griffith University's representative. Cheryl was awarded Engineers Australia's Queensland’s Professional Engineer of the Year in 2021 and in 2020 was awarded the Queensland Government's Individual Champion of Change Award by the Inspector General Emergency Management.