Trish Kerin, a process safety expert and Chemical Processing columnist, has been named a finalist for the Risk Engineer of the Year award from the Risk Engineering Society, a technical group within Engineers Australia, the country's national engineering professional organization.

Kerin has worked in process safety for 25 years, with experience spanning engineering, operations, leadership, education and risk management. Her work focuses on helping organizations identify and manage hazards associated with major industrial processes.

Kerin was the inaugural director of the IChemE Safety Centre, an industry consortium established by the Institution of Chemical Engineers to advance process safety. She spent 11 years leading the center, developing and expanding its process safety framework as membership grew from six founding organizations in Australia to more than 120 organizations across six continents.

Her work has included developing industry guidance, risk assessment approaches, lessons-learned resources and educational materials. She has placed particular emphasis on identifying and responding to "weak signals" — early indications that conditions within a complex system may be changing.

Kerin developed the Platypus Philosophy, an approach for helping organizations recognize and respond to weak signals before they contribute to more serious incidents.

She also has contributed to engineering education and professional development, authoring more than 35 published articles, contributing to the OHS Body of Knowledge and speaking at engineering and safety conferences. She has mentored engineers and safety professionals and has participated in STEM outreach to students.

Her professional service includes seven years as an industry representative on the WorkSafe Victoria Major Hazards Advisory Committee, which advises Australia's Victoria state workplace safety regulator on major-hazard issues. She later served as the committee's independent chair. She also served six years on the NOPSEMA Advisory Board, supporting Australia's national offshore energy safety and environmental regulator.

Kerin's previous honors include the Trevor Kletz Merit Award, Women in Safety Network Leader of the Year and the John A. Brodie Medal. In 2025, the Process Safety with Trish and Traci podcast, which she co-hosts with Chemical Processing Editor-in-Chief Traci Purdum, received a Jesse H. Neal Award for Best Podcast.

Kerin also writes the Stay Safe column for Chemical Processing, where she regularly addresses process safety practices and lessons for chemical industry professionals.

The Engineers Australia Risk Engineer of the Year award recognizes professionals who demonstrate technical expertise and practical application in risk identification, analysis and mitigation, as well as leadership in safety, assurance and risk culture.

Local winners of the 2026 Engineers Australia Excellence Awards, including the Risk Engineer of the Year, are scheduled to be announced between Sept. 10 and 18, with finalists and winners recognized at the Engineers Australia Excellence Awards Gala Dinner on Nov. 12 in Melbourne.