What I do

Clear, proportionate advisory in complex environmental systems.

Strategic Subsurface Risk and Assurance

Independent technical review and assurance for conceptual and numerical models.

Planning and Regulatory Risk Interpretation

Translating groundwater and mine-water evidence into proportionate, defensible decisions.

Cross-Agency Alignment and Governance Design

Reducing friction where multiple organisations rely on the same subsurface interpretation.

Structured Technical Workshops and Alignment Sessions

Facilitated alignment sessions for complex, multi-disciplinary environments.

Services

Who I Work With

  • Asset owners managing complex subsurface and legacy risk

  • Infrastructure and energy teams delivering in geologically uncertain environments

  • Organisations navigating regulatory or cross-agency groundwater challenges

  • Technical teams seeking independent assurance at critical decision points

    • Selected Experience

    Complex subsurface programmes delivered across public sector, regulatory and international mining environments.

  • National resilience programme (groundwater and mine water)

  • International mining environments across varied climatic and geological settings

  • Public sector regulatory interface

  • Infrastructure and energy relayed subsurface advisory

    • RMS Studio

    Designed for geoscientists and professionals navigating complexity, uncertainty and multi-agency decision environments

    RMS Studio develops practical tools and training that strengthen how organisations use evidence under uncertainty.

    It exists because technical capability alone is rarely the constraint; shared understanding, decision clarity and governance literacy are.

    What Studio Produces

  • Structured decision tools that make uncertainty explicit and usable

  • Workshop formats that align multi-disciplinary teams around shared conceptual models

  • Applied governance frameworks that clarify roles, responsibilities and evidence confidence

  • Short-form professional training designed for real-world technical environments

    The first programme Systems Thinking for Geoscience launches in April 2026 with a pilot cohort.

    → Visit RMS Studio to learn more or sign up for early updates.

    • RMS Studio

    About

    Founder and Independent Hydrogeologist Rhiannon Marchi-Smith

    I’m an independent hydrogeologist working at the interface of science, regulation and infrastructure delivery. My work focuses on complex groundwater and mine-water systems where uncertainty, regulatory scrutiny and organisational boundaries intersect. I’m typically engaged at key decision points — when evidence exists but confidence is fragmented, assumptions need testing, or multiple stakeholders must rely on the same interpretation. With experience spanning consultancy, mining, national resilience programmes and international site work, I bring technical depth alongside an ability to structure conversations, clarify roles and strengthen governance around subsurface risk. Alongside advisory work, I develop applied systems thinking tools and training through RMS Studio, helping technical professionals use evidence more consistently in real-world decision-making.

    Stay informed

    Occasional updates on systems thinking, subsurface risk and forthcoming training.

    Thank You