Prof Buckley has headed the WASH R&D Centre (formerly, the PRG) since 1986. He is a chemical engineer and has spent his career as a contract researcher in the field of urban and industrial water and effluent management at the University of Natal and currently the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

The primary funding sources are the South African Water Research Commission, eThekwini Municipality, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Sasol and Umgeni Water. He has partnerships with many international research groups.