Universities as entrepreneurial urban actors. This project aims to critically analyse the role of universities in shaping Australian cities. By mobilising a detailed case study approach, the project expects to generate new theoretical and applied knowledge about how universities influence the planning, built form and social and economic functioning of our cities. Anticipated outcomes include a clearer understanding of how universities configure their local environment, how they are mobilised wit ....Universities as entrepreneurial urban actors. This project aims to critically analyse the role of universities in shaping Australian cities. By mobilising a detailed case study approach, the project expects to generate new theoretical and applied knowledge about how universities influence the planning, built form and social and economic functioning of our cities. Anticipated outcomes include a clearer understanding of how universities configure their local environment, how they are mobilised within planning documents to achieve urban objectives and how land development is now a core activity for universities. This will bring significant benefits to urban planning and communities via policy recommendations outlining social and economic improvements related to university development.Read moreRead less
Socio-spatial implications of smart city development in India. The project aims to generate extensive new knowledge on the complex socio-spatial implications of smart city development; and the ways in which they have been further consolidated, expedited, and elevated in response to COVID, and to stimulate the pandemic-hit economies. It makes a significant contribution to smart urbanism discourse globally with a focus on equity and its special role at times of crisis. The outcomes include a Smart ....Socio-spatial implications of smart city development in India. The project aims to generate extensive new knowledge on the complex socio-spatial implications of smart city development; and the ways in which they have been further consolidated, expedited, and elevated in response to COVID, and to stimulate the pandemic-hit economies. It makes a significant contribution to smart urbanism discourse globally with a focus on equity and its special role at times of crisis. The outcomes include a Smart City Roadmap for advising diverse stakeholders on how to negotiate for and build inclusive smart cities - with significant benefits in strengthening existing, and building new connections between India and Australia in an area of bilateral national significance.Read moreRead less
What is successful public art today?: exploring how contemporary public art and memorial design shapes public engagement, perceptions and behaviour. Much public money is invested in public art and memorials. The research explores critical questions of value: what the public enjoys about such artworks, if and how artworks contribute amenity to public spaces, and whether recent artworks engage effectively with social memory, identity and politics. The research situates local practice within intern ....What is successful public art today?: exploring how contemporary public art and memorial design shapes public engagement, perceptions and behaviour. Much public money is invested in public art and memorials. The research explores critical questions of value: what the public enjoys about such artworks, if and how artworks contribute amenity to public spaces, and whether recent artworks engage effectively with social memory, identity and politics. The research situates local practice within international trends, to inform Australian designers, policymakers, art patrons and public space managers about recent innovations in technology, craft, creativity and critique, so they can create and choose public artworks and memorials which engage with the potentials of contemporary arts practice, the complexities of contemporary culture, and the diversity of social behaviour in public spaces.Read moreRead less
Generating evidence for nature-based strategies to reduce loneliness. While loneliness and despair are reportedly increasing due to social and economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, governments are investing in urban greening. This project aims to help steer greening strategies to reduce loneliness and despair, to enable recoveries from COVID-19 that are more sustainable, equitable and nourishing. This project will: (1) engage with leading scientists within and outside Australia to f ....Generating evidence for nature-based strategies to reduce loneliness. While loneliness and despair are reportedly increasing due to social and economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, governments are investing in urban greening. This project aims to help steer greening strategies to reduce loneliness and despair, to enable recoveries from COVID-19 that are more sustainable, equitable and nourishing. This project will: (1) engage with leading scientists within and outside Australia to formalise my draft conceptual model of pathways linking urban greening with loneliness and despair; (2) test associations and pathways with multiple sources of nationally representative data; (3) supervise a mixed-methods PhD project; and (4) share findings for building up knowledge capacities and guideline development.Read moreRead less
Governing digital cities. This project will examine the relationship between private interests and urban governments that underpin Australia's transition to a digital economy. Drawing on international case studies, it will help to close the policy gap between digital infrastructure strategy and urban planning within Australian political debate.
Mapping China's urban crisis: the politics of land and resettlement. This project aims to examine the spatial, political, and social restructuring of the urban margins of Chinese cities by unravelling complexities and tensions involved in the recent rural settlement transition, during which numerous villages were demolished and converted into arable land.
Adapting for an uncertain future: farmer behaviour in water-stressed basins. Given the future risk of water scarcity, farmers will need to plan for greater farm-level adaptation. Drought and policy reform have inflicted significant economic, social and personal stress upon Murray-Darling Basin rural communities. This project aims to aid water managers and policy makers with a greater understanding of transformational farmer adaptation in order to plan for the economic, social and health impacts ....Adapting for an uncertain future: farmer behaviour in water-stressed basins. Given the future risk of water scarcity, farmers will need to plan for greater farm-level adaptation. Drought and policy reform have inflicted significant economic, social and personal stress upon Murray-Darling Basin rural communities. This project aims to aid water managers and policy makers with a greater understanding of transformational farmer adaptation in order to plan for the economic, social and health impacts of future water scarcity from climate change and water reform-related policies. The focus will be on the Murray-Darling Basin, as well as undertaking a comparative analysis with water stressed basins in the United States.Read moreRead less
School retention and second chance schooling. This project is concerned with ensuring that students who experience systemic disadvantage are not excluded from the benefits of a formal education. It provides an account and critique of the growth of second chance schooling options catering to such students in both Australia and the UK.
Roles of the kynurenine pathway in physiological and pathological brain function. This project will aim to study the metabolism of the essential amino acid tryptophan in the brain and its involvement in diseases including multiple sclerosis and brain tumours.
Integrating the conservation and ecosystem-service value of Australia's catchments. This project addresses the Priority Goal of Sustainable Use of Biodiversity by explicitly linking the intrinsic value of biodiversity and supporting ecosystems with the services they provide to humanity (e.g. carbon storage and nutrient cycling). It will employ a comprehensive, innovative approach to integrating conservation, market and non-market values of land holdings in Australia's catchments using the concep ....Integrating the conservation and ecosystem-service value of Australia's catchments. This project addresses the Priority Goal of Sustainable Use of Biodiversity by explicitly linking the intrinsic value of biodiversity and supporting ecosystems with the services they provide to humanity (e.g. carbon storage and nutrient cycling). It will employ a comprehensive, innovative approach to integrating conservation, market and non-market values of land holdings in Australia's catchments using the concept of nature's services. Through extensive collaboration among leading scientists and land managers, the project will identify sites of high value requiring special attention, yield important theoretical advancements to how we value ecosystems, and provide practical and easily applied guidelines for land managers. Read moreRead less