About

I am an environmental anthropologist specializing in understanding complex human-environment relationships and working with communities to acheive inclusive, just and ethical socio-environmental change. I have considerable experience in applied environmental social science to support community engagement, wildlife conservation, natural resource management, climate adaptation and the adoption of sustainable technologies. I have held several research positions with the Queensland Government and the CSIRO, where I have explored the cultural aspects of drought adaptation in the Queensland grazing industry, best practice community engagement and knowledge adoption in agricultural extension programs in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, as well as a variety of other issues.

In my current position as a l Research Fellow at the Cairns Institute I work in the Stakeholder and Traditional Owner Engagement Sub-program of the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP) and the Crown-of-thorns Starfish (COTS) Control Innovation Program. I conduct ‘deep dive’ qualitative social research to gain a nuanced understanding of Reef communities' perceptions of and aspirations for reef adaptation and restoration.

My PhD research combined feminist theory, Science and Technology Studies, multispecies ethnography and more-than-human geography to explore the politics that arises when synurbic wildlife, which is wildlife that flourishes in the ecological niches created by cities and urbanisation, becomes a mundane part of everyday life in the city. My thesis focussed on three common Australian native animals in the city of Brisbane: Eastern water dragons, Australian white ibis, and three species of flying fox. As well as a PhD in anthropology, I hold a Master of Environmental Science, and degrees in biology and sociology. 

Interests
Professional
  • Social dimensions of coral reef restoration and adaptation
  • Human-wildlife conflict
  • Community engagement
Research
  • Human-environment relationships
  • More-than-human politics
  • Science and Technology Studies
Experience
  • 2020 - Lecturer in Geography, Australian Catholic University (Brisbane)
  • 2020 - Social science consultant, Self-employed (Brisbane)
  • 2017 to 2020 - Senior Social Scientist, Queensland Department of Environment and Science (Brisbane)
Research Disciplines
Socio-Economic Objectives
Publications

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Journal Articles
Book Chapters
Current Funding

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Great Barrier Reef Foundation - Crown-of-Thorns Control Innovation Program (CCIP)

Stakeholder perceptions and co-benefits

Indicative Funding
$144,000 over 3 years
Summary
This project will provide the first empirical examination of GBR stakeholder perspectives related to COTS and their management. It will leverage sociocultural research planned as part of RRAP, extending those stakeholder engagements and interviews to measure perceptions of acceptability, risks and benefits related to COTS control. It will also assess the regulatory and policy implications of selected novel control methods.
Investigators
Stewart Lockie, Victoria Graham, Gillian Paxton and Pedro Fidelman (Cairns Institute and The University of Queensland)
Keywords
crown of thorns

Great Barrier Reef Foundation - Crown-of-Thorns Control Innovation Program (CCIP)

Stakeholder perceptions of COTS management, socio-economic risks, opportunities and co-benefits

Indicative Funding
$488,144 over 3 years
Summary
The overarching aim of this project is to support the development and deployment of COTS management options that are perceived by the public and stakeholders as socially responsible and acceptable. Project objectives address public and stakeholder perceptions of COTS and COTS management, the distribution of social, economic and cultural opportunities and risks associated with COTS control, and the regulatory and policy implications of a limited number of novel control strategies including the use of semiochemical attractants. This research will be the first empirical examination of GBR stakeholder perspectives related to the species crown of thorns starfish.
Investigators
Stewart Lockie, Victoria Graham, Gillian Paxton and Pedro Fidelman (Cairns Institute and The University of Queensland)
Keywords
crown of thorns
Collaboration

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.

  • 5+ collaborations
  • 4 collaborations
  • 3 collaborations
  • 2 collaborations
  • 1 collaboration
  • Indicates the Tropics (Torrid Zone)

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