I began my professional career helping farmers reclaim drifting sand dunes in the South Australian Mallee, then moved to supporting groups in Victoria with activities as diverse as managing their creek frontages to maintain populations of Trout Cod, to fostering group management skills to maintain Landcare groups. A common thread throughout my agency employment was working with, and learning from, the people who manage the land. Indeed, as I learned more about environmental management I came to appreciate that humans are part of a complex, dynamic social-ecosystem.

Since commencing employment at CSU in 2004 both my teaching and research have centred on predominantly social aspects of this social-ecosystem. My research interests include regional scale adaptive management, and the related topics of participatory approaches and social learning. I am particularly interested in qualitative research approaches, including participatory and collaborative research which empowers communities. I also employ analysis of social discourse to better understand the rural societies in which we live.

• Adaptive environmental management
• Environmental sociology
• Rural sociology
• Social ecological systems
• Participatory processes, social learning and co-design