Dr Michael Mitchell is an Adjunct Research Fellow currently focused on adding publications to his growing body of literature exploring social dimensions of natural resource management.

From 2020 to 2024, Michael led an Australian government funded project in collaboration with partner agencies in Pakistan to explore strategies for building adaptive capacity with people managing and living in salinity affected landscapes of the southern Indus Basin. The project championed co-inquiry with farmers as a more effective means to create, sustain and scale out change.

From 2016 to 2020, Michael was employed on another Australian government funded project that aims to ultimately improve the lives of millions of people by tackling groundwater over-extraction in Pakistan. He also collaborated with Murray Local Land Services on a number of projects, including a novel way to undertake capacity needs assessment among community-based NRM groups.

From 2012-2015, Michael was employed as a Research Fellow with the National Environmental Research Program's Landscape and Policy Hub. His research involved applying social science theories and methods to improve regional-scale biodiversity assessment and planning in two case study sites – the Australian Alps (covering ACT, NSW & Vic) and Tasmanian Midlands.

From 2009-2012, Michael was a Research Fellow with the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training exploring social dimensions of groundwater management. The position also involved a project working with rural agencies seeking to enable resource-dependent communities determine transformational strategies in the face of major changes to their resource base.

Michael's doctoral dissertation (2005-2008) focused on sustainability reporting and the use of the 'triple bottom line' concept drawing on a case study with Murrumbidgee Irrigation.

• Participatory/ transdisciplinary research and social learning
• Resilience and social-ecological systems analysis
• Social dimensions of environmental management
• Governance and NRM
• Sustainability

External Appointments & Memberships:

• Friends of Nail Can Hill (coordinator)