Tree water use and amelioration of dryland salinity. Dryland salinity is a huge problem for large areas of Australia. One proposal for ameliorating dryland salinity is to plant trees in upslope sites in the landscape. Such planted forests reduce movement of water through the landscape, thereby reducing mobilisation and discharge of stored salts downslope onto agricultural and sensitive riparian areas. This project will investigate tree water use in a native forest, compare it with a planted fo ....Tree water use and amelioration of dryland salinity. Dryland salinity is a huge problem for large areas of Australia. One proposal for ameliorating dryland salinity is to plant trees in upslope sites in the landscape. Such planted forests reduce movement of water through the landscape, thereby reducing mobilisation and discharge of stored salts downslope onto agricultural and sensitive riparian areas. This project will investigate tree water use in a native forest, compare it with a planted forest in the same location and investigate fundamental relationships among climate, tree size, canopy area and water use. The outcome of this project is a deep mechanistic understanding of the efficacy of trees for salinity abatement.Read moreRead less
The skin of commerce: the role of plastic packaging in the construction of food security, waste and consumer activism in Australia. Plastic packaging has been important to ensuring food security in Australia, however it is also a major waste burden. This project will critically assess new approaches to reducing plastic packaging in food markets and waste streams and will produce key insights into how sustainable food systems can be organised with less reliance on plastic.
China’s changing internal migration: patterns, causes, policy implications. China’s massive internal migration is no longer simply rural–urban and circular but highly diversified. The project aims to unravel that transition: its patterns, causes, and effects. Using 2020 census data and major longitudinal datasets, a China variant of Zelinsky’s classic mobility transition theory will be developed and deployed to identify underlying mechanisms. Among expected outcomes are powerful methods for asse ....China’s changing internal migration: patterns, causes, policy implications. China’s massive internal migration is no longer simply rural–urban and circular but highly diversified. The project aims to unravel that transition: its patterns, causes, and effects. Using 2020 census data and major longitudinal datasets, a China variant of Zelinsky’s classic mobility transition theory will be developed and deployed to identify underlying mechanisms. Among expected outcomes are powerful methods for assessing spatio-temporal migration patterns and causes, applicable to many economies especially in the Asia–Pacific. Benefits should include a new evidence base for migration and related urban–rural policy in China; and for Australia, policy inputs to improve prosperity through better relations with our biggest trading partner.Read moreRead less
Asian Migration in the 21st Century: An Integrated Account . Migration is a defining issue of the 21st Century. Despite its significance, migration is poorly understood because different types of movement are conceptualised, measured and studied separately. This project aims to develop an integrated understanding of multiple forms of population movement in Asia incorporating both internal and international migration and temporary and permanent moves. It will establish the intensity, spatial patt ....Asian Migration in the 21st Century: An Integrated Account . Migration is a defining issue of the 21st Century. Despite its significance, migration is poorly understood because different types of movement are conceptualised, measured and studied separately. This project aims to develop an integrated understanding of multiple forms of population movement in Asia incorporating both internal and international migration and temporary and permanent moves. It will establish the intensity, spatial patterns and interaction between the different forms of migration for countries in Asia, and its impacts at origins and at destinations. The results are expected to provide significant benefits including a strong evidence base for the formulation of national and international migration policy in the 21st Century.Read moreRead less
From the Tap to the Bottle: an international study of the social and material life of bottled water. Water is a critical resource in Australia yet little is known about water in bottles. This project will be the first comparative study of bottled water marketing, consumption and disposal. It will make a significant contribution to national and international understandings of changing practices in the consumption of drinking water. The research will produce an analysis of the rise of the bottle i ....From the Tap to the Bottle: an international study of the social and material life of bottled water. Water is a critical resource in Australia yet little is known about water in bottles. This project will be the first comparative study of bottled water marketing, consumption and disposal. It will make a significant contribution to national and international understandings of changing practices in the consumption of drinking water. The research will produce an analysis of the rise of the bottle in relation to the tap. Specifically, how various anxieties associated with drinking tap water, in Australia and elsewhere, impact on bottled water consumption. The knowledge produced about bottled water collection, circulation and regulation will contribute to wider debates about sustainable water provision and access to safe water for all.Read moreRead less
Analysis and modeling of driving patterns for limited-range electric vehicles. The electrification of the personal transport sector seems to be only a matter of time. It is important to study and model the effects of this sector now, in order to recommend decision makers on issues like standardization and infrastructure planning. Understanding and being able to predict EV driving and charging patterns will allow us to provide planning assistance for:
· Effects of day-time dependent energy pri ....Analysis and modeling of driving patterns for limited-range electric vehicles. The electrification of the personal transport sector seems to be only a matter of time. It is important to study and model the effects of this sector now, in order to recommend decision makers on issues like standardization and infrastructure planning. Understanding and being able to predict EV driving and charging patterns will allow us to provide planning assistance for:
· Effects of day-time dependent energy pricing structure on EV charging behavior
· Optimal energy pricing to encourage off-peak charging
· Optimal number and location of EV charging stations
· Expected uptake of PHEV/EVs depending on petrol, electricity and conversion cost
· Expected additional energy demand for EVs and PHEVs with day-time energy usage pattern
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Work, life and sustainable living: how work, household and community life interact to affect environmental behaviours and outcomes. The project addresses the research priority of an environmentally sustainable Australia. It examines how the circumstances and interaction of work, home and community affect capacities to reduce negative environmental impacts especially workplace and household transport, waste, energy and water use practices. The project brings the changing configuration of work to ....Work, life and sustainable living: how work, household and community life interact to affect environmental behaviours and outcomes. The project addresses the research priority of an environmentally sustainable Australia. It examines how the circumstances and interaction of work, home and community affect capacities to reduce negative environmental impacts especially workplace and household transport, waste, energy and water use practices. The project brings the changing configuration of work to the fore, addressing a gap in current research. It examines the implications for environmental change of the temporal and spatial organisation of 'work-life', including analysis of socio-economic and gender differences, informing practice and theory about how workers, workplaces and households can change for the better, in the interests of a sustainable, socially inclusive society.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100695
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$449,335.00
Summary
Circular capabilities for living with obdurate waste. The circular economy is being promoted to resolve the looming materials crises created by excessive consumption. But circularity is still out of reach for much of the economy. The DECRA project aims to address critical questions of how to manage obdurate wastes that exceed circular economy models. Through an innovative critical social science approach, the project expects to advance knowledge on two stubbornly obdurate wastes – refrigerants a ....Circular capabilities for living with obdurate waste. The circular economy is being promoted to resolve the looming materials crises created by excessive consumption. But circularity is still out of reach for much of the economy. The DECRA project aims to address critical questions of how to manage obdurate wastes that exceed circular economy models. Through an innovative critical social science approach, the project expects to advance knowledge on two stubbornly obdurate wastes – refrigerants and plastic textiles, their latent capacities for circularity, and the policy framings required to achieve change. Expected outcomes include enhancing Australia’s capacity in developing more circular economies, and integrating these into the next generation of industry and environmental policies.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100119
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,218.00
Summary
Community Gardening in Australia: A Nationwide Study. By researching community gardeners’ experiences, food gardening media and government policies through digital and sensory ethnography, interviews and textual analysis, this project aims to produce a nationwide qualitative study of community gardening in Australia. The rise of community gardens is of major significance, emerging as it does out of a broader range of concerns over the environment, health and wellbeing, food security, social incl ....Community Gardening in Australia: A Nationwide Study. By researching community gardeners’ experiences, food gardening media and government policies through digital and sensory ethnography, interviews and textual analysis, this project aims to produce a nationwide qualitative study of community gardening in Australia. The rise of community gardens is of major significance, emerging as it does out of a broader range of concerns over the environment, health and wellbeing, food security, social inclusion, and community resilience. The intended outcomes of the project will provide an evidence base to enable the development of effective local, state and national policies on community gardening, and recommendations on how community, government, and media can work together to facilitate the expansion of sustainable lifestyles and wellbeing.Read moreRead less
How can communities sustainably manage coral reefs? This project is relevant to the National Research Priority: An Environmentally Sustainable Australia. Key outcomes will include:
- a better understanding the most effective co-management arrangements for coral reefs;
- an evaluation of whether Australia's co-management models have the design principles associated with long-term success; and
- new insights into the socioeconomic environments under which co-management may be an effecti ....How can communities sustainably manage coral reefs? This project is relevant to the National Research Priority: An Environmentally Sustainable Australia. Key outcomes will include:
- a better understanding the most effective co-management arrangements for coral reefs;
- an evaluation of whether Australia's co-management models have the design principles associated with long-term success; and
- new insights into the socioeconomic environments under which co-management may be an effective management option.
These outcomes will promote the sustainable use of Australia's biodiversity by strengthening the capacity of co-management institutions. This project will also promote Australia's research capacity by providing research funds for one PhD student and one Honours student.
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