About me

I am an economist focussed on the interactions between economic development, climate change, poverty, energy and conflict. I also have a strong interest in the political forces impacting on the poor and the oppressed, the legal underpinnings of economic systems, the roles of religion and spirituality in development and ‘meta-issues’ such as the philosophies of science and religion, how to understand complex systems, and how to work with so-called ‘wicked problems’.

I trained originally with a Bachelor of Science in geology and chemistry, then completed a Bachelor of Theology (Hons), a Masters in Development Studies, and finally, (after some groundwork doing a Graduate Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma), a PhD in Economics at Monash University, evaluating the different approaches to modelling economic development policy in the light of complex systems science. That’s right, I didn’t get out much for a while.

I currently work as a Research Fellow in the Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics at Monash University. Before February 2010, I worked for the aid agency World Vision for almost 15 years, including four years coordinating WV International’s economic policy work. My most recent role was leading a team of economists and technical specialists in WV Australia, and coordinating WV International’s climate policy development.

From February 2010 to February 2012 I was also a lecturer in Deakin University’s Master of International and Community Development programme, where I taught economic development, microfinance, and aid and trade.

I am available for consultancies and presentations at reasonable rates. I enjoy interacting with individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds, including public forums, having given dozens of talks for community organisations and business groups over the past 15 years. I have been an invited speaker at numerous events over the past fews years including:

  • Some stuff we’re doing at Monash: ABM Research & Teaching, Heron Island Complex Systems  Summer School, 26 January 2012
  • Theologial Forum: Economic Justice, World Vision Australia, 17 November 2011.
  • Climate Change: The Big Picture, Climate Change Community Forum, 6 October 2011.
  • The Physical and Economic Impacts of Climate Change, Australian Medical Association, Melbourne, 14 September 2011.
  • The Physical and Economic Impacts of Climate Change, Melbourne Water, 30 August 2011
  • How to Live Well with a Price on Carbon: The Big Picture, Lighter Footprints, Melbourne, 10 August 2011.
  • The Physical and Economic Impacts of Climate Change, Plastics and Chemical Industries Association, Carbon Solutions Forum 2, Melbourne, 21 June 2011.
  • Agents and Networks Teaching at Monash University, CSIRO Workshop, Canberra, 7 June 2011.
  • Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2 April 2011.
  • Complex Adaptive Systems and Economic Development: An introduction in 20 minutes!, World Vision Australia workshop, 21 March 2011.
  • Economics & the thought of Bernard Lonergan, Melbourne, 11 May 2010.
  • After Copenhagen, St Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne, 2 March 2010.
  • Adaptation After Copenhagen, CSIRO Adaptation Symposium, Melbourne, 4 February 2010. (Invited after-dinner address)
  • Climate Change after Copenhagen, Integrated Leadership Group, Melbourne, 4 February 2010.
  • Climate Change, Development & Copenhagen, Business Sustainability Roundtable, Melbourne, 28 October 2009.
  • International Climate Crisis Response: Is Generational Change the Key? Panel discussion chaired by Adam Shoemaker, DVC Education, BMW Edge, Federation Square. Part of Monash’s Educate 09 Program. 17 September 2009.
  • Climate Change and Development, Seminar for parliamentarians at Parliament House, Canberra, 19 August 2009.
  • Climate Change and NGOs, ANU NGO workshop, Canberra, 19 August 2009.
  • Climate Change, Food Security & the Poor, ANU Forum on the Global Food Crisis & Climate Change, Canberra, 18 August 2009.
  • Climate Change: Science, Policy & Solutions, Monash University, Perspectives on Sustainability & Environment, 13 May 2009.
  • Evaluating Modelling Frameworks, CSIRO Complex Systems Workshop, Bowral NSW, 6 May 2009.
  • Climate Change (and Related 21st Century Challenges), Monash University, Ignite Launch, 19 March 2009.
  • Climate Change and Other 21st Century Challenges, Tabor College, Melbourne, 18 February 2009.
  • Climate Change and Other 21st Century Challenges, Sensis, Melbourne, 13 February 2009.
  • Climate Change (and Related 21st Century Challenges), Social Education Victoria Conference, Melbourne, 8 December 2008.
  • Eradicating Poverty & Limits to Biophysical Growth, Conference at Monash Caulfield, 27 November 2008.
  • Climate Change, Energy Futures & Major Global Trends, Ergo Consulting, Melbourne, 27 August 2008.
  • Climate Change, Energy Futures & Development Policies, Monash University, Caulfield, 6 August 2008.
  • Can the Developing World Survive Climate Change? ‘One Just World’ event, BMW Edge, Federation Square, Melbourne. 30 July 2008. Part 1, Part 2. 
  • Aid, Trade, Development & Leadership, Ancora Imparo Student Leadership forum, Monash University, Caulfield. 15 July 2008.
  • “It’s All About the Money” Is Development Dominated by the Agenda of Economists?, Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) Conference, Melbourne, 4 July 2008.
  • A Complex Systems Science Approach to Economic Development & Resilience, CSIRO Complex Systems Workshop, Brisbane, 18 June 2008.
  • A Very Brief Introduction to Agent-Based Development Modelling, RMIT University, Melbourne, 8 February 2008.
  • The Perfect Storm? Climate Change & Energy Security, Ergo Consulting, Melbourne, 6 February 2008.
  • Introduction to an Agent-Based Model of Development Processes in Tanzania, CSIRO, 25 July 2007.
  • Introduction to an Agent-Based Model of Development Processes in Tanzania, Complex 07 Conference, Gold Coast, 3 July 2007
  • An Agent-Based Model of Tanzania (Work in progress), Defence, Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), Edinburgh, SA, 31 May 2007.

On a more personal note, I love the beach, travel, films, drinking good coffee (my local haunt is Mecca Latte), circuit classes that don’t quite kill me, singing, horse riding and riding my motorbike, which is currently a Honda VT400 – a stunning bike to learn on.