Discipline:

Geography

Investigators:

Associate Professor Udoy Saikia, Professor Susanne Schech, Associate Professor Gour Dasvarma, Associate Professor James Chalmers, Dr Melinda Dodd, Professor Andre McWilliam (University of Western Sydney) 

Summary:

This research aims to investigate the impacts of Australia’s Seasonal Workers Programme and South Korea’s Employment Permit System on the well-being of migrant workers and their families in Timor-Leste (East Timor).

The contribution of this research to scholarship would be the creation of a sound method to measure the impact of temporary labour migration on well-being across various aspects of life that can be used by researchers in Timor-Leste and elsewhere to evaluate the development impacts of such migration schemes.

The data will inform evidence-based policies to improve temporary labour migration schemes, meet urgent development priorities in Timor-Leste, and maximise the benefits of Australian aid funded labour migration schemes.

Grants:

• ARC Linkage

Category:

Labour migration

Human wellbeing

Discipline:

Interdisciplinary (Human Geography with the college of EPSW) 

Investigators:

Associate Professor Udoy Saikia, Professor Ben Wadham (Lead CI), Professor Sharon Lawn, Dr Margaret Hutchison (Australian Catholic University), Dr Karl Hamner (The University of Alabama, United States) 

Summary:

This project will make a difference to the historical and current understanding of veteran trauma and suicide. The Australian Institute Health and Welfare counts 1273 veteran suicide deaths between 2001 and 2019.

While serving members have lower rates of suicide than the national average, ex-serving males have a 24% higher suicide rate than the national average, and ex-serving females take their lives at twice the national average.

Australian institutions and the Australian community have been unsuccessful in reducing veteran suicide. Veteran suicide requires deep historical and social analysis to understand how to provide relevant support for all serving personnel while meeting the needs of the families and communities from which defence members come.

A study on veteran suicide is greatly needed because of the unique role and status of veterans and the community concern about veteran wellbeing. Veteran wellbeing has implications for national security.

Grants:

• ARC Linkage

Category:

Human wellbeing

Discipline:

Interdisciplinary (Human Geography with the college of EPSW) 

Investigators:

Associate Professor Udoy Saikia (Lead CI), Professor Janice Orrell, Associate Professor James Chalmers 

Summary:

This project partners with a school for young women called “Grihini Community College” in South India.

It’s mission for 34 years has been to provide basic literacy and awareness education to young women (12-24 years) from remote hills villages that house extremely poor Dalit and tribal marginalised populations.

A pilot study has been conducted to measure the impact that 34 years of the program has had on the wellbeing of its graduates, their families, and their villages.

The study uses a validated wellbeing framework developed at Flinders University by the chief investigator Udoy Saikia.

Grants:

• Funded by Australian Lutheran World Service

Category:

Human wellbeing

Discipline:

Interdisciplinary - College of HASS, BGL and CSE

Investigators:

Professor Beverley Clarke (CI), Professor Kirstin Ross, Associate Professor Cassandra Star, Dr Zoei Sutton, Dr Melinda Dodd

Summary:

This project investigates the efficacy of bushfire action plans of the elderly living independently in high bushfire danger areas. It will explore:

a) interpretations of 'early evacuation'

b) commitments to evacuating early

c) the scope of bushfire action plans and

d) the capability of participants to enact plans.

Information will be collected through interviews with elderly people, representatives from aged care facilities, service providers, and focus groups with emergency responders.

Findings will assist councils and emergency services to: design messaging specific to this group; and to develop targeted strategies and enhanced integration with aged care services, both empowering and improving the resilience of this vulnerable group.

Grants:

• Australian Government Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants Program

Category:

Disaster resilience 

Environmental management

Discipline:

Human Geography

Investigators:

Professor Susanne Schech, Professor Melanie Oppenheimer, Dr Romain Fathi and international partner investigators

Summary:

This broad-ranging research project spans a decade of research into ordinary people’s engagement in international development and humanitarianism.

Focussing initially on international development volunteering in the 2010s, the current project a historical investigation of one humanitarian body, the League of Red Cross Societies.

It uses an interdisciplinary approach to investigate the evolution of voluntary action and global civil society during the 20th century. 

Grants:

• 2019-2023 Resilient Humanitarianism: A history of the League of Red Cross Societies 1919-1991 ARC DP190101171, $330,912. Oppenheimer, M. (lead CI), Schech, S. (CI), Fathi, R. (CI), Wall, R. (PI) & Wylie, N. (PI)
• 2012-15 Cosmopolitan development: The impacts of international volunteering. ARC LP120200085, $197,181 + $90,000 cash contributions. Schech, S. (lead CI), Skelton, T. (PI) Kothari, U. (PI) and partner organisations: Austraining International; National University of Singapore; University of Manchester)

Category:

Development assistance and humanitarianism

Discipline:

Geography, Tourism

Investigators:

Dr Gareth Butler (CHASS), Professor Karen Burke da Silva (CSE), Professor Kirstin Ross (CSE), Dr Ryan Baring (CSE), Dr Julian Beaman (CSE)

Summary:

Passport to Recovery is a federal government funded citizen science initiative, aimed at promoting economic, social and environmental recovery on Kangaroo Island after the 2019-20 bushfires. Tourists visiting KI will be able to participate in a range of citizen science projects, collecting data for scientists to improve conservation outcomes. The citizen science projects will enhance tourists’ knowledge and understanding of climate change and the threats to biodiversity on the island.

It is expected that the Passport to Recovery mobile app and physical passport will boost tourist numbers to Kangaroo Island over the coming years and encourage repeat visitation as new citizen science projects are rolled out in 2023 and 2024.

Grants:

• Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (Australian Government) - $482,745

Category:

Tourism recovery

Citizen science