This theme provides a platform for a wide range of research projects where the main focus is enhancing the well-being and livelihoods of rural and regional communities. Many past and current projects include a strong social component. Past, current and emerging topics include safe domestic water, shark sentiment studies, entrepreneurship, rural social services, human non-human coexistence, food security, NRM governance, social justice, rural development, human health, mental health, eco health, and biocultural and Indigenous research.
A study of influences on preferences, tolerances and thresholds of acceptability for shark management options in NSW. Simmons, P. & Mehmet, M. (2018-2019) NSW Primary Industries – NSW Shark Management Strategy, $50,000 Project details
Activating financial markets to reward soil stewardship. Pawsey, N., Oczkowski, E., Lynch, J., Frost, M., Coghlan, I., Allan, C., Nayeem, T. (2020-2023) CRC for High Performance Soils, $355,000 Project details
CRC for High Performance Soils - Consumer demand, the value chain, and communication strategies for promoting soil stewardship. Morrison, M., Saliba, A., Allan, C., Oczkowski, E., Godfrey, S., Nayeem, T., Small, F., and Hatton MacDonald, D., Grimmer, L., & Tinch, D. (UTAS) (2018-2021) CRC for High Performance Soils, $372,584 (CSU) and $86,200 (UTAS). Project details
Compact cities or sprawling suburbs? Optimal design of growing cities to conserve biodiversity, Nimmo, D., Retra, K., Bambrick, D. (2017-2020) Australian Academy of Science-WH Gladstones Population & Environment Fund, $24,000 Project details
CRC for High Performance Soils: I.2.003 Collaborative approaches to Innovation. Pawsey, N., Allan, C., Frost, M., Lynch, J., Wong, A. (2019-2020), Soil CRC Project details
Data sharing: Illuminating the drivers of rural business failure. Horta, A. (2018-2020) Collaborative project with Latrobe University.
Equally Well, Roberts, R. (2019-2021) National Mental Health Commission, $114,854 plus Contract Variation (2020), $115,019. Total value $229,709 Project details
HealthTalk - Equally Well. Roberts, R., (2020-2022) National Mental Health Commission, $120,000 Project details
Hume Region Workforce Development Plan Refresh. Hicks, J., Morrison, M. & Forbes, P. (2019-2020) The State of Victoria, Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, $49,500 plus $49,500 (CSU) Project details
Impact of IFRS Adoption in Australia: Evidence from academic research (2015-2020). Pawsey, N. (2020) Australian Accounting Standards Board, $4960
Indigo Shire Liveability Atlas Pilot Project: Walkability. Horta, A. & Whitsed, R. (2019) North East CMA, $5000 & $5000 (CSU) Project details
Indigo Shire Liveability Atlas Pilot Project: Social Dimensions. Black, R. (2019-2020) Indigo Shire Council, $10,000 Project details
Long term prediction of PFAS profile in the soil and its possible pathway into groundwater (a case study). Mahinroosta, R., Li, M & Senevirathna, L. (2020) Bathurst Regional Council, $16,500
Optimised field delineation of contaminated soils, Horta, A. (2015-2019) ARC Linkage Project led by University of Sydney, with partners CSU & Environmental Earth Sciences International Pty Ltd. Project details
Riverina Skills Audit, Burmeister, O. (2020) collaborator Regional Development Australia- Riverina NSW. CSU, $25,000 AGRIPARK – Collaborative Research Agreement.
Society and science: a new approach to wildlife disease surveillance. Peters, A., Masterman-Smith, H., Rafferty, J. (2020-2023) NSW Environment Trust, $200,000 Project details
Shark Sentiment Study. Simmons, P., Mehmet, M. (2017-2020), NSW Department of Primary Industries, $91,000
Supporting isolated women in New South Wales via an eHealth CBT program. De Haan, K. (Murrumbidgee LHD), Bernoth, M., Hunt, C. (Western NSW LHD), Milgrom, J (Parent Infant Research Institute), Gemmil, A. (Parent Infant Research Institute ), Carlisle, J. & Carey, A.(2018-2020) NSW Ministry of Health Translational Research Grant Scheme $176,790 Project details
Surfer attitudes to shark management. Simmons, P., Lewis, C. (2020) NSW DPI, $66,481
Workforce Wellbeing in Family and Community Services. Roberts, R., Bamberry, L., Ceric, A., Hodgins, G., Cumming, T. (2018-2019) FACS, $204,394 Project Details
A Community Engagement Series: Regional Facilitator in the Albury LGA, Masterman-Smith, H., Rafferty, J., and Sheahan, M., (2016) NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, $32,000 Project details
Activating markets to create incentives for improved soil management: Literature scoping study. Morrison, M. (2017-2018) High Performance Soils CRC, $49,254 Project details Project Fact Sheet
Albury Wodonga Regional FoodShare Project. Masterman-Smith, H. (2019) $7000
Assessing and developing a walkability index targeted to older Australians in regional cities. Whitsed, R., Horta, A. (2018-2019) Family & Community Services – Liveable Communities Grants, $30,000 Project details
Assessment of the attitudes of beach and ocean end-users to shark mitigation since trials of SMART Drumlines in NSW. Simmons, P., Mehmet, M. (2018) NSW DPI, $55,012 Project details
Better Parks for People, Whitsed, R., Black, R., & Harvey, R. (2016-2017) FACS NSW Liveable Communities, $62,727 Project details
Community attitudes towards SMART drumlines as a shark mitigation tool. Simmons, P. & Mehmet, M. (2019) NSW Department of Primary Industries, $58,691
Community driven economic change in small rural community local economic zones. Morrison, M. (2017-2018) Federation Council, $50,000 Project details Economic Development Study Final Report 2mb Murray Region Operational Plan
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Conservation management plan for Turks Head building, Albury. Spennemann, D. (2017-18) Albury City Council, $14,847
Evaluation of New Access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Burmeister, O., Russell, R. & Steve Stanton (a Gamilaraay man from North West NSW) (2018-2019) Primary Health Network – Central and Eastern Sydney, $66,000 Project Details
Environmental Monitoring and Training for Aboriginal Communities. Wassens, S., Allan, C., Whitsed, R. & Bond, J. (2017-2018) NSW OEH, $20,000 Project details
Equally well implementation committee. Roberts, R., Hyde, S., Banks, S., Cobb, L., Burmeister, O., Nayeem, T., Mehmet, M. & Maylea, C. (2017-2019) National Mental Health Commission, $154,160 plus Contract variations (2018) $85,000 and (2019) $97,582. Total value $252,582. Project Details
Evaluation of the effectiveness of the Lake Cowal Foundation. Allan, C. (2017) Lake Cowal Foundation Ltd. $25,000
Group Capacity snapshot project. Allan, C. (2017-2018) Murray LLS, $10,000
Headspace NewAccess Program Evaluation. Burmeister, O. M, Fox, R., Nic Giolla Easpaig, B., Roberts, R. (2017-2018) Murrumbidgee Primary Health District, $75,000 Project details
Hedonic Pricing of On-farm Soil Management – Phase 1. Morrison, M., Oczkowski, E. (2018) CRC High Performance Soils, $60,000 Project details
Humanitarian immigrant entrepreneurs in private and social enterprises. Collins, J. (UTS) Krivokapic-Skoko, B. (2015-2018) ARC Discovery grant, $200,124 Project details
Landcare Report Card 2. Mitchell, M. & Allan, C. (2019) Landcare NSW, $20,000 Project details
Long term prediction of PFAS profile in the soil and its possible pathway into groundwater (a case study). Mahinroosta, R., Li, M & Senevirathna, L. (2020) Bathurst Regional Council, $16,500
Our Place-Corowa. Masterman-Smith, H., Sheahan, M. & Rafferty, J. (2015-2017) NSW Office of Environment & Heritage, $29,500 Project details
PIRCCO Evaluation, Burmeister, O. & Roberts, R. (2017-2018) Marathon Health, $50,000 (Program Evaluation Contract research) Project details
Powering Down: an energy efficiency education project. Masterman-Smith, H., Rafferty, J. & Sheahan, M. and Albury City Council. (2017) NSW Environment Trust, $100,000 Project details
Reconnaissance and recommendations on mistletoe management in macadamia orchards. Watson, D. & Watson, J. (2018-2019) Horticulture Innovation Australia Ltd, $18,000
Review of the Murray Landcare Collective and Murray Regional Landcare Facilitator project 2014-2018. Allan, C., and Earl, G. (Murray LLS) (2018) Holbrook Land Care Network, $5000
Secure Safe Domestic Water (SSDW) in the Central Darling Region: Regional stakeholder engagement action events. Finlayson, M. (2017) MDBA, $4546
Securing adequate safe domestic water for regional Australia. Waterman, P., Finlayson, M., Kitzelmann, M. (2016-2017) (Etheridge Shire Council), Charters, K. (SEGRA) CSU, $50,000 Project details
Spark a connection art and dementia program evaluation. Burmeister, O. (2019) NSW Family & Community Services Liveable Communities Grant Program administered by Orange City Council, $8000 Project details
Succession and estate planning in Australia, Steen, A. & D'Alessandro, S. (2016-2017) Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, $25,700
Shark deterrents and detection: Community perceptions, sentiment and preferences for shark management strategies. Simmons, P., Mehmet, M. & Clarke, R. (UOW) (2017) A collaborative project between CSU (ILWS), UOW and NSW DPI with funding from the NSW Shark Management Strategy (SMS) Competitive Annual Grants Program. Project details
Virtuous Practitioners: Empowering Social Workers. Pawar, M., Hugman, R. (UNSW), Alexandra, A. & Anscombe, A. (2014-2019) ARC Discovery grant, $220,130 Project details
Jose Abalo (DSW): Transitions issues experienced by early school leavers: Implications for social work policy and practice. Principal supervisor Professor Manohar Pawar
Kane Callaghan: Social media citizensourcing for policy-making: The case of sharks in NSW. Principal supervisor Associate Professor Peter Simmons
Gael Evans-Barr: The post volunteering impact among retirees; Organisational and individual predictors. Principal supervisor Associate Professor Maree Bernoth
Thiloka Kariyawasam: Bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contaminated soils. Principal supervisor Dr Greg Doran, ILWS Supervisor Dr Julia Howitt
Juana Katzer: Social Workers Decision Making with Children with Problem Sexualised Behaviours. Principal supervisor Professor Manohar Pawar
Karen Kime: Wise practice and Anglicare's foster care programs for Aboriginal children. Principal supervisor Dr Angela Ragusa
Daniel Lander: The anti-vaccination movement and science communication. Principal supervisor Dr Angela Ragusa
Sean Mack (Masters): The role of leadership in building, facilitating and sustaining a person-centred approach to working with residents, in the residential aged care environment. Principal supervisor Associate Professor Maree Bernoth
Scott McManus: Assessment of uncertainty in the creation of spatial domains from portable X-ray fluorescence multi-element data using a Bayesian method. Principal supervisor Dr Ana Horta
Bharat Poudel: Criteria for Sustainable Operation of Off-Grid Renewable Energy Services. Principal supervisor Professor Kevin Parton
George Rafael (DSW): A social work approach to enabling young people at their work. Principal supervisor Professor Manohar Pawar
Carla Simos (DSW): Stepmothers' life stories and self-identity. Principal supervisor Professor Manohar Pawar
Georgia Tziros: An exploration of Greek migrant experiences and later life emotional well being: A qualitative study. Principal supervisor Associate Professor Maree Bernoth
Melissa Wales: Social norms and soil conservation practices. Principal supervisor Associate Professor Catherine Allan
Qudus Wazirzada: Sustainable Mobility for Road Users Using Intelligent Transport Systems: The Australian Paradigm. Principal supervisor Professor John Hicks
Sumedha Weerasekara: Analysis of the impact of Entrepreneurial Ecosystem factors on Enterprise Performance in Urban and non-urban NSW, Australia. Principal supervisor Associate Professor Branka Krivokapic-Skoko
Graduates
2020
Dr Lucia Wuersch: Transactional Analysis in Organisations: A Case Study with a Focus on Internal Communication.
ILWS Co- supervisor Associate Professor Peter Simmons
2019
Dr Jillda Wright (DSW): An exploratory study of the management of Dissociative Identity Disorder in Australia. Principal supervisor Professor Manohar Pawar
As well undertaking externally funded research projects, a considerable number of ILWS members (including Adjuncts) whose research interests are aligned with this theme are engaged in research activities/projects that have either received internal funding from ILWS and/or CSU; are not managed by ILWS; or are non-funded.
The topics of these various research activities reflect the broadness of this theme.
Examples include: