Discover Our Expert Researchers
Monash University Expert Researchers
Monash University has research capability and expertise across the breadth of urban design and policy disciplines, including sustainability, transport, social science, health. Monash researchers engage in community-based, world-leading research that allows communities and families to thrive.
![]() | Professor Graham CurrieFounder and Director of the Public Transport Research Group at Monash University; Professor of Civil Engineering Prof Currie is a renowned international Public Transport research leader and policy advisor with over 30 years experience. Professor Currie has worked for some of the worlds leading Public Transport Operators including London Transport, and he has managed numerous Public Transport research and development projects internationally. Key Research Interests Transport; Computerised Transport Network Modelling; Public Transport Planning & Strategy Development; Public Transport Policy and Regulation |
![]() | Associate Professor Lionel FrostAssociate Professor, Department of Economics; Head of the Monash Business School, Peninsula Campus. Associate Professor Lionel Frost is an associate professor in the Department of Economics and is Head of the Monash Business School, Peninsula Campus. Key Research Interests Economic history; Housing; Urban economics; Applied microeconomics; Sports economics |
![]() | Professor Carl GrodachFoundation Professor and Director of Urban Planning & Design at Monash University Professor Grodach’s research areas include community and economic development, cultural planning and policy, strategic planning, and precinct-level urban revitalisation. His work is by nature interdisciplinary, focusing on issues significant across urban planning and policy, geography, sociology, and design fields. Key Research Interests Community development; Economic development; Creative industries; Cultural planning; Urban design; Urban geography; Urban planning; Urban politic; Urban sociology |
![]() | Associate Professor Nicole KalmsFounding director of the Monash University XYX Lab; Associate Professor in the Department of Design, MADA Dr Kalms is an Associate Professor in the Department of Design and founding director of the Monash University XYX Lab which leads national and international research in Gender and Place. In this role, Dr Kalms is leading two significant research projects Urban Exposure: Interactively Mapping the Systems of Sexual Violence in Cites and Women and Girls Only: Understanding the Spaces of Sexual Harassment in Public Transport. These projects are in partnerships with state, national and international stakeholders. Key Research Interests Sexuality; Gender; Feminism; Urbanism; Hypersexuality; Gender equality; Reduced Inequalities |
Professor Sarah PinkDirector of the Emerging Technologies Research Lab; Professor, Department of Design; Professor, Department of Human Centred Computing Sarah is Director of the Emerging Technologies Research Lab, which undertakes critical interdisciplinary and international research into the social, cultural and experiential dimensions of the design, use and futures of new and emerging technologies. Her research focuses on emerging intelligent technologies, automation, data, digital futures, safety and design for wellbeing. Current projects investigate autonomous driving vehicles, Mobility as a Service, digital energy futures, self tracking and wearable technologies, smart phone and personal technology futures, digital technology use in everyday life, and health care design. Key Research Interests Design anthropology; Emerging technologies; Innovative ethnography; Visual ethnography; Automated decision making; Future mobilities; Future health; Future energy; Future of work |
Professor Diego Ramírez-LoveringDirector of the Informal Cities Lab (ICL); Professor of Architecture of the Faculty of Art Design and Architecture. Professor Ramírez-Lovering's research examines the contributory role that architecture and urbanism can play in addressing the significant challenges facing contemporary urban environments -climate change, resource limitations and rapid population growth with a key focus on the Global South. Professor Ramirez-Lovering is also the director of the Informal Cities Lab (ICL) in the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture. The Lab undertakes design-based research exploring and speculating on the conditions of informality in developing cities. ICL research – designed and conducted in collaboration with government and industry – strives for impact, purposefully and strategically targeting implementation at the intersection of academic research and international development. Key Research Interests Informal Settlements; Urban Design; Architecture; Water Sensitive Urban Design; Affordable Housing |
Professor Rob RavenProfessor of Sustainability Transitions; Deputy director (research), Monash Sustainable Development Institute (MSDI) His interest is in understanding the dynamics and governance of sustainability transitions and socio-technical innovation. Rob has made major contributions to multi-level theories of transformative change, socio-technical experimentation and strategic niche management. His empirical work has covered urban, energy and mobility transition processes in Europe, Asia and Australia. His current research agenda is focused on analysis of transformative change in urban context such as smart, sustainable and net-zero cities. Key Research Interests Transformative change; Net zero cities; Smart cities, Sustainable cities; Urban energy; Urban mobility |
![]() | Associate Professor Briony RogersCEO, Bushfire Resilience Program; Director, MSDI Water; Chief Research Officer, Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities. Associate Professor Rogers’ research is motivated by a mission to drive societal transformations so we can thrive in the face of sustainability challenges such as climate change, population growth and urban intensification. Of particular interest is community-led resilience to naturally occurring disasters. Associate Professor Rogers is a member of Monash’s Climate Change Communication Research Hub in the Faculty of Arts, and co-Chair of the International Working Group on Water Sensitive Urban Design. Key Research Interests Urban water; Sustainability; Resilience; Liveability; Transitions; Governance; Strategic planning; Transformation; Water sensitive cities |
Emeritus Professor Nigel TapperEmeritus Professor in the School of Earth Atmosphere and Environment; Expert panellist, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); Expert panellist, Cities as Water Supply Catchments Program Emeritus Professor Tapper's research interests focus on urban climate, water catchments, and major dust sources and their impacts in Australia. He is an expert panellist on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and the Cities as Water Supply Catchments program. The Cities as Water Supply Catchments program examines the value of storm water harvesting as a way of both securing water supply and adapting to climate change. In particular, it will mitigate urban warmth, which with increasing urban populations is growing at a rate on top of global warming. Key Research Interests Urban climate; Urban warmth; Climate change; Water catchment |
Professor Hai L. VuDirector, Monash Institute of Transport Studies (ITS); Professor Vu leads the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) research area at Monash University. ITS includes traffic monitoring, control and management, and connected and autonomous vehicles. Hs research also includes the modelling and design of complex networks, including traffic theory, travel demand and behaviour modelling. Key Research Interests Transport Systems Planning and Management; Applied Mathematics - Operations Research; Intelligent transport systems; Wireless Networks |
Professor Rebecca WickesProfessor of Criminology; Director, Monash Migration and Inclusion Centre; Lead investigator, Australian Community Capacity Study Professor Wickes’ research focuses on physical and demographic changes in urban communities and their influence on social relationships, inclusion and the concentration of social problems, in particular crime, social exclusion and public disorder. Key Research Interests Ecology of crime; Criminological Theory; Crime prevention; Community resilience; Quantitative methods |