Research

  • The School has long been recognised, nationally and internationally, as one of the leading centres of geographical and environmental research within Australia. The School has designated five main areas of research – environment and society, geographic information science, indigenous archaeology, physical geography, urban and economic geography, and a summary of activity for each of these research groupings follows;

    Research Groupings

    Physical Geography

    We study soils, vegetation, water, landforms and climate. Our work has improved the understanding of key environmental processes and their management, as well as providing benefits to human health and the economy. For example, we have developed a heat wave alert system for Victoria and systems to predict seasonal bushfire activity. Our research on hydrology, ecosystems and soils has led to improved sustainable land and water management policies and practices. We study the causes and predictability of drought and the way extreme weather and climate events are changing as the world warms. Our expertise in reconstructing and understanding past variations in vegetation and climate is globally recognized. This knowledge is key to understanding and managing present landscapes and for the prediction of future environmental change. Our research provides the basis for frequent advice to governments and other decision-makers, within Australia and internationally.

    Relevant staff
    Research centres

    Society and Environment

    Research is undertaken in the areas of:

    • international development and environmental analysis (focussed geographically in the Indo-Pacific rim)
    • urban water sustainability and governance through the Urban Water Governance Program
    • social, economic and environmental change in rural Australia through the Monash Regional Australia project (focused on the changing dynamics of agri-environmental governance in Australia
    • corporate governance and socially responsible investment through Monash Sustainability Enterprises who provide contract research services to the Australian finance sector
    Relevant staff
    Research centres

    Geographical Information Systems

    The GIS research group main fields of research include:

    • Spatial data integration in aid of bringing environmental sustainability policies to practice
    • Design, development and implementation of spatial decision support systems
    • Geodemographic analysis for social, economic and environmental applications.
    Relevant staff
    Research centres
    • Geographic Information Systems

    Indigenous Archaeology

    Under the broad umbrella of ‘Indigenous Archaeology & Heritage’, this team presents the new face of Indigenous archaeology in Australia informed by anthropology, history and post-colonial theory, emphasizing Indigenous community partnership research and the development of a decolonized practice. The Group interests include the archaeology of history and identity and the meaningfulness of objects in past and present land- and seascape perception, construction and engagement.

    Relevant staff
    Research centres
    • Australian Indigenous Archaeology

    Urban and Economic Geography

    The group’s research is broadly concerned with the uneven geographies of the urban and economic realms and include areas such as:

    • regional sustainability and resilience from the perspectives of economic geography, development, and political ecology
    • environmental transformations and their causes
    • historical geography, environmental history and historiography
    • ethnicity, gender and sexuality studies