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- School of Natural Sciences
- Macquarie University NSW 2109
- E: fse.natsci-admin@mq.edu.au
Creating liveable cities through metro networks
Using transit systems as a lens, this study explores the varied forms of commotion with place and the related benefits to improve decision-making processes in the design of productive, sustainable and liveable cities.
Connection on the move
Increasing mobility of populations is generating challenges in understanding people’s connection with place when consistently on the move. Our research aims to understand the relationship between people’s connection with place, placemaking* and their sense of belonging, as they move across city metro networks.
Operating as the arteries of city planning, metro transportation acts as a critical catalyst in helping to form and shape multi-region cities; connecting people to jobs, services and local infrastructure. As the metro networks improve accessibility, so too does a city’s productivity, sustainability and liveability.
The Connection on the Move research collaboration is exploring opportunities to re-think the metro journey experience—by uniting people and place through sustainable solutions to metro mobility, as a fundamental roadmap to resilient cities. This collaboration is seeking to help create a metro that will:
- be recognised as the preferred mode of transportation that is streamlined and sustainable
- provide an enjoyable travel experience having positive impacts on commuter’s health and wellbeing
- develop precincts that become revered destinations points for businesses and residents
- reduce the city’s ecological footprint working towards supporting a lower (zero) carbon economy.
*Placemaking is a multi-faceted approach to the planning, design and management of public spaces. Placemaking capitalises on a local community's assets, inspiration, and potential, with the intention of creating public spaces that promote people's health, happiness, and wellbeing.
Our people
Our research collaboration is made up of academics, professional staff, students, infrastructure and transport industry representatives, and government and peak body community groups.
Dr Kathryn McLachlan
Academic Director of PACE Faculty of Human Sciences
Dr McLachlan comes from a strong background in the community development sector, particularly in regional settings, as a Practitioner, Educator and Researcher. She is passionate, pragmatic, and articulate in communicating ideas and concepts to a diversity of stakeholders. As a reflective practitioner and lifelong learner, she is deeply committed to furthering a social-ecological consciousness and eager to build on the learnings and insights gained from research and lived experience.
Associate Professor Peter J Davies
Dr Davies has led and contributed to many multi-disciplinary research projects in the areas of environmental planning and sustainability, corporate planning and decision making, and community engagement. Prior to his academic appointment in 2012, he held several senior management positions in state and local government informing his research on urban environmental policy and impact.
Waminda Parker
Operating as a program manager and strategist, Waminda is accustomed to and enjoys building multidisciplinary programs that translate innovative concepts into executable plans. Having a successful track record of building new programs within the natural environment and community development sector. Waminda holds a particular interest in the perceptions and perspectives of ‘connection’ (people, place and nature) across urban social and ecological networks as a means to strengthen community sustainability, resilience and wellbeing – being an active member on the Biophilic Design Initiative advisory panel and facilitator of nature connection programs.
Associate Professor James Hazelton
Accounting and Corporate Governance, Macquarie Business School
Dr James Hazelton joined Macquarie University in 2001. Previously James was with PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), where he worked for 10 years in audit and risk management consulting in Sydney, London and New York. James specialises in business ethics and sustainability and has consulted, researched and taught extensively in these areas. Clients include the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. Current research areas include water, mercury, carbon, political donations and equity.
Professor Martina Linnenluecke
Director of the Centre for Corporate Sustainability and Environmental Finance, Macquarie Business School
Professor Martina Linnenluecke's research interests focus on corporate sustainability as well as the strategic and financial implications of corporate adaptation and resilience to climate change impacts. Martina is the author of The Climate Resilient Organization and has extensive experience in working with government and industry on organisational climate adaptation strategies, assessments and planning.
Professor Jian Yang
Director of Research, School of Computing, Faculty of Science and Engineering
Professor Jian Yang received her PhD in data integration from The Australian National University in 1995. She is passionate about R&D work in relation to healthy society, sustainable environment, and well-being. She published widely in the top venues in the areas of data management and analytics, service computing, and business process management. She has been general chair and program committee chair of several prime international conferences. Her work is funded by ARC, government agencies, and industry. Before she joined Macquarie, she had hold several senior positions in Tilburg University Netherlands, CSIRO, and UNSW Canberra.
Phil Duncan
Aboriginal Cultural Training Coordinator
Phil Duncan is from Moree New South Wales and is a member of the Gomeroi Nation and an elected representative of the Gomeroi Nation Native Title Claimant Group: his homelands are Moree and Terry Hie Hie. Phil has over 38 years experience working with Aboriginal people and Government to improve the lives of Aboriginal people through recognition of our rich cultural history, the return of our lands, the improvement of our living conditions and education of our next generation both through his employment and volunteer community work. Phil is currently employed at Macquarie University as the Aboriginal Cultural training Coordinator and provides high-level policy and strategic advice to key Indigenous issues of significance. The strategic advice regards issues of culture and heritage significance, community engagement, projects, the design, delivery and implementation of programs and strategic partnerships, regarding a range of issues requiring address.
Wendy Goldstein
School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering
Wendy has been the Director of the Master of Sustainable Development at Macquarie University for over 10 years. She has international experience in sustainable development, biodiversity conservation, education and communication. Wendy is also the research lead on the (re)Generation Project - a research program centred on engaging the ideas of the young on how to best engage teens and young adults into nature.
Dr Thelma Rama
Sustainability Education Advisor
Personally motivated after seeing first-hand the impact of climate change and sea-level rise on the local people in her home country Fiji, Thelma completed her doctorate degree on Education for Sustainable Development – having a focus on how we can increase our pro-environmental behaviours. A year ago Thelma joined the Sustainability Office at Macquarie University as the Sustainability Education Advisor. Her role is to assist in enhancing the embedding of sustainability in the Learning, Teaching and Research activities of Macquarie University.
Professor Michael Sheng
Head of School, ARC Future Fellow and Professor, School of Computing, Faculty of Science and Engineering
Dr Michael Sheng is a full professor and Head of School of Computing, Macquarie University. Professor Michael Sheng has more than 15 years of extensive experience in Big Data Analytics, Internet of Things, data mining and integration, and service computing. He has published more than 340 research papers in leading international journals and conferences. Professor Sheng is the recipient of the Chris Wallace Award for Outstanding Research Contribution in 2012, which is the most prestigious award given to only one computer scientist each year in Australia and New Zealand. He is also the winner of the Microsoft Research Fellowship in 2003.
Dr Scott Wilson
School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering
Dr Wilson has over 20 years’ experience in researching the impacts of contaminants to aquatic environments. Having been prominent in the development and use of bioindicators and techniques for assessing and minimising environmental harm working with a range of industries. Scott consults with and advises regulatory agencies on policy and strategic direction both in Australia and internationally.