Megan Farrelly

I am interested in the broad fields of environmental and natural resource governance. In particular, I am interested in exploring and understanding how processes and pathways for practical and social-institutional change are shaped. To this end, my research focuses on exploring the role of sustainability experimentation (technical and governance) in helping to promote and deliver changes in policy and on-ground practices. Here I focus on demonstrations/experiments related to trialling innovative alternative water systems, green infrastructure and decentralised energy technologies. Drawing on socio-ecological systems, new institutionalism and sustainability transitions scholarship, I am interested in unpacking the role and utility of experimentation as a process towards delivering and sustaining change. Complementing this research, I have an interest in social learning, evaluation and impact assessment, drivers of institutional change and unpacking urban transformations.

I also have a growing interest in understanding disaster resilience and risk management in Australia and beyond in relation to 'how sustainable practices may deliver improved resilience to extreme events (e.g. heat waves, droughts and floods).

I am open to working with students who are interested in examining questions related to urban sustainability, water governance, natural resource management issues, and experimentation and learning.

Possible Honours and Masters 12/24pt Research Topics:

Water Sensitive Urban Design: where are we at and where are we going?

10,000 Raingardens: greening Melbourne or green wash?

Exploring the intangible and tangible impacts arising from interdisciplinary, collaborative sustainability research.

Can experimentation deliver widespread practice change in urban environments?

Dr Megan Farrelly current coordinates the following undergraduate and postgraudate units:

Extreme Earth! Natural Hazards and Human Vulnerability (ATS1310)

Resource Evaluation and Management (ATS3554/APG4554)

Perspectives on Sustainability (ENS5020)

Megan has also previously coordinated the following units:

Environmental Governance (2009; 2010)

Environmental Analysis and Decision-Making (2009; 2010) (3yrd and 4th yr)

Frontiers in Environment and Sustainability (2011)

Yarra River Protection Ministerial Advisory Committee (2016)

Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities (2014)

Environmental Protection Authority, Victoria (2009)