Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Stefan Kaufman joined the Monash Sustainable Development Institute’s BehaviourWorks Australia (BWA) as a Senior Research Fellow in May 2019 after a secondment in 2018. He completed his PhD and B. Arts / B. Science (Hons 1) in Human Ecology at the Australian National University in 2009. Prior to BWA, he led the social science function at the Victorian Government’s Environment Protection Authority from 2007, delivering regulatory performance measurement, environmental and public health risk communication, monitoring and evaluation and voluntary behaviour change programs. He was a founding member of the BWA working group of partner organisations from 2010. He aims to be a ‘pracademic’ with a focus on helping people and organisations working towards socio-environmental change to be more reflective and effective in complex situations.
His work with BWA involves developing multi-agency behaviour change interventions within collective impact frameworks, and enhancing knowledge transfer within BWA’s partner organisations. Research and publications include research, policy and practice translation, public value measurement, adaptive management in environmental behaviour change programs, integrating voluntary and compliance drivers for behaviour change, climate change risk communication, and social learning in complex socio-environmental systems. He has been invited to present at international forums including the University of Surrey’s Centre for Evaluation Across the Nexus, Lund University Planet in 2050 Symposium, and the Regulatory Institutions Network (ANU) symposium on experimentalist governance.
He has taught and provided guest lectures at Monash University, RMIT and the University of Melbourne, and designed and delivered training for ANZOG, the Australasian Evaluation Society, Australian Non-Profit and Social Marketing Association, and Monash’s groundbreaking GreenSteps program. He delivered workshops and guest presentations for EPA Victoria and other BWA organisations and affiliates on topics including research utilisation, environmental behaviour change, public value research, and regulatory compliance and strategy. His work at EPA Victoria has been recognised in staff reward and recognition awards four years in a row 2013-2017, and in 2014-15 he was awarded the Mark Payton leadership development scholarship, exploring how to identify, and foster, science thought leadership in environmental regulation.
In 2019 he was awarded a visiting fellowship with the Institute of Advanced Sustainability Studies, Potsdam, Germany, examining concepts and methodologies for evaluating the societal impact of transitions research.
Stefan is a member of the Australian Environmental Law Enforcement and Regulators NeTwork (AELERT), Institute of Public Administration Australia, Society for Human Ecology and the Australasian Evaluation Society.
Related Links:
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
External positions
Senior Fellow, Institut für fortgeschrittene Nachhaltigkeitsstudien (Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies)
15 Aug 2019 → 15 Nov 2019
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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NESP2_IP5.02 – Waste Impact Management Research
Lane, R. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Schandl, H. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Kaufman, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Baynes, T. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Lu, Y. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Wiedmann, T. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Kaksonen, A. H. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Boxall, N. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Cheng, K. Y. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Vince, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Zaman, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Minnuno, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Tobin, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Wilson, A. (Chief Investigator (CI))
University of New South Wales (UNSW)
1/07/22 → 30/03/24
Project: Research
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ACCEPT proposal: Assessment on the regional needs and interests related to energy and climate change
Minghui Gui, E. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Kaufman, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Pham, T. (Chief Investigator (CI))
25/05/21 → 30/08/21
Project: Consultancy
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BC-GRIP Communicating and responding to public health risks from pollution and waste
Thomas, M. G. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Hutchins, B. (Supervisor), Klemm, C. (Supervisor), Smith, L. (Project Manager) & Kaufman, S. (Supervisor)
8/01/18 → 25/03/21
Project: Research
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Behaviours and practices in socio-technical systems and sustainability transitions: editorial to the virtual special issue
Upham, P., Kaufman, S., Bögel, P. M. & Raven, R., 15 Jun 2025, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 511, 8 p., 145674.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › Other › peer-review
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A researcher-practitioner driven framework and research agenda for promoting conservation behaviours
van Eeden, L. M., Borg, K., Gregg, E. A., Hatty, M., Kaufman, S., Kneebone, S., Kusmanoff, A. M., Lauren, N., Lee, K., Lentini, P. E., Renowden, C., Selinske, M., Squires, Z. E., Bekessy, S., Smith, L. & Hames, F., Aug 2024, In: Biological Conservation. 296, 9 p., 110710.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Consuming responsibly: prioritising responsible consumption behaviours in Australia
Borg, K., Macklin, J., Kaufman, S. & Curtis, J., Mar 2024, In: Cleaner and Responsible Consumption. 12, 10 p., 100181.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Citations (Scopus) -
How do we change what we cannot describe? A comprehensive framework of user behaviours in a materials’ circular economy
Macklin, J. & Kaufman, S., 2024, In: Circular Economy and Sustainability. 4, p. 384-412 26 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile6 Citations (Scopus) -
Incorporating pragmatism in a behaviour change-led climate adaptation project: a collaborative reflection
Nguyen-Trung, K., Saeri, A. K. & Kaufman, S., 2024, (Accepted/In press) In: Qualitative Research Journal. 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
3 Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
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One behaviour at a time - transforming the work of Industry through the "Applying Behavioural Science to Create Change" micro-credential
Garivaldis, F. (Recipient), Wild, A. (Recipient), Saeri, A. (Recipient), Bos, A. (Recipient), Goodwin, D. (Recipient), Riley, E. (Recipient), Tull, F. (Recipient), Paine, G. (Recipient), Raj, K. (Recipient), Aubanty, K. (Recipient), Jungbluth, L. (Recipient), Smith, L. (Recipient), Jaovisidha, M. (Recipient), Boulet, M. (Recipient), Santoso, M. (Recipient), Fadelli, M. (Recipient), Kneebone, S. (Recipient) & Kaufman, S. (Recipient), 14 Nov 2023
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Monash Nature Positive Network Webinar Series: A Nature Positive Australia - Why does it matter and how do we get there?
Foerster, A. (Organiser), Vines, E. (Organiser), Smith, L. (Speaker), McGeoch, M. (Speaker), Nagtzaam, G. (Speaker), Affleck, S. (Speaker), Walsh, L. (Speaker), Kaufman, S. (Speaker) & Pham, N. (Speaker)
30 Sept 2024 → 2 Oct 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to workshop, seminar, course
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International Conference On Sustainability Transitions 2022
Stefan Kaufman (Organiser) & Rob Raven (Member of programme committee)
22 Nov 2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference