Dr Emma Austin
Post Doctoral Researcher
School of Environmental and Life Sciences
Career Summary
Biography
Emma is currently employed as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Centre for Water, Climate and Land.
Emma's PhD investigated the environmental, social, health and economic impacts of drought in rural communities in NSW. Emma’s research will improve understanding of how we can collectively support rural communities to pro-actively manage climate variability and improve the wellbeing of rural residents impacted by drought.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Newcastle
- Bachelor of Environmental Science, University of Newcastle
- Bachelor of Environ Science & Mgmt (Honours), University of Newcastle
Keywords
- Adaptation
- Adaptive capacity
- Climate change
- Drought
- GIS
- Longitudinal studies
- Mental health
- Public health
- Qualitative
- Quantitative
- Rural
- Wellbeing
- Work health safety
Languages
- English (Mother)
Fields of Research
Code | Description | Percentage |
---|---|---|
441003 | Rural sociology | 100 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
Title | Organisation / Department |
---|---|
Post Doctoral Researcher | University of Newcastle School of Environmental and Life Sciences Australia |
Academic appointment
Dates | Title | Organisation / Department |
---|---|---|
10/4/2021 - 14/5/2023 |
Research Officer Worked on a range of clinical trials with participants who had current or previous substance use disorders. |
Hunter New England Local Health District, Drug and Alcohol Clinical Services Australia |
Professional appointment
Dates | Title | Organisation / Department |
---|---|---|
1/10/2018 - 1/8/2021 | Centre Manager | Centre for Resources Health and Safety Australia |
1/7/2017 - 30/5/2018 |
Research Assistant This role involved contributing to a literature review for a project focusing on the health impacts associated displacement as a result of extreme climatic events. |
Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle School of Medicine and Public Health Australia |
1/2/2010 - 30/11/2012 |
Casual Tutor I have been a tutor and marker in the following courses:
During 2011 I also provided one-on-one tutoring through the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme. |
Faculty of Science and Information Technology, University of Newcastle School of Environmental and Life Sciences Australia |
15/1/2010 - 20/12/2013 |
Research Assistant During my role as Research Assistant I worked on three National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) funded projects (Drought and the Future of Small Inland Towns, Limits to Adaptation and Bridging the gap between end user needs and science capability: dealing with uncertainty in future scenarios) and a Strategic Research Initiative Funds project (Utilising climate science insights to inform climate change adaptation) funded by the Faculty of Science and Information Technology, UON. |
Faculty of Science and Information Technology, University of Newcastle School of Environmental and Life Sciences Australia |
Awards
Award
Year | Award |
---|---|
2018 |
National Council of Women NSW Australia Day Award National Council of Women NSW |
2017 |
Best HDR Engagement Award Faculty of Science | University of Newcastle | Australia |
Prize
Year | Award |
---|---|
2020 |
Royal Society of NSW PhD Scholarship Royal Society of New South Wales |
Teaching
Code | Course | Role | Duration |
---|---|---|---|
GEOS2161 |
GIS and Remote Sensing Faculty of Science and Information Technology, University of Newcastle |
Casual Tutor | 1/2/2010 - 30/11/2012 |
GEOS3250 |
Geographic Information Systems Faculty of Science and Information Technology, University of Newcastle |
Casual Tutor | 1/2/2010 - 30/11/2012 |
GEOS2070 |
Climatology and Soils Faculty of Science and Information Technology, University of Newcastle |
Casual Tutor | 1/2/2011 - 30/11/2011 |
GEOS3340 |
Resource Management and Climate Change Faculty of Science and Information Technology, University of Newcastle |
Casual Tutor | 1/2/2010 - 30/11/2012 |
GEOS3280 |
Global Change Faculty of Science and Information Technology, University of Newcastle |
Casual Tutor | 1/2/2011 - 30/11/2011 |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Chapter (1 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||||
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2015 |
Verdon-Kidd DC, Kiem AS, Austin E, 'Bridging the gap between researchers and decision-makers', Applied Studies in Climate Adaptation, Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK 51-60 (2015) [B1]
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Nova |
Journal article (12 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||||||||
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2023 |
Bezzina A, Austin E, Nguyen H, James C, 'Workplace Psychosocial Factors and Their Association With Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies.', Workplace Health Saf, 71 578-588 (2023) [C1]
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Nova | |||||||||
2021 |
Luong TT, Handley T, Austin E, Kiem A, Rich J, Kelly B, 'New Insights Into the Relationship Between Drought and Mental Health Emerging From the Australian Rural Mental Health Study', Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12 (2021) [C1]
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Nova | |||||||||
2021 |
Austin E, Kiem AS, Rich J, Perkins D, Kelly B, 'How effectively do drought indices capture health outcomes? An investigation from rural Australia', Weather, Climate, and Society, 13 823-845 (2021) [C1] Drought is a global threat to public health. Increasingly, the impact of drought on mental health and wellbeing is being recognized. This paper investigates the relationship betwe... [more] Drought is a global threat to public health. Increasingly, the impact of drought on mental health and wellbeing is being recognized. This paper investigates the relationship between drought and well-being to determine which drought indices most effectively capture well-being outcomes. A thorough understanding of the relationship between drought and well-being must consider the (i) three aspects of drought (duration, frequency, and magnitude); (ii) different types of drought (meteorological, agricultural, etc.); and (iii) the individual context of specific locations, communities, and sectors. For this reason, we used a variety of drought types, drought indices, and time windows to identify the thresholds for wet and dry epochs that enhance and suppress impacts to well-being. Four postcodes in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, are used as case studies in the analysis to highlight the spatial variability in the relationship between drought and well-being. The results demonstrate that the relationship between drought indices and well-being outcomes differs temporally, spatially, and according to drought type. This paper objectively tests the relationship between commonly used drought indices and wellbeing outcomes to establish whether current methods of quantifying drought effectively capture well-being outcomes. For funding, community programs, and interventions to result in successful adaptation, it is essential to critically choose which drought index, time window, and well-being outcome to use in empirical studies. The uncertainties associated with these relationships must be accounted for, and it must also be realized that results will differ on the basis of these decisions.
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Nova | |||||||||
2021 |
Bezzina A, Austin EK, Watson T, Ashton L, James CL, 'Health and wellness in the Australian coal mining industry: A cross sectional analysis of baseline findings from the RESHAPE workplace wellness program', PLoS ONE, 16 (2021) [C1] Overweight and obesity has reach pandemic levels, with two-thirds (67%) of adult Australians classified as overweight or obese. As two of the most significant behavioral risk fact... [more] Overweight and obesity has reach pandemic levels, with two-thirds (67%) of adult Australians classified as overweight or obese. As two of the most significant behavioral risk factors for obesity are modifiable (diet and exercise), there exists an opportunity for treatment through workplace health promotion initiatives. As one of Australia's largest industries with its own unique workplace factors, the mining industry has previously reported higher than population levels of overweight and obesity. This represented an opportune setting to test the RESHAPE workplace wellness program. RESHAPE is an eight-step framework (based on the WHO 'Health Workplace Framework and Model') which aims to provide a sustained approach to wellness in the workplace. This paper presents baseline findings from a pilot study that aimed to implement RESHAPE at three mine sites in NSW, Australia, and investigates the issue of overweight and obesity in the coal mining industry. Across three mine sites, 949 coal miners were examined cross-sectionally on a range of workplace, wellness, health, diet, and exercise factors using a paper-based survey. This was a predominantly male sample (90.4%) with the majority (59.2%) of participants aged 25-44 years. Selfreported height and weight measures indicated that less than 20 percent (18.9%) of participants were in a healthy BMI range, while there were effectively equal numbers of overweight (40.9%) and obese (39.1%) participants. Only 3.5% of participants met the daily recommendation for vegetables (5 serves) and shift-workers had greater association with elevated BMI compared to non-shift workers (B = 1.21, 95% CI: 0.23, 2.20, p = 0.016). Poor nutrition is likely to be a key component in elevated levels of overweight and obesity within this industry, with workplace factors compounding challenges workers face in implementing health behavior change. Future studies would benefit from assessing diet and physical activity knowledge in relation to recommendations and serving sizes.
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Nova | |||||||||
2021 |
Austin EK, James C, Tessier J, 'Early detection methods for silicosis in australia and internationally: A review of the literature', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18 (2021) [C1] Pneumoconiosis, or occupational lung disease, is one of the world¿s most prevalent work-related diseases. Silicosis, a type of pneumoconiosis, is caused by inhaling respirable cry... [more] Pneumoconiosis, or occupational lung disease, is one of the world¿s most prevalent work-related diseases. Silicosis, a type of pneumoconiosis, is caused by inhaling respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust. Although silicosis can be fatal, it is completely preventable. Hundreds of thousands of workers globally are at risk of being exposed to RCS at the workplace from various activities in many industries. Currently, in Australia and internationally, there are a range of methods used for the respiratory surveillance of workers exposed to RCS. These methods include health and exposure questionnaires, spirometry, chest X-rays, and HRCT. However, these methods predominantly do not detect the disease until it has significantly progressed. For this reason, there is a growing body of research investigating early detection methods for silicosis, particularly biomarkers. This literature review summarises the research to date on early detection methods for silicosis and makes recommendations for future work in this area. Findings from this review conclude that there is a critical need for an early detection method for silicosis, however, further laboratory-and field-based research is required.
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Nova | |||||||||
2020 |
Austin EK, Handley T, Kiem AS, Rich JL, Perkins D, Kelly B, 'Drought, Wellbeing and Adaptive Capacity: Why Do Some People Stay Well?', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17 (2020) [C1]
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Nova | |||||||||
2020 |
Austin EK, Rich JL, Kiem AS, Handley T, Perkins D, Kelly BJ, 'The concerns about climate change among rural residents in Australia.', Journal of Rural Studies, 75 98-109 (2020) [C1]
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Nova | |||||||||
2018 |
Austin EK, Handley T, Kiem AS, Rich JL, Lewin TJ, Askland HH, et al., 'Drought-related stress among farmers: findings from the Australian Rural Mental Health Study.', The Medical journal of Australia, 209 159-165 (2018) [C1]
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Nova | |||||||||
2016 |
Kiem AS, Austin EK, Verdon-Kidd DC, 'Water resource management in a variable and changing climate: hypothetical case study to explore decision making under uncertainty', Journal of Water and Climate Change, 7 263-279 (2016) [C1]
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Nova | |||||||||
2014 |
Kiem AS, Verdon-Kidd DC, Austin EK, 'Bridging the gap between end user needs and science capability: Decision making under uncertainty', Climate Research, 61 57-74 (2014) [C1] There is a recognised gap between what climate science can currently provide and what end users of that information require to make robust adaptation decisions about their climate... [more] There is a recognised gap between what climate science can currently provide and what end users of that information require to make robust adaptation decisions about their climate-related risks. This issue has been identified as a major barrier to successful climate change adaptation outcomes and is emphasised within the water resource management and agricultural sectors because of high uncertainty surrounding precipitation projections. This paper details the outcomes of a survey and workshop aimed at better understanding this gap. To bridge the gap, it is recommended that communication and packaging of climate information be improved via a formalised 'knowledge broker'. It is also suggested that a 'terms of reference' for key climate change-related terms be developed and agreed upon by both climate science providers and end users to reduce the misuse of terminology and subsequent confusion. Further, it is recommended that additional research be conducted into natural variability and baseline risk to provide a realistic background on which climate change projections and associated uncertainties are assessed. Finally, for successful climate change adaptation, new tools and methods are needed that deal explicitly with end user needs and the practical limitations end users face (e.g. time, funding, human resources, politics) when attempting to make robust decisions under climate change-related uncertainty.
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Nova | |||||||||
2013 |
Kiem AS, Austin EK, 'Disconnect between science and end-users as a barrier to climate change adaptation', Climate Research, 58 29-41 (2013) [C1]
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Nova | |||||||||
2013 |
Kiem AS, Austin EK, 'Drought and the future of rural communities: Opportunities and challenges for climate change adaptation in regional Victoria, Australia', GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE-HUMAN AND POLICY DIMENSIONS, 23 1307-1316 (2013) [C1]
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Nova | |||||||||
Show 9 more journal articles |
Conference (30 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
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2023 |
Lokuge B, Yadav T, Jackson MA, Brown AL, Paton B, Sequeira M, et al., 'Pilot feasibility study with randomised control of dual site theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation for methamphetamine use disorder: Preliminary results of the TARTAN study', DRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW (2023)
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2023 |
Lokuge B, Yadav T, Jackson MA, Brown AL, Paton B, Sequeira M, et al., 'Tearing down barriers to care - Evaluation of a home telehealth alcohol withdrawal service', DRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW (2023)
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2023 |
Austin EK, Jackson MA, Dunlop AJ, Wright K, Shui A, Li A, et al., 'Vaping to quit smoking: Qualitative study of people receiving opioid agonist treatment', DRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW (2023)
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2015 |
Austin E, Kiem AS, Perkins D, Rich J, Kelly B, 'Spatial analysis of drought and wellbeing in rural Australia', Brisbane, Australia (2015) [E3]
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2014 |
Austin EK, Kiem AS, 'Socio-cultural stresses associated with drought and rural communities in Australia', NCCARF Climate Adaptation 2014 Conference - Future Challenges, Gold Coast, Australia (2014) [E3]
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2013 |
Kiem AS, Verdon-Kidd DC, Austin E, 'Bridging the gap between end user needs and climate science capability: do we need a 'knowledge broker' and if so what should it look like?', Climate Adaptation 2013 Conference - knowledge + partnerships, Sydney, Australia (2013) [E3]
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2013 |
Verdon-Kidd DC, Kiem AS, Austin E, 'Bridging the gap between end user needs and science capability: decision making under uncertainty', Climate Adaptation 2013 Conference - knowledge + partnerships: Conference Abstracts, Sydney, Australia (2013) [E3]
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2013 |
Kiem AS, Verdon-Kidd DC, Austin E, 'Hypothetical case study to explore decision making under uncertainty for the water resource management sector', Climate Adaptation 2013 Conference - knowledge + partnerships: Conference Abstracts, Sydney, Australia (2013) [E3]
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Nova | |||
2012 |
Verdon-Kidd DC, Kiem AS, Austin EK, 'Decision making under uncertainty - Bridging the gap between end user needs and science capability', Abstracts of the 2012 AGU Fall Meeting, San Francsisco, CA (2012) [E3]
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2012 |
Austin EK, Kiem AS, 'Quantification of the causes and magnitude of the disconnect between available climate information and the needs of rural community end users', Adaptation Futures - Second International Climate Change Adaptation Conference 2012. Program Book, Tucson, Arizona (2012) [E3]
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2012 |
Kiem AS, Austin EK, 'Water trading as a 'market-based' instrument (MBI) for climate change adaptation - do we really want it to do what it is designed to do?', Adaptation Futures - Second International Climate Change Adaptation Conference 2012. Program Book, Tucson, Arizona (2012) [E3]
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2012 |
Verdon-Kidd DC, Kiem AS, Austin EK, 'Communicating and dealing with uncertainty in climate change information - bridging the gap between science capability and end user needs', Adaptation Futures - Second International Climate Change Adaptation Conference 2012. Program Book, Tucson, Arizona (2012) [E3]
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2012 |
Verdon-Kidd DC, Kiem AS, Austin EK, 'Bridging the gap between end user needs and science capability: Dealing with uncertainty in future scenarios', Climate Adaptation in Action 2012: Sharing Knowledge to Adapt. Conference Handbook, Melbourne, Vic (2012) [E3]
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2012 |
Kiem AS, Austin EK, 'Barriers to effective implementation of positive climate change adaptation: Disconnects between science, policy and stakeholders', Climate Change 2012: Water and Climate: Policy Implementation Changes; Proceedings of the 2nd Practical Responses to Climate Change Conference, Canberra, ACT (2012) [E1]
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Nova | |||
2012 |
Austin EK, Kiem AS, Verdon-Kidd DC, 'Bridging the gap between climate science capability and water resource management', 2012 Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium, Sydney, Australia (2012) [E1]
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Nova | |||
2011 |
Kiem AS, Askew LE, Sherval M, Verdon-Kidd DC, Clifton C, Austin EK, et al., 'Drought and resilience: A case study of two rural communities in regional Victoria', Greenhouse 2011: The Science of Climate Change Conference Handbook, Cairns (2011) [E3]
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2011 |
Kiem AS, Verdon-Kidd DC, Austin EK, 'On the disconnect between climate science and climate change adaptation: Why aren't the insights and recommendations being implemented?', Greenhouse 2011: The Science of Climate Change Conference Handbook, Cairns (2011) [E3]
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2010 |
Kiem AS, Askew LE, Sherval M, Verdon-Kidd DC, Clifton C, Austin EK, et al., 'Drought and the future of small inland towns', 2010 International Climate Change Adaptation Conference. Conference Handbook, Gold Coast, QLD (2010) [E3]
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2010 |
Kiem AS, Askew LE, Sherval M, Verdon-Kidd DC, Clifton C, Austin EK, et al., 'Drought impacts and adaptation in regional Victoria, Australia', Southern Exposure. Australia-New Zealand Climate Forum 2010. Conference Handbook, Hobart, TAS (2010) [E3]
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Show 27 more conferences |
Report (4 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
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2016 |
Kiem AS, Austin EK, 'Sustainable and thriving rural communities under climate change', Policy Information Brief 4, National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF), 6 pages (2016)
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2013 |
Verdon-Kidd DC, Kiem AS, Austin EK, 'Decision making under uncertainty: Bridging the gap between end user needs and climate science capability. Final Report to the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF)', National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF), 116 (2013) [R1]
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2012 |
Kiem AS, Austin EK, 'Limits to adaptation. Limits and barriers to climate change adaptation for small inland communities affected by drought. Final report to the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF)', National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, 37 (2012) [R1]
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2010 |
Kiem AS, Askew LE, Sherval M, Verdon-Kidd DC, Austin EK, McGuirk PM, Berry HL, 'Drought and the future of rural communities: Drought impacts and adaptation in regional Victoria, Australia. Report for the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, Gold Coast, Australia', NCCARF: National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, 122 (2010) [R1]
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Show 1 more report |
Grants and Funding
Summary
Number of grants | 2 |
---|---|
Total funding | $2,000 |
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
20201 grants / $1,000
Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research Publication Support$1,000
Funding body: Priority Research Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research (CBMHR)
Funding body | Priority Research Centre for Brain and Mental Health Research (CBMHR) |
---|---|
Scheme | Infrastructure Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2020 |
Funding Finish | 2020 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Internal |
Category | INTE |
UON | N |
20181 grants / $1,000
2018 CRHS Project Support Funds$1,000
Funding body: Centre for Resources Health and Safety
Funding body | Centre for Resources Health and Safety |
---|---|
Project Team | Emma Austin, Anthony Kiem, Jane Rich, David Perkins |
Scheme | 2018 CRHS Project Support Funds |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2018 |
Funding Finish | 2018 |
GNo | |
Type Of Funding | Not Known |
Category | UNKN |
UON | N |
Research Supervision
Number of supervisions
Current Supervision
Commenced | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | PhD | Quantifying Relationships Between Climate Extremes and Mental Health | PhD (Psychiatry), College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
News
News • 21 Aug 2020
Farmers experiencing drought-related stress need targeted support
Farmers experience drought-related stress. Improving their mental health enhances adaptive capacity and resilience. Drought support must address relationships between drought and mental health
News • 14 May 2020
Drought and rural wellbeing research awarded by The Royal Society of NSW
Recognised by a prestigious award from The Royal Society of NSW, PhD student Emma Austin, alongside the Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health and the Centre for Water, Climate and Land, researches the relationship between drought and wellbeing in rural communities – an issue of increasing importance as the climate crisis worsens.
News • 27 Nov 2018
SURVEY - Drought and wellbeing
Drought affected rural residents are invited to participate in an online survey which will help inform programs and initiatives targeted at improving resilience to drought. You can complete the survey here: https://bit.ly/2DQN7ol or at https://redcap.hmri.org.au/surveys/?s=9F4XH43HFC.
News • 30 Jul 2018
Farmers experiencing drought-related stress need targeted support
For farmers, drought is a major source of stress. Their livelihoods and communities depend on the weather. To better support farmers and their families we need to better understand the impact of drought on them and their communities.
News • 25 Jan 2018
Australia Day award honours outstanding women in research
Three exceptional University of Newcastle (UON) researchers have been recognised as inspiring leaders in their field, with an Australia Day Honour from the National Council of Women (NCW) of NSW.
Dr Emma Austin
Position
Post Doctoral Researcher
Centre for Water, Climate and Land
School of Environmental and Life Sciences
College of Engineering, Science and Environment