
Dr Josephine Vaughan
Lecturer
School of Architecture and Built Environment (Construction Management (Building))
- Email:josephine.vaughan@newcastle.edu.au
- Phone:(02) 49854292
Career Summary
Biography
Working towards a vision of the future that includes greater uptake of environmentally sustainable construction practices worldwide, Dr Josephine Vaughan uses industry-focused research to study the impact of building materials on the natural environment and human health.

With a background in sustainable architecture and building, Josephine is the course coordinator and lecturer for Construction Ecology and Research in the Built Environment A across the Construction Management and Architecture disciplines. Josephine is a team member in several collaborative projects with the Construction Management discipline as well as across the university, industry and wider community in the areas of environmental sustainability, community, traditional knowledge and the relationships between nature and buildings.
Josephine continues to develop relationships between the university and construction industry communities, facilitating resource and information sharing between these groups to work towards a united goal of an environmentally sustainable future. These networks and relationships with industry and community contribute to Dr Vaughan’s research and draw relevant connections into education for university students both in coursework and in Work Integrated Learning opportunities.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy in Architcture, University of Newcastle
- Bachelor of Science (Architecture), University of Sydney
- Bachelor of Architecture, University of Newcastle
- Graduate Certificate in Ecologically Sustainable Development, TAFE (NSW)
Keywords
- Building materials
- Children's education in sustainable buildings
- Construction Managament
- Design with Community
- Environmental sustainability
- Environmentally Sustainable Building
- Healthy building materials
- Practice-based research
- Sustainable building
- Sustainable building materials
- Sustainable construction
Fields of Research
Code | Description | Percentage |
---|---|---|
330110 | Sustainable architecture | 30 |
330299 | Building not elsewhere classified | 30 |
330206 | Building science, technologies and systems | 40 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
Title | Organisation / Department |
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Lecturer | University of Newcastle School of Architecture and Built Environment Australia |
Lecturer | University of Newcastle School of Architecture and Built Environment Australia |
Membership
Dates | Title | Organisation / Department |
---|---|---|
1/1/2018 - 1/1/2022 |
Equity Diversity and Inclusion committee Representative for the discipline of Construction Management |
UoN Equity and Diversity Unit Australia |
1/1/2020 - 1/1/2022 |
University of Newcastle Childcare Strategy Project Board Provide Living Building Challenge Sustainable design expertise to represent the interests of those designing, developing, facilitating, procuring and implementing the project’s products. This role is accountable for the quality of products delivered by the suppliers and is responsible for the technical integrity of the project. |
University of Newcastle Australia |
Awards
Award
Year | Award |
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2020 |
Educator Innovation and Impact Award for “Building Materials database - information to construct a sustainable future” Office of the DVC(A), The University of Newcastle, Australia |
2019 |
BOLD Award for Innovation in Course Design University of Newcastle |
2015 |
Head of the School award for Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Impact School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Newcastle |
2009 |
Best paper at conference: Architectural Science Association Australian and New Zealand Architectural Science Association (ANZAScA) |
Prize
Year | Award |
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2016 |
Postgraduate Research First Prize Faculty of Engineering and Buil Environment, UON |
2014 |
Postgraduate Research First Prize School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Newcastle |
Invitations
Keynote Speaker
Year | Title / Rationale |
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2020 |
Building a Living Future Australian Institute of Architects - EmAGN NSW - Sustainability Series #5 |
Panel Participant
Year | Title / Rationale |
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2020 |
Creating local, sustainable water systems using the Living Building Challenge Australian Water Association - Water and The Circular Economy National Webinar |
Speaker
Year | Title / Rationale |
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2020 |
Sustainable buildings - waste and the circular economy Greens on Screens #11 |
2020 |
Building materials and their impact on the natural environment and human health The University of Sydney - Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning | |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Book (1 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
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2016 |
Ostwald MJ, Vaughan J, The Fractal Dimension of Architecture, Springer International Publishing, Switzerland, 423 (2016) [A1]
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Chapter (6 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||||
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2020 |
Vaughan J, Ostwald MJ, 'Fractal Geometry in Architecture', Handbook of the Mathematics of the Arts and Sciences, Springer Nature, Cham, Switzerland 1-16 (2020) [B1]
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2020 |
Ostwald MJ, Vaughan J, 'Fractal Dimensions in Architecture: Measuring the Characteristic Complexity of Buildings', Handbook of the Mathematics of the Arts and Sciences, Springer Nature, Cham, Switzerland 1-17 (2020) [B1]
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2015 |
Ostwald M, Vaughan J, Tucker C, 'Characteristic Visual Complexity: Fractal dimensions in the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier', Architecture and Mathematics, From Antiquity to the Future, Springer, Cham: Switzerland 339-354 (2015) [B1]
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2010 |
Ostwald M, Vaughan JL, 'The mathematics of style in the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: A computational, fractal analysis of formal complexity in fifteen domestic designs', Built Environment: Design Management and Applications, Nova Science Publishers, Hauppauge 63-88 (2010) [B1]
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2009 | Ostwald M, Vaughan JL, 'Visual qualities in early modern and late modern architecture: A mathematical comparison of formal complexity in the houses of Gray and Sejima', Computing, Cognition and Education: Recent Research in the Architectural Sciences, ANZAScA, Sydney, New South Wales 9-32 (2009) [B1] | ||||||
2008 |
Ostwald M, Vaughan JL, Tucker CC, 'Characteristic visual complexity: Fractal dimensions in the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier', Nexus VII: Architecture and Mathematics, Kim Williams Books, Turin, Italy 217-231 (2008) [B1]
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Show 3 more chapters |
Journal article (14 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||||||||
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2021 |
Asad R, Ahmed I, Vaughan J, von Meding J, 'Traditional water knowledge: challenges and opportunities to build resilience to urban floods', International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, ahead-of-print (2021)
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2021 |
Vaughan J, Maund K, Gajendran T, Lloyd J, Smith C, Cohen M, 'Determining and representing value in creative placemaking', Journal of Place Management and Development, (2021) [C1] Purpose: This study aims to address the research gap about value in the holistic discourse of creative placemaking. It identifies and synthesises the often discounted social and e... [more] Purpose: This study aims to address the research gap about value in the holistic discourse of creative placemaking. It identifies and synthesises the often discounted social and environmental values of creative placemaking along with typically emphasised economic values. Design/methodology/approach: This paper builds upon two research phases; first, a review and extraction of creative placemaking value indicators from relevant current urban, cultural and planning literature; and second, the identification of relevant, practice-based, value indicators through interviews with 23 placemaking experts including practitioners, urban planners, developers and place managers from the two largest cities of NSW, Australia; Sydney and Newcastle. Findings: This study identifies three broad thematics for valuing creative placemaking along with several sub-categories of qualitative and quantitative indicators. These indicators reveal the holistic value of creative placemaking for its key stakeholders, including expert placemakers, designers, building developers, government and community groups. A key conclusion of the research is the need for tools that grasp the interconnected, and at times conflicting, nature of placemaking¿s social, economic and environmental outcomes. Originality/value: While a variety of value indicators exist to understand the need for ongoing resourcing of creative placemaking, stakeholders identified the limitations of current approaches to determine, represent and appraise the value of creative placemaking. The indicators of value proposed in this research consolidate and extend current discourse about the value of creative placemaking specifically. The indicators themselves have profound practical implications for how creative placemaking is conceived, executed and evaluated. Theoretically, the study builds on the deep relationships between values and practice in creative placemaking, as well as critiquing narrow forms of evaluation that entrench economic benefits over other outcomes.
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2017 |
Vaughan J, Ostwald MJ, 'The comparative numerical analysis of nature and architecture: A new framework', International Journal of Design and Nature and Ecodynamics, 12 156-166 (2017) [C1]
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2016 |
Davis P, Gajendran T, Vaughan J, Owi T, 'Assessing construction innovation: Theoretical and practical perspectives', Construction Economics and Building, 16 104-115 (2016) [C1] Innovation is key for productivity improvement and advancements in different sectors of the economy, including the construction sector. The criticism of the slow pace of innovatio... [more] Innovation is key for productivity improvement and advancements in different sectors of the economy, including the construction sector. The criticism of the slow pace of innovation in construction industry may be unwarranted, considering the structure of the industry and nature of the construction business. The loosely coupled nature of firms, mostly Small and Medium Enterprises (SME¿s), delivering ¿projects¿ through partial engagement, together with the distinction between the project innovation and firm innovation makes it difficult to extract innovations in a meaningful way. The problem also lies in conceptualising, defining, articulating and assessing innovation in construction. The literature is replete with research into construction innovation, however, there is limited research into understanding how innovation is perceived and narrated in practice. The paper aims to explore how innovation is assessed and narrated in construction, specifically analysing theory and practice perspectives. A theoretical model was constructed from a structured literature review illustrating existing discourse and narratives of construction innovation assessment. A qualitative analysis of ¿Professional Excellence in Building¿ submission documents to the Australian Institute of Building was performed to identify the practice perspective of innovation. The findings suggest that internal organizational and process innovation account for the majority of improvements identified. Importantly a taxonomy of narrative is developed that articulates how the construction industry in Australia views industry innovation.
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2014 |
Vaughan J, Ostwald MJ, 'Measuring the significance of façade transparency in Australian regionalist architecture: A computational analysis of 10 designs by Glenn Murcutt', Architectural Science Review, 57 249-259 (2014) [C1] Historians and critics argue that a key characteristic of late twentieth century Australian regionalist architecture is the close visual connection it creates between the interior... [more] Historians and critics argue that a key characteristic of late twentieth century Australian regionalist architecture is the close visual connection it creates between the interior and the landscape. While various design properties are allegedly responsible for this connection, one of the most tangible of these is associated with the use of transparent and layered elements in a building's façade. Indeed, as exemplified in the work of Glenn Murcutt, the importance of façade transparency is a recurring theme in Australian architecture. But is it really that significant? In this paper, computational fractal analysis is used to measure the difference between the visual complexity of opaque and transparent depictions of façades. By comparing these two façade conditions, first in sets of elevations derived from 10 of Murcutt's houses and then in a detailed review of one of Murcutt's most iconic works, the Marie-Short House, this paper calculates the visual impact of transparency on the characteristic complexity of Murcutt's architecture.
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2013 |
Ostwald MJ, Vaughan J, 'Representing architecture for fractal analysis: A framework for identifying significant lines', Architectural Science Review, 56 242-251 (2013) [C1]
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2013 |
Ostwald M, Vaughan J, 'Differentiating the whites: Using fractal analysis to investigate the visual properties of the architecture of John Hejduk and Peter Eisenman', Empirical Studies of the Arts, 31 21-43 (2013) [C1] Architects John Hejduk and Peter Eisenman were members of the "New York Five" and of the famous late modernist group, the "Whites." Early in their careers, bot... [more] Architects John Hejduk and Peter Eisenman were members of the "New York Five" and of the famous late modernist group, the "Whites." Early in their careers, both Hejduk and Eisenman proposed that form or shape (the aesthetics of architecture) was more important than program (the function of architecture) and they designed experimental houses to demonstrate this. The present article uses the computational fractal method to analyze 78 design drawings to develop a mathematical description of the visual complexity of five early domestic designs by each architect. These data will provide an important basis for empirical comparisons of buildings using characteristic visual dimensions. Through this process it is possible to test a variety of hypotheses about the visual and formal qualities of both architects' works. Among the article's conclusions are that the mathematical data typically supports both architect's claims about the formal properties of their designs while challenging several assumptions about scale and Deconstructivist architecture. © 2013 Baywood Publishing Co., Inc.
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2013 | Ostwald M, Vaughan J, 'Limits and Errors: Optimising Image Pre-Processing Standards for Architectural Fractal Analysis', ArS Architecture Science, 7 1-19 (2013) [C1] | ||||||||||
2011 |
Ostwald M, Vaughan JL, 'The mathematics of domestic modernism (1922-1934): An analysis of correlations between facade complexity, orientation, address and permeability', Design Principles & Practices: An International Journal, 4 143-162 (2011) [C1]
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2011 | Vaughan JL, Ostwald M, 'The relationship between the fractal dimension of plans and elevations in the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright: Comparing the Prairie Style, Textile Block and Usonian Periods', Architecture Science, 4 21-44 (2011) [C1] | ||||||||||
2010 |
Vaughan JL, Ostwald M, 'A quantitative comparison between Wright's prairie style and triangle-plan usonian houses using fractal analysis', Design Principles and Practices: An International Journal, 4 333-344 (2010) [C1]
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2010 |
Vaughan JL, Ostwald M, 'Using fractal analysis to compare the characteristic complexity of nature and architecture: Re-examining the evidence', Architectural Science Review, 53 323-332 (2010) [C1]
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2009 |
Ostwald M, Vaughan JL, Chalup SK, 'A computational investigation into the fractal dimensions of the architecture of Kazuyo Sejima', Design Principles & Practices: An International Journal, 3 231-244 (2009) [C1]
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2009 | Vaughan JL, Ostwald M, 'A quantitative comparison between the formal complexity of Le Corbusier's pre-modern (1905-1912) and early modern (1922-1928) architecture', Design Principles & Practices: An International Journal, 3 359-371 (2009) [C1] | ||||||||||
Show 11 more journal articles |
Review (1 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link |
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2018 | Vaughan J, 'The Discipline of architecture: architect Alfred Browning Parker in Florida (2018) |
Conference (18 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||||
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2020 |
Vaughan J, Illankoon IMCS, MacKee J, 'Selecting Sustainable Building Materials: The influence of green building rating systems', 1st Asia Pacific Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems, Gold Coast, Australia (2020)
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2018 |
Davis P, Gajendran T, Vaughan J, Newaz MT, 'Construction site managers problem solving', London, UK (2018)
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2014 | Vaughan J, Ostwald M, 'Quantifying the changing visual experience of architecture: Combining Movement with Visual Complexity', Across: Architectural Research through to Practice: 48th International Conference of the Architectural Science Association, Genoa (2014) [E1] | ||||||
2013 | Vaughan J, Ostwald MJ, 'VISUAL PERMEABILITY AND THE ARCHITECTURE OF GLENN MURCUTT: Comparing the characteristic complexity of opaque and transparent building facades', Cutting Edge in Architectural Science: Proceedings of the 47th International Conference of the Architectural Science Association, Hong Kong (2013) [E1] | ||||||
2012 | Vaughan JL, Ostwald M, 'Significant lines: Measuring and representing architecture for computational analysis', Conference Proceedings. 46th Annual Conference of the Architectural Science Association (ANZAScA), Gold Coast, QLD (2012) [E1] | ||||||
2011 |
Ostwald M, Vaughan JL, Chalup SK, 'Data flow and processing in the computational fractal analysis method', Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia. CAADRIA 2011, Newcastle, NSW (2011) [E1]
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2010 |
Vaughan JL, Ostwald M, 'Refining a computational fractal method of analysis. Testing Bovill's architectural data', New Frontiers: Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Computer-Aided Architectural Design in Asia, Hong Kong (2010) [E1]
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2010 |
Vaughan J, Ostwald MJ, 'REFINING A COMPUTATIONAL FRACTAL METHOD OF ANALYSIS', PROCEEDINGS OF THE 15TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COMPUTER-AIDED ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN RESEARCH IN ASIA (CAADRIA 2010), Chinese Univ Hong Kong, Inst Space & Earth Informat Sci, Sch Architecture, Hong Kong, PEOPLES R CHINA (2010)
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2009 | Ostwald M, Vaughan JL, 'Calculating visual complexity in Peter Eisenman's architecture: A computational fractal analysis of five houses (1968-1976)', CAADRIA 2009: Proceedings of the Fourteenth Conference on Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia (CAADRIA), Yunlin, Taiwan (2009) [E1] | ||||||
2009 | Ostwald M, Vaughan JL, 'A data-cluster analysis of facade complexity in the early house designs of Peter Eisenman', Computation: The New Realm of Architectural Design: Proceedings of the 27th Conference on Education and Research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe, Istanbul, Turkey (2009) [E1] | ||||||
2009 |
Vaughan JL, Ostwald M, 'Refining the computational method for the evaluation of visual complexity in architectural images: Significant lines in the early architecture of Le Corbusier', Computation: The New Realm of Architectural Design: Proceedings of the 27th Conference on Education and Research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe, Istanbul, Turkey (2009) [E1]
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2009 |
Ostwald M, Vaughan JL, Chalup SK, 'Data-cluster analysis of correlations between facade complexity and orientation in Modernist architecture', Conference Proceedings: 43rd Annual Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Architectural Science Association, Launceston, TAS (2009) [E1]
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2009 | Vaughan JL, Ostwald M, 'Nature and architecture: Revisiting the fractal collection in Amaysa and Sea Ranch', Conference Proceedings: 43rd Annual Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Architectural Science Association, Launceston, TAS (2009) [E1] | ||||||
2008 |
Ostwald M, Vaughan JL, Chalup SK, 'A computational analysis of fractal dimensions in the architecture of Eileen Gray', Silicon + Skin: Biological Processes and Computation: Proceedings of the 28th Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA), Minneapolis, MINN (2008) [E1]
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2008 | Ostwald M, Vaughan JL, 'Determining the fractal dimension of the architecture of Eileen Gray', ANZAScA 2008: Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Architectural Science Association, Newcastle, NSW (2008) [E1] | ||||||
2008 | Vaughan JL, Ostwald M, 'Approaching Euclidean limits: A fractal analysis of the architecture of Kazuyo Sejima', ANZAScA 2008: Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Architectural Science Association, Newcastle, NSW (2008) [E1] | ||||||
Show 15 more conferences |
Creative Work (1 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link |
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2008 | Lobregat V, Vaughan JL, The Living Room: Back to the City, backtothecity.com.au, Newcastle, NSW (2008) [J2] |
Report (1 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
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2018 |
Maund KA, Gajendran T, Cohen M, Lloyd J, Smith C, 'Valuing creative placemaking: development of a toolkit for public and private stakeholders', NSW State Government: Landcom, 54 (2018)
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Thesis / Dissertation (1 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link |
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2017 | Vaughan J, Measuring Fallingwater: a computational fractal analysis of Wright s Kaufman House in the context of his theories and domestic architecture, University of Newcastle (2017) |
Grants and Funding
Summary
Number of grants | 2 |
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Total funding | $9,000 |
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
20201 grants / $5,000
Improving thermal comfort: Using Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) to measure upgrades to modular buildings$5,000
Funding body: Kingspan Insulation PTY LTD
Funding body | Kingspan Insulation PTY LTD |
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Project Team | Doctor Josephine Vaughan, Mr Stuart Braine, Associate Professor Patrick Tang |
Scheme | Research Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2020 |
Funding Finish | 2021 |
GNo | G2001395 |
Type Of Funding | C3111 - Aust For profit |
Category | 3111 |
UON | Y |
20191 grants / $4,000
Research Consultancy: Central Coast Cultural Plan$4,000
Funding body: City People
Funding body | City People |
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Project Team | Doctor Josephine Vaughan |
Scheme | Research Grant |
Role | Lead |
Funding Start | 2019 |
Funding Finish | 2019 |
GNo | G1900031 |
Type Of Funding | C3111 - Aust For profit |
Category | 3111 |
UON | Y |
Research Supervision
Number of supervisions
Current Supervision
Commenced | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
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2021 | PhD | A Life Cycle Environmental Sustainability Approach to Water Infrastructure Projects | PhD (Building), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
2020 | Masters | Designing Energy Efficient Buildings | M Philosophy (Architecture), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
2017 | PhD | Context Responsive Water Urbanism: Exploring Indigenous Knowledge for Water Resource Management in Bangladesh | PhD (Architecture), College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
Dr Josephine Vaughan
Position
Lecturer
School of Architecture and Built Environment
College of Engineering, Science and Environment
Focus area
Construction Management (Building)
Contact Details
josephine.vaughan@newcastle.edu.au | |
Phone | (02) 49854292 |
Fax | (02) 4921 6913 |
Office
Room | AG.06 |
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Building | Romberg |
Location | Callaghan University Drive Callaghan, NSW 2308 Australia |