Our Research Team
Meet our outstanding team of researchers
Project Management Team
Josh is an environmental scientist and urban design professional with a national profile as a consultant, researcher and communicator in urban sustainability. His approach is leadership through demonstration by engaging in projects that provide opportunities to test innovation, build capacity and share learnings with stakeholders and the wider community. Josh’s research expertise spans water sensitive design, low carbon housing and sustainable urban development and he has authored a number of academic publications, industry guides, factual video series and popular books in these fields. He is Dean of Sustainable Futures in the Faculty of Humanities where he supports learning and teaching, research and partnership activities. Josh’s unique skill set and interdisciplinary approach to practice, research, policy and communication has been acknowledged by numerous industry awards including the Australian Water Association WA Water Professional of the Year and the Planning Institute of Australia WA Planning Champion.
Nasrin Aghamohammadi is an Environmental Engineering professional focusing on Sustainable Cities and Society. Her research focuses on urban overheating, innovative mitigation strategies, sustainability policy, air quality, thermal comfort, health impact assessments, walkability, alert systems, net-zero emissions, and technologies for the waste and water-energy nexus. She is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Malaya (UM). Previously, she was an Associate Professor at UM, leading the multidisciplinary grand challenge program on the urban heat island phenomenon in a tropical city and mitigation approaches since 2015 in Greater Kuala Lumpur. She has lectured at various faculties and universities, including Malaysia, the USA, Japan, China, and Iran. She is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of e-Prime – Advances in Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Energy, published by Elsevier.
Aimee Smith is a sustainability and climate change researcher, communicator and practitioner who has worked at the intersection of climate change, sustainability, creativity and community for 20 years – across government, business, not-for-profits and education. With a Masters in Sustainability and Climate Policy, Aimee is particularly passionate about the power of culture, storytelling, community building and radical collaboration in creating a more just, sustainable and beautiful future for all of us. At Curtin Aimee leads the delivery of the Leadership in Sustainability Unit as part of the Masters in Environment and Climate Emergency; is the inaugural Planet Positive Learning Community Coordinator; and is the Communications Manager for the RACEfor2030 Pathways to Net Zero Precincts research project.
Urban Design Pathway Team
Josh is an environmental scientist and urban design professional with a national profile as a consultant, researcher and communicator in urban sustainability. His approach is leadership through demonstration by engaging in projects that provide opportunities to test innovation, build capacity and share learnings with stakeholders and the wider community. Josh’s research expertise spans water sensitive design, low carbon housing and sustainable urban development and he has authored a number of academic publications, industry guides, factual video series and popular books in these fields. He is Dean of Sustainable Futures in the Faculty of Humanities where he supports learning and teaching, research and partnership activities. Josh’s unique skill set and interdisciplinary approach to practice, research, policy and communication has been acknowledged by numerous industry awards including the Australian Water Association WA Water Professional of the Year and the Planning Institute of Australia WA Planning Champion.
Giles is a senior lecturer at the Curtin University Sustainability Policy institute. After living six years in Sweden, he returned to Perth in November 2023 to commence an Australian Research Council funded project to investigate net zero transit activated corridors. His research involves comparative studies, policy analysis, workshops and scenarios to explore scaling sustainability in urban environments. Prior to academia, Giles worked as an urban designer and city planner in Australia (NSW, SA, WA), the UK and the US within both the public and private sector.
Dr Shengping (Stephanie) Li is a Lecturer at Curtin University. Before this, she was awarded a CSIRO Early Research Career fellowship and worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at CSIRO, contributing to the “Towards Net Zero” project in Australia. She received her PhD degree at the University of Melbourne. Dr. Li’s research covers Sustainable Construction, Decarbonisation of the Built Environment, Building Energy Efficiency, Material Flow Analysis, and Life Cycle Assessment. Her involvement extends to nine research projects funded by a variety of institutions across International Energy Agency, Australia, Singapore, and China. Dr. Li has served as a scientific and organizing committee member at international conferences and has been invited to present her research at international conferences. Moreover, she is a member of Engineers Australia, the International Society for Industrial Ecology, and Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Faz Ikram has accumulated more than 17 years of experience in the financial services and capital markets industry and has held leadership positions in well-established financial institutions in Malaysia and Japan specializing in construction and building materials. He has drafted policy papers, parliamentary briefings and research notes for Transit Oriented Development, trackless trams, high speed railway, and last mile connection for Ministry of Federal Territories, Ministry of International Trade & Investment and Ministry of Works in Malaysia within the role of a Senior Aide to Minister and Associate Director/Senior Analyst. Prior to assuming the role as PhD candidate in Curtin University, he was the Group Finance Director of JT Technology Asia Pacific and Junex Asia in Tokyo. He is a Fellow Chartered Management Accountant of Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, United Kingdom, Certified Practising Accountant of CPA Australia and Chartered Member of Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport of United Kingdom.
Issana is a lecturer in the Urban and Regional Planning Department at Syiah Kuala University, Indonesia, and a PhD candidate focused on integrating urban metabolism and green infrastructure into urban planning to support the net-zero carbon city agenda. Her research centers on sustainable urban planning and the use of nature-based solutions.
In addition to her academic role, Issana is a certified urban planner with experience supporting governments in Aceh and across Indonesia in spatial planning, strategic planning, and sector master plans. She has a strong background in community engagement and advocacy, having contributed to projects ranging from slum upgrading to green city initiatives. As an urban planner, she is an active member of the Indonesia Association of Planners (IAP).
Patrick Bendall is an Architect and Computational Designer with more than 6 years of experience in the local construction industry. He is currently a PhD candidate at Curtin University and a Lecturer in Architecture at the University of Western Australia.
He has broad industry experience in the design and delivery of public and urban spaces, and has taught at Universities within Australia and Internationally. He was a recipient of the 2019 E.G. Cohen medal from the Australian Institute of Architects and achieved professional accreditation from the Architects Board of WA in 2022.
He is driven by an interest in data visualisation, automation, and the potential of responsible data use to improve environmental outcomes in the built environment.
Professor Rebecca Yang is a scholar of renewable energy, building and construction at the Department of Infrastructure Engineering, the University of Melbourne. Her research focuses on renewable energy transitions in buildings, industries, communities, and urban scales. She is the co-chair and board member of the Australian PV Institute. Rebecca is the Australian lead and expert in the International Energy Agency (IEA) collaborative programs in Building Integrated PV and Solar energy buildings. Nominated by Standards Australia, she is also an Australian National Mirror Committee member for International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) TC 82 Solar photovoltaic energy systems, especially working on the international standard development in the ISO/IEC Joint Working Group 11 on Building Integrated PV.
Majed is a multi-award-winning architect with an intensive background in landscape architecture, urban planning, interior design, and building and environmental science (Registered chief of architects in Jordan, graduate architect in Australia, and international landscape architect in the American Society of Landscape Architects). His research focuses on green infrastructure, energy and environmental performance, indoor and outdoor thermal performance, and smart technology applications in the built environment. Majed is also an expert in climate change and urban heat mitigation and has worked with various city councils to mitigate heat and evaluate climate change planning policies.
Gavin is a Lecturer at RMIT University. His work focuses on solar energy integration, energy transition, and sustainable energy systems. He has led and contributed to projects on urban/community-focused renewable transition, virtual power plants, digital twins, and BIPV, supported by CRC RACE, DTP, DEECA, ARENA, and industry partners. He also contributes to international solar energy research through IEA PVPS and SHC programs. His research outputs highlight solar energy simulation, machine learning applications in energy, and smart energy management systems to facilitate sustainable renewable energy transition in the built environment.
Andrew is a lecturer in the school of School of Property, Construction and Project Management at RMIT University where he manages the Master of Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Building (MEESB) program and undertakes research relating to sustainable building. Andrew has delivered a wide range of industry funded research projects relating to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and building performance. LCA projects have included the study of products, processes, waste management, recycling, building materials, residential buildings and multi-residential buildings in accordance with international standards.
Ingrid is a researcher in urban sustainability, integrating GIS, water balance modelling, and renewable energy systems to support climate-responsive urban design. Her work focuses on developing data-driven tools that bridge environmental science and spatial analytics, helping cities plan for resilience under changing climate conditions. With a background in digital-twin modelling and sustainable infrastructure, she has contributed to projects exploring tree-water interactions and canopy strategies at the precinct scale.
Sajani Jayasuriya is a senior lecturer in Construction Management at RMIT University. She holds a first-class bachelor’s degree in quantity surveying from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. Sajani is the Deputy Program Manager for the construction management program at the School of Property, Construction, and Project Management. She has been involved in various research collaborations, both locally and internationally. Her research focuses on stakeholder management, Public-Private Partnerships, embodied carbon calculations, social value creation and renewable energy transition.
Yusen Zhao is a PhD candidate at RMIT University’s School of Property, Construction, and Project Management. His research focuses on Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV), urban energy systems, and building performance optimization, advancing the sustainable integration of buildings and energy systems.
Jiatong is a PhD candidate at RMIT University’s School of Property, Construction and Project Management with an electrical engineering background. He researches renewable integration in distribution networks, focusing on photovoltaics, building-integrated photovoltaics and battery energy storage systems. Using ArcGIS, MATLAB and DIgSILENT PowerFactory, Jiatong conducts feeder-level modelling and scenario analysis to assess hosting capacity, voltage quality and asset loading. Current projects centre on renewable integration in high-density urban area and on community coordination of large commercial and industrial users with the grid. Findings inform guidance for planning and operations, supporting higher local renewable utilization and progress toward net zero.
Chathuri is a Research Fellow in the School of Property, Construction and Project Management at RMIT University, Melbourne. Her research focuses on the application of blockchain in solar energy projects, peer-to-peer energy trading within local communities, and photovoltaic (PV)-integrated prefabricated building envelopes. She also investigates project management aspects, including communication and stakeholder management, construction management, stakeholder integration, and cross-sector collaboration in building-integrated photovoltaics projects, alongside cost management and Modern Methods of Construction. Her interdisciplinary expertise spans the built environment, architecture, and project management, enabling her to address current challenges across energy, construction, and education sectors through a systems-oriented, real-world lens.
Certification Pathway Team
Peter Newman is the Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University in Perth, Australia. Peter is an academic who has written 20 books and over 350 papers on sustainable cities with a global reputation and has worked to deliver his ideas in all levels of government. Peter has worked in local government as an elected councillor in Fremantle, in Western Australia’s state government as an advisor to three Premiers and in the Australian Government on the Board of Infrastructure Australia and the Prime Minister’s Cities Reference Group. He is the Co-ordinating Lead Author for the UN’s IPCC on Transport. In 2014 he was awarded an Order of Australia for his contributions to urban design and sustainable transport particularly for his work in saving and rebuilding Perth’s rail system. In 2018/19 he was the WA Scientist of the Year. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Springer journal Sustainable Earth.
Hugh Finn is a Lecturer in the Curtin Law School where he currently lectures in Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, and Environmental Law and Policy. Hugh’s research interests are in legal and policy frameworks for climate change and wildlife conservation, environmental law and policy, and animal law. Hugh has worked previously as a wildlife biologist, and has conducted field research with marine mammals and black cockatoos. Hugh was the chairperson of the Environmental Defender’s Office of Western Australia (Inc) in 2019 and 2020.
Angelina is an Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Leader who is a PhD candidate exploring net zero precinct certification pathways for different urban fabrics in Australia to complement experience implementing ESG programs and projects, and an in-depth understanding of industry best practices and global regulatory environments. Angelina designed and established the ESG strategy, function and team structure for the Crown Resorts Group, and managed their ESG compliance obligations. These included National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting, NABERS ratings, Climate Active reporting, Green Star reporting, single use plastic bans in WA, Victoria & NSW, the Australian Packaging Covenant and Modern Slavery reporting requirements. Angelina is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand has more than 20 years of experience in tax across various jurisdictions around the world.
Consumer Energy Resources and Grid Integration Pathway Team
As Director of Curtin Institute for Energy Transition, Peta brings over thirty years of experience working in senior management and research including having established and led the Science into Society Group (SISG) within CSIRO’s Division of Earth Science and Resource Engineering. Well known for her expertise in the energy field, communication and stakeholder engagement and technology assessment. She has been researching public attitudes to climate and energy technologies for the past decade and grew up on a farm in the south west of WA where her love of nature grew from a young age.
Maureen Boyle has over 15 years interdisciplinary experience in the energy and development sectors nationally and internationally, with extensive experience collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders across Australia’s energy sector. Her career includes roles in government policy (state and federal), the renewable energy industry, and the not-for-profit sector. Prior to joining Curtin University, Maureen was a Research Fellow with the Battery Storage and Grid Integration Program at the Australian National University, and with the University of Tasmania (Perth based). In the latter role, she served as the main social researcher on Project Symphony, a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) pilot in Western Australia, investigating household participation in the VPP. Maureen’s research draws on academic training in sustainable development and international relations and is underpinned by a commitment to distributive and procedural fairness with applied, policy relevant outcomes.
Dr Himanshu Agrawal serves as a Senior Lecturer at School of Electrical Engineering, Computing, and Mathematical Science, Curtin University specialising in networking and security. He earned his PhD from RMIT University, and has focused his career dedicated to advancing knowledge in networking, Internet of Things (IoT), applied AI/ML, Simulation and Modelling and Privacy Preservation.
Dr Agrawal’s academic journey included a Visiting Associate Professorship at IoT Lab, Swinburne University of Technology (2019-2020) collaborating on a CRC-P with Prof. Dimitrios Georgakopoulos. Since joining Curtin in 2020, he has been recognised as a multi-disciplinary research investigator, contributing to research grants totalling to $3.5 million including significant projects like RACE 2030-NZP ($2.8 M) and Healthy Connections($607K). His research work is cited over 1000 times (Google Scholar, h-index 18) in more than 60 papers alongside a patent (Grant-Pending) for ‘Drown Support System’. He also serves as an editorial board member with MDPI and Frontiers in IoT journals.
Governance Practices Pathway Team
As Director of Curtin Institute for Energy Transition, Peta brings over thirty years of experience working in senior management and research including having established and led the Science into Society Group (SISG) within CSIRO’s Division of Earth Science and Resource Engineering. Well known for her expertise in the energy field, communication and stakeholder engagement and technology assessment. She has been researching public attitudes to climate and energy technologies for the past decade and grew up on a farm in the south west of WA where her love of nature grew from a young age.
Rob Weymouth is a specialist in sustainability governance, with over 15 years’ experience designing and leading inclusive, systems-based approaches to embedding sustainability in public institutions. With a PhD focused on deliberative democracy and political trust, Rob’s expertise lies in building governance frameworks that enable just, effective, and collaborative transitions to sustainability. He has worked extensively with local governments, state agencies, and research institutions to co-design strategic plans, participatory processes, and impact measurement systems that align with long-term sustainability goals. Rob has co-led major initiatives such as the PATREC Climate Action Research Program and has authored influential peer-reviewed work on collaborative governance, participatory planning, and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. His facilitation and consulting practice is grounded in practical experience, academic rigor, and a deep commitment to democratic renewal. Rob brings proven leadership in convening diverse stakeholders to create governance systems capable of responding to today’s complex sustainability challenges.
Jennifer is a socio-legal researcher with five degrees in law and social science, with vast experience in applying empirical methods to environmental governance. She has over 183 publications and was honoured with a Fulbright to Berkeley (2008), Water Professional of the Year (2022), and AM (2023) for her contributions to law and sustainability. Jennifer has worked across four Australian universities and served 20 years as a Part-time Commissioner on the Environment Resources and Development Court. She led a research centre at UniSA, advised governments and industry, and was named Water Professional of the Year in 2022. She is currently a Professor of Business Law at UniSA (now Adelaide Law School), Adjunct Professor at ANU, and co-edits the IUCN e-journal.
Ke holds a PhD in Sustainable Design and specialises in low-energy buildings, resilient infrastructure, and circular product-service systems. His research spans sustainable infrastructure, life-cycle asset stewardship, and decarbonisation across construction, manufacturing, and service industries. Ke has led major projects on value chain transformation and business model innovation. He served on the Professional Development Committee of ALCAS and is a Standing Committee member of Ecological Development Union International, contributing to global sustainability efforts through research, leadership, and professional engagement.
Tim is a Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Energy Engineering at UniSA, with expertise in dynamic thermal modelling and energy retrofits for buildings. He combines academic and industry experience, including work as an ESD consultant. Tim helped Adelaide Airport achieve Level 3 carbon accreditation—the first in Australia—through smart air-conditioning optimisation and carbon monitoring. His research supports green building innovation and energy-efficient design, advancing sustainable infrastructure through practical engineering solutions and collaborative partnerships.
Ganesh is a Research Fellow at UniSA and specialises in governance research, examining social, cultural, institutional, and policy aspects of sustainable natural resources management, especially water resources management. He holds a PhD in Business Management with a focus on water policy research and received the CRC Irrigation Futures Directors Award for his work on institutional arrangements for wastewater reuse in Australia and India. He has experience working on multiple research projects and is skilled in mixed methods research, contributing to inclusive and effective water governance across diverse contexts.
Bin is a Research Fellow at UniSA, specialising in complex systems modelling, green manufacturing, and low-carbon planning. He holds a PhD in Green Manufacturing and has 15 years of research experience plus three years in AI and optimisation. Bin developed the Precinct Carbon Assessment tool and holds five patents for renewable energy harvesting devices. His expertise includes lifecycle modelling, urban dynamics, CFD, and green infrastructure integration, contributing to sustainable urban development and carbon offset strategies.
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Our Partners
Meet the team of industry, government and academic partners collaborating on this research project
Curtin’s support includes the CISCO Curtin Centre for Networks