People

Prof Ruth Nettle

Ruth Nettle leads the Rural Innovation Research Group. This team of social scientists are recognised nationally and internationally for their engaged-research practices directed toward the critical issues of innovation and change in farming systems, rural communities and in human and natural resources management. Ruth’s personal research interests include: rural workforce development; the role of extension in rural change; multidisciplinary research, development and extension; and farming systems change.

A/Prof Margaret Ayre

Margaret Ayre works on transdisciplinary projects investigating responses to climate variability, effective catchment management and agricultural and regional development. Her research interests are in the production of scientific knowledge and the relationship between science, technology and society in natural resource management policy and practice, agricultural development and Indigenous community-based land and sea management.

Nicole Reichelt

Nicole Reichelt is a Research Fellow (SAFES) with the Rural Innovation Research Group (since 2015). Her research portfolio involves leading/co-researching in climate change adaptation and the social-ecological resilience of livestock systems, enhancing the design and delivery of agricultural advisory services and finding ways to support farmer decision-making in implementing smart technologies on farm. Nicole also assists with teaching postgraduate subjects in agricultural extension and social research methods.

Dr Catherine Joan Waite

Catherine is a youth sociologist concerned with highlighting the inequalities faced by young people in rural and regional Australia and providing a voice for those on the margins. Her work adopts an interdisciplinary perspective from youth studies, rural sociology, agriculture, media studies and human geography to consider young people as global citizens and clarify their negotiation of local employment challenges and educational pressures.

Dr Michael Santhanam-Martin

Michael Santhanam-Martin conducts collaborative research with agricultural industries and rural communities on topics including farm work organisations, farm workforce and the social dimensions of sustainability.

Dr Kaitlyn Height

Kaitlyn Height’s doctoral thesis explored the ways in which social norms have the potential to influence the management of rural, private property. Her research interests include using applied social science to improve land and natural resource management policy and practice, particularly through exploration of social capital and collective action.

Dr Sean Kenny

Sean has 25 years experience working in rural innovation and change as both a practitioner and researcher. Through roles in Government, University and the private sector, Sean has developed a unique combination of skills associated with the design, delivery and evaluation of innovation projects. Sean has a particular interest in the institutional dimensions of innovation systems and how discourse reveals and shapes these. Other research interests include the place of design approaches in innovation, innovation systems function and innovation for sustainability.

Dr Gayathri Mekala

Gayathri Mekala is a gender-in-agriculture specialist and a social scientist. Her research focuses on social, gender, institutional, governance and public policy aspects of agricultural systems, water resources and biodiversity. Gayathri has international research experience working with multidisciplinary and inter-cultural teams

Dr Vili Iese

Dr Wycliffe Oyunga

Awards: Australia Awards for Africa 2013. Master of Agribusiness, Deans Honourss List 2014. Master of Agribusiness Class, Melbourne International Research Scholarship 2017. Doctor of Philosophy (Agricultural Sciences). Project: A study into how stakeholder power relations affect agricultural extension service delivery in a pluralistic agricultural innovation system: A case study of Homabay County in Kenya.