Convenor Human Ecology Program

Lecturer
Human ecology, social learning and change, dynamic systems thinking
Phone: +61 (0)2 6125 3704
Fax: + 61 (0)2 6125 0746
E-mail: Rob.Dyball@anu.edu.au

Robert grew up in London, England escaping to Australia in 1981. In Sydney he worked for the NSW Tourism Commission and completed first year Philosophy and Anthropology at the University of Sydney. In 1994 he transferred to Canberra and ANU, majoring in Philosophy and Human Ecology and graduating with Honours in Human Ecology in 1998. Robert obtained his PhD at the Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies (CRES), whilst lecturing in the Human Ecology program in SRES. His PhD was titled A Critical Analysis of Human Ecology, which involved the application of dynamic systems thinking to the conceptual structure of Human Ecology to create a powerful means of understanding the characteristic changes in human-ecological situations. Robert continues to lecture in the Human Ecology Program. He lectures in Human Ecology, Cites and their Hinterlands, and Human Futures.

Professional Activities

Current research is on furthering the application of dynamic systems thinking in Human Ecology and in understanding socio-biophysical interactions more generally. Current projects include the ACT Food Flows project, in collaboration with CSIRO and Stockholm University; the Integrated Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on Urban Settlements (IACCIUS), which is an AGO funded project involving a range of Fenner academics; the Interdisciplinary Research Approaches for Understanding and Intervening in the Obesity Epidemic project involving Fenner, CSIRO, ADFA, NCEPH and ACT Health. A range of activities around EfS are being conducted, many in collaboration with ANUgreen. Robert is on the board of the international Society for Human Ecology.

2007 winner of a national Carrick Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning.

Selected Publications

Dyball, R., Brown, V. A. and Keen, M. (2007) Towards Sustainability: Five strands of social learning. In WALS, A. (Ed.) Social Learning: Towards a more sustainable world. The Netherlands, Wageningen Academic Publishers.

Dyball, R. and Carpenter, D. (2006) Human Ecology and Education for Sustainability. In CARPENTER, D. and LEAL-FILHO, W. (Eds.) Sustainability in the Australasian University Context. Frankfurt, Peter Lang.

Dyball, R., Beavis, S. and Kaufmann, S. (2005) Complex Adaptive Systems: Constructing Mental Models. In KEEN, M., BROWN, V. A. and DYBALL, R. (Eds.) Social Learning in Environmental Management: Building a sustainable future. London, Earthscan.

Carpenter, D. and Dyball, R. (2006) 'Outside In' - Experiential Education for Sustainability. In FILHO, W. L. (Ed.) Innovation, Education and Communication for Sustainable Development. Frankfurt, Peter Lang.

Keen, M., Brown, V. A. and Dyball, R. (Eds.) Social Learning in Environmental Management: Towards a Sustainable Future. London, Earthscan.

Dyball, Robert 2005. Understanding Obesogenic Environments from the Perspective of Human Ecology, in Proceedings of the 2nd State of Australian Cities Conference, Griffith University, Brisbane.