RQF Group
Regional sustainability: social and economic dimensions
2.
Home Panel: 9 Social sciences and politics
3.
Up to three 4 Digit RFDC Codes: 3700_45%
3008
Up to three 4 Digit SEO Codes: 7503 40%__7602
4. Name of
Level
M/F
FTE
ECR
Researchers
35%__3212 20%__
40%_ 7506
20%__
RFCD
SEO
Code
Code
1 Margaret Alston
E
F
1.0
N
370000
750000
2 Allan Curtis
E
M
1.0
N
300800
760000
3 Ian Gray
D
M
1.0
N
360000
770000
4 Mark Morrison
D
M
1.0
N
340202
720299
5 Kevin Parton
E
M
1.0
N
321202
730200
TOTAL
Top Four Publications
Margaret Alston
1. Margaret Alston (2006) The Impact of Drought on Gender and Power Differentials in
Australian Farm Families. In B Bock and S Shortall (eds) Rural Gender Relations:
Issues and Case Studies. CABI Publishing, Oxfordshire.
Book held by the British National Library, USA Library of Congress and 11 major
Australian libraries (National Library, and Australian universities).
1
Based on in-depth research undertaken over the period 2003-6, this chapter provides a
feminist theoretical lens to analyse the gender and power differentials implicit in the
Australian drought experience. After presenting the theoretical framework, the paper
presents original qualitative material on the drought experience. By drawing on the
voices of people significantly impacted by drought and providing a gendered analysis,
this chapter is a significant addition to our understanding of rural life and social relations.
The chapter was sought by the editors as an integral part of a compilation on rural gender
relations across the world.
2. Margaret Alston (2006). ‘I’d like to just walk out of here’: women’s experience of
drought. Sociologia Ruralis 46 (2), pp. 154-170.
JIF 2.093, Citations: ISI 1, Google Scholar 1.
Journal ranked 5/93 for Sociology.
By contrast with the previous book chapter, this article focuses on the experiences of
women in the Australian drought. Using a case study methodology it presents original
material drawn from three women who were part of the larger drought study. Using these
contrasting cases it presents a very vivid and disturbing understanding of the lived
experience of women during the drought. This article was published internationally and
drew an immediate response in terms of email comment. It also generated widespread
demand for interviews on ABC regional radio across the country.
3. Margaret Alston 2003. Women in Agriculture: the New Entrepreneurs. Australian
Feminist Studies, 18, 41, pp 163-171.
Journal not ISI listed. Citations: Google Scholar 2.
Journal ranked 23/26 in Women’s Studies.
This paper published in 2003 by Australia’s leading feminist journal, resulted from a
keynote address to the Australian Agronomy conference. It presents historical data on
women who have contributed to Australian agriculture during the 1800s and early 1900s.
It then outlines contemporary women who were finalists in the Australian Rural Women
2
of the Year. The paper makes the point that women have always contributed to Australian
agriculture in very innovative and entrepreneurial ways despite the perception that
agriculture is very male dominated.
4. Margaret Alston 2004. Social Exclusion in Rural Areas. In Cocklin, C. and Dibden,
J., (eds.), Sustainability and Change in Rural Australia, UNSW Press, Kensington.
This chapter provides a discussion of the theory of social exclusion and applies this to
contemporary rural life in Australia. The paper identifies significant and rising levels of
exclusion among rural dwellers and argues for appropriate interventions and as such,
provides a significant addition to knowledge. Included in the book is an additional
chapter from Professor Alston on Gender issues in rural areas and the one listed below
from A/Prof Gray, also a member of this group.
Allan Curtis
1. Curtis, A., De Lacy, T. (2001) Landcare in Australia: does it make a difference, in
Morris, J., Bailey, A., Turner, R.K., Bateman, I.J. (eds). Managing the environment
for sustainable development: rural planning and management. pp.605-623. Edward
Elgar, London. Contribution 90%.
The journal paper published in Environmental Management has a JIF 1.097,
Citations: ISI 16, Scopus 31, Google Scholar 61.
Journal ranked 77/144 for Environmental Sciences.
This publication was selected from all papers in the Edward Elgar journals. This research
was the first attempt to conduct a theory-driven evaluation of the National Landcare
Program (NLP) and is the seminal paper on Landcare evaluation and heavily cited. Key
findings have contributed to important international (Proceedings of OECD Co-operative
Research Program Workshop, Nov 2002) and national publications (Dovers, S., Wild
River, S. (eds) Managing Australia’s Environment, commissioned by Land and Water
Australia to review policy past 30 years). The research methodology was adopted by the
3
Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in 2003 to
evaluate the $120 million NLP.
2. Pannell, D.J., Marshall, G.R., Barr, N., Curtis, A., Vanclay, F., and Wilkinson, R.
(2006) Understanding and promoting adoption of conservation technologies by rural
landholders. Australasian Journal of Experimental Agriculture. 46 (11): 1407-1424.
Contribution 15%.
JIF 0.861, Citations: ISIS 0, Scopus 0, Google Scholar 6.
Journal ranked 9/31 for Agriculture, Multidisciplinary.
As leaders in their disciplines, the co-authors drew on sociology, psychology and
economics and their research of the past twenty years to propose a unique,
interdisciplinary framework that enables others to more readily understand landholder
adoption of conservation behaviours. Although published recently, the paper has the
highest number of downloads (by subscription) for any paper in this Journal (CSIRO
Publishing) in the last 12 months and is at number three for all papers published since
2000. The framework has been widely used, including as the standard within the new
Future Farm Industries Cooperative Research Centre.
3. Curtis, A., Byron, I., and McDonald, S. (2003) Integrating spatially referenced social
and biophysical data to explore landholder responses to dryland salinity in Australia.
Journal of Environmental Management, 68 (4): 397-407. Contribution 80%.
JIF 1.477. Citations: ISI 1, Scopus 1, Google Scholar 6.
Journal ranked 55/144 for Environmental Sciences.
This research involved an innovative methodology using surveys of private landholders
to gather spatially-referenced social and economic data to underpin watershed planning,
implementation and evaluation. A Geographic Information System was used to integrate
survey data with other biophysical layers to address important theoretical and applied
questions. The research approach has been implemented in 11 Australian regions and
adopted by the Australian Government as the standard approach. A revised paper was
4
selected as a juried paper from amongst 600 papers at the 2007 International Symposium
of Society and Natural Resources. This journal is regarded as the highest quality journal
for multidisciplinary research in environmental management.
4. Curtis, A., Shindler, B., Wright, A. (2002) Sustaining local watershed initiatives:
lessons from Landcare and Watershed Councils. Journal of the American Water
Resources Association 38(5): 1207-1216. Contribution 50%.
JIF 0.735. Citations: ISI 2, Scopus 2, Google Scholar 13.
Journal ranked 33/57 for Environmental Engineering.
This paper provided a much needed synthesis of research examining collaborative
watershed initiatives that drew on my research into Landcare and the work of Professor
Shindler and others in the USA. The focus was on identifying lessons for practitioners
about sustaining local watershed organizations. This was an important research gap. My
research into volunteer motivations (3 papers), burnout (3 papers), gender roles (1 paper),
the impact of networks on social capital (3) and agency/community partnerships (2)
provided the theoretical foundation for the paper. Findings from this paper were heavily
cited in the 2003 Australian Government evaluation of the Decade of Landcare Plan.
Ian Gray
1. Gray, I. and Lawrence, G. (2001) A Future for Regional Australia: Escaping Global
Misfortune, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Contribution 50%.
Book held in 121 Australian libraries. Google Scholar 41.
Widely cited, and described by a reviewer as offering ‘… an innovative integration of
ideas and perspectives on the many and varied processes affecting rural places, not only
in Australia but elsewhere as well’, this book presented the first complete analysis of
change in regional Australia from sociological perspectives since the 1980s. Another
reviewer said ‘This excellent book carefully analyses the economic, social, cultural and
environmental factors relevant to the current situation facing regional Australia ...’ The
5
book presented arguments for the rethinking of neo-liberal policies and the consideration
of progressive policy options for governments and communities.
2. Gray, I. and Sinclair, P. (2005) 'Local Leaders in a Global Setting: Dependency and
Resistance in Regional New South Wales and Newfoundland', Sociologia Ruralis, 45
(1/2):37-52. Contribution 50%.
JIF 2.093, Citations: ISI 1, Google Scholar 1.
Journal ranked 5/93 for Sociology.
Addressing the problems facing small rural communities, this article provided a critical
perspective on literature advocating individualistic solutions to collective problems. By
using data collected in Australia and Canada, it compared very different situations in
terms of geography and the depth of adjustment problems following economic decline. It
considered the extent that local people are able to maintain community distinctiveness
amid globalisation and conditions of dependency by examining the perspectives of local
leaders and presented a critical view of potentially excessive reliance placed on people
who have few resources at their disposal.
3. Gray, I., Williams, R. and Phillips, E. (2005) 'Rural community and leadership in the
management of natural resources: tensions between theory and policy', Journal of
Environmental Policy and Planning, 7 (2): 125-139. Contribution 33%.
Not ISI listed. Citations: Google Scholar 1.
This paper provided a much needed critique of concepts of leadership and social capital
in current analysis and policy development. The growth of landcare and the
regionalisation of natural resource management had focused attention on local and
regional land management, but as the article argued, this had been done with excessive
emphasis on leadership and social capital with insufficient consideration having being
given to the inherent tensions between the two. It argued for a more theoretically precise
and comprehensive approach to these issues with the introduction of concepts of power.
6
4. Gray, I. (2005) 'Challenges to Individual and Collective Action' in Cocklin, C. and
Dibden, J., (eds) Sustainability and Change in Rural Australia, UNSW Press, Sydney.
Google Scholar 2.
The chapter critiques the approach taken by those advocating the revival of small country
towns by means of self-help and leadership on the basis that this approach takes
insufficient account of structural factors and the situations confronted by individuals. By
2005, the literature relating the concept of social capital to regional development had
oversimplified social capital and taken insufficient account of much earlier research. This
article used research going back to the 1970s in addition to recent work to argue for a
more realistic and comprehensive view of the situations faced by local communities.
Mark Morrison
1. Morrison, M.D., Bennett, J.W. and Blamey, R.K. and Louviere, J.J. (2002). Choice
Modelling and Tests of Benefit Transfer. American Journal of Agricultural
Economics. 84(1): 161-170. Contribution 70%.
JIF 1.196, Citations: ISI 11, Scopus 20, Google Scholar 65.
Journal ranked 37/175 for Economics.
The first paper to empirically demonstrate the advantages of using choice modelling
rather than contingent valuation for benefit transfer (reusing valuation estimates at a
second site). This is because it produces marginal rather than aggregate estimates which
can be modified for conditions at the second site. Since this study, using choice
modelling for benefit transfer has become the norm, thus it has lead to a shift in industry
practice. Twelve further studies have followed to assess the generalisability of its
findings (Morrison and Bergland 2006).
2. Morrison, M. and Bennett, J. Valuing NSW Rivers Using Choice Modelling for Use
in Benefit Transfer (2004). Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource
Economics. 48(1): 591-612. Contribution 80%.
7
JIF 0.935, Citations: ISI 5, Scopus 7, Google Scholar 10.
Journal ranked 63/175.
Paper describes seven choice modelling studies valuing NSW rivers that demonstrate
how to systematically apply benefit transfer in a large scale valuation exercise, and the
use of a pooled benefit transfer model to fill in gaps in the experimental design due to
budget limitations. The paper added to the literature by demonstrating when benefit
transfer is likely to be valid. Results have been used by the NSW government in its water
reform process and also by the Victorian government. It was the second most
downloaded article in AJARE in 2004.
3. Blamey, R., Bennett, J., Louviere, J., Morrison, M. and Rolfe, R. (2002). Attribute
Causality in Environmental Choice Modelling. Environmental and Resource
Economics. 23: 167-186. Contribution 20%.
JIF, 1.223, Citations: ISI 3, Scopus 4. %, Google Scholar 9.
Journal ranked 69/175
A challenging part of designing environmental choice modelling studies is selecting
attributes, particularly if respondents perceive “cause-effect” relationships between
attributes used to describe alternatives. This may influence weights assigned to attributes
and resulting values. The paper describes an empirical test of including a causal attribute,
which demonstrates that while including a causal attribute affects values for specific
attributes, compensating surplus estimates were unaffected. This is important as values
for attributes are often used for benefit transfer. Various strategies for reducing
perceptions of causality are discussed.
4. Mallawaarachchi, T., Morrison, M.D. and Blamey, R.K. (2006) Valuing Land Use
Changes Using Choice Modelling. Land Use Policy. 23(3): 323-332. Contribution
50%.
JIF 1.581, Citations: Nil.
Journal ranked 6/52 for Environmental Studies.
8
This article demonstrates the usefulness of choice modelling for land use management
decisions, and is one of the first studies to demonstrate how choice modelling can be used
to generate values for alternative land uses. The results demonstrate the value of
preserving native vegetation compared to using the area for sugar cane or urban
development. The results from this study could be used by local governments or state
agencies involved in land use planning. The quality of the study is indicated by its
publication the world’s leading land use policy journal.
Kevin Parton
1. Bi, P., Tong, S., Donald, K., Parton, K.A. and Ni, J. (2002), “Climatic, reservoir and
occupational variables and the transmission of haemorrhagic fever with renal
syndrome in China” International Journal of Epidemiology 31, 189-193. Contribution
20%.
JIF 4.517, Citations: ISI 3, Google Scholar 5.
Journal ranked 7/98 (2006) for Public, Environmental and Occupational Health.
This paper develops, through regression analysis, a predictive model of the incidence of
haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). This paper quantifies the influences of
climatic, reservoir and occupational factors on the incidence and potential risk factors of
HFRS in Yingshang County, a low-lying epidemic focus of the disease in China. The
results show that rainfall, the density of mice and autumn crop production were good
explanators of the incidence of HFRS. The significance of this work lies in both its
methodological contribution as a first application of the method to this disease, and as a
guide to public health agencies in China.
2. Bi, P. and Parton, K.A. (2003), “The El Nino-Southern Oscillation and the historic
haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome transmission in China: an early warning
system for future epidemics?” Journal of the American Medical Association 289 (2),
176-177. Contribution 40%.
9
JIF 23.2, Citations: ISI 1, Google Scholar 1. % contribution, 40%.
Journal ranked 3/103 for Medicine, General & Internal.
This paper extends the first (above) by examining seasonal climate forecasts as a
potential predictor of rainfall, crop production, density of mice and hence incidence of
haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, and by extending the results to a wider regional
area. The statistical association between these variables was examined, but only weak
correlations were found between the major climate predictor, the El Nino-Southern
Oscillation and the historic incidence of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. This is
pioneering work that indicates possible future lines of enquiry relating climate forecasts
to disease incidence.
3. Bi, P., Walker. S, and Parton. K.A.(2003) “Trends in mortality rates for infectious
and parasitic diseases in Australia, 1907-97”, Internal Medicine Journal 33 (3), 146156. Contribution 30%.
JIF 1.402, Citations: ISI 2, Google Scholar 6.
Journal ranked 40/103 for Medicine, General & Internal.
Trends in infectious disease mortality in overall population and in the 0−4 years age
group were examined and standardized by sex. Death rates were also studied for: (i)
diarrhoea/enteritis, (ii) pneumonia and all respiratory diseases and (iii) tuberculosis. A
combination of improved living conditions and access to readily available treatments
over the twentieth century played an important role in the reduction of infectious disease
mortality in Australia. This paper provides up-to-date and comprehensive information on
an important class of diseases, that has been largely overlooked in recent years. The
results are directly relevant to health policy makers.
4. Bi, P., Parton, K.A. and Whitby, M. (2004), “Co-existing conditions for death from
infectious and parasitic diseases in Australia”, International Journal of Infectious
Diseases 8, 121-125. Contribution 30%.
JIF 2.062, Citations: ISI 2, Google Scholar 1.
Journal ranked 29 /47 for Infectious Diseases.
10
This paper raised awareness of the poor quality of Australia’s mortality data. Through
detailed examination of death certificates, the analysis reveals that there are often comorbidities that could more reasonably be considered the real underlying cause of death.
The study indicated that the quality of death certificates is less than satisfactory. The
findings should be helpful in clarifying the ICD coding rules and, once the data are
adjusted, in the development of improved disease prevention strategies.
CONTEXT STATEMENT
History, Strategic Focus and Objectives
The Regional sustainability: social and economic dimensions RQF grouping is a critical
part of the Institute for Land, Water and Society at CSU. The focus of the Institute is to
undertake “internationally recognized, integrated research which contributes to improved
social and environmental sustainability in rural and regional Australia.”
Members of this RQF group undertake strategic and applied research addressing the
social and economic dimensions of rural/regional sustainability. Professor Alston’s
research focus is on rural social issues, gender, rural women, rural service delivery and
rural practice. Professor Curtis’ research examines the role of local watershed
organizations in rural development, landholder adoption of conservation practices, and
program evaluation. A/Prof Gray’s research focus is on regional administration and
governance, environment and transport. A/Prof Morrison’s research interest is in nonmarket (environmental) valuation, market-based instruments, technology adoption and
cost-benefit analysis. Professor Parton’s research interests are risk management, decision
analysis, research management and economic evaluation. There are important common
threads running through these research agendas. For example, Professors Alston, Curtis,
Morrison and Parton are engaged in research examining the social and economic impacts
of drought: Prof Alston is examining the impacts of drought on rural families; Prof
Curtis, landholder adaptation to drought and climate change; A/Prof Morrison, methods
11
for valuing the impacts of climate change; and Prof Parton, regional health issues arising
from Climate change.
Professors Alston, Curtis, Gray, Morrison and Parton lead large research teams but have
have a track record of substantial collaboration. In 2006 Professors Parton and Curtis
were awarded a nationally competitive grant through Land and Water Australia (LWA) to
explore ways of applying internationally recognized quality assurance practices to natural
resource management (NRM). This project has considerable overlap with research into
regional governance being undertaken by A/Prof Gray and Professor Curtis who have
been awarded substantial (>$300K) nationally competitive grants (ARC and LWA
respectively) to explore aspects of regional governance. Professors Alston and Curtis
continue to collaborate on a nationally competitive grant funded by the Rural Industries
Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC). A PhD scholarship has been funded
under this project. A/Prof Morrison and Prof Curtis are currently undertaking large scale
surveys in NSW and Victoria. Combining their expertise has enabled them to improve
their survey instruments and approaches to data analysis.
Main Achievements
Each member of this RQF group has an outstanding track record of peer-reviewed
publications [refer to Table 4] and the group has consistently attracted nationally
competitive research grants [refer to Table 1] in Australia and overseas (National Science
Foundation). The group also has an outstanding record of attracting large numbers of
high quality PhD candidates [Table 3]. With five principal researchers, 38 PhD students,
1 Post Doc and 2 EFT Research Fellows, this RQF group forms the nucleus of the largest,
most productive and most influential group of social and economic researchers focusing
on sustainability in inland Australia. Even without including the complete contributions
of Professors Parton (Sydney University to 2006) and Curtis (Bureau of Rural Sciences
2002-2004), between 2001 and 2006 the group achieved 43.57 DEST publication points,
graduated 16 PhD students, and gained $2.5 million in DEST reported grant funding.
12
Notes accompanying the “4 best publications” demonstrate that the group has made
internationally significant contributions to new knowledge, research methods,
professional practice and policy. Professor Alston’s research into the social impacts of
drought exposed the effects of drought on rural families, including on access to education
and has contributed to national policy. Professor Curtis’ research on Landcare is the
largest (25 peer-reviewed journal papers and 6 book chapters since 1995), most
comprehensive and most cited body of work on similar organizations in any developed
economy. His seminal paper (Curtis and De Lacy, 2001) established a theory-driven
methodology for evaluating these local organizations. This research underpinned
subsequent evaluations of national and state programs. A/Prof Gray’s book (Gray and
Lawrence, 2001) provided the first critical analysis of contemporary change in regional
Australia and is heavily cited by other researchers (104 citations). A/Prof Morrison’s
research included the first study to demonstrate the advantages of choice modelling as an
approach to measuring benefit transfer. Choice modelling has become the industry
standard, with almost all subsequent published studies citing his research. Professor
Parton’s papers (Bi, P et. al 2002; Bi P and Parton 2003) established that there is a lag of
several months between weather events or weather indices like the Southern Oscillation
Index and the health impacts of various vector-borne diseases.
Scrutiny of our listing of “4 best publications” demonstrates that each RQF group
member is publishing in the highest quality international journals. Journals publishing
social and economic research related to rural/regional sustainability have lower impact
factor ratings than do journals publishing in fields such as ecology or medicine. A rating
above 0.6 indicates a higher quality social and economic research journal. Professor
Alston and A/Prof Gray have published in Sociologia Ruralis which has a JIF 2.093, and
is ranked 5/93 for Rural Sociology. Professor Curtis and A/Professor Morrison have
papers published in the Journal of Environmental Management. This is the most
prestigious journal addressing multi-disciplinary themes in environmental management
and has a JIF of 1.477 and is ranked 55/144 for Environmental Sciences. A/Prof Morrison
published in Land Use Policy that has a JIF of 1.581and is ranked 6/52 for Environmental
Studies. Professor Parton published in the Journal of the American Medical Association
13
that has an impact factor of 23.332 and is ranked 3/103 for Medicine, General.
Collaborative Research
Each researcher has an established international reputation, including through research
collaborations,
contributions
to
international
fora
and
international
scholarly
communities. Professor Alston is currently (August 2007) an invited contributor to the
UN’s Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) on a cross-country study of climate
change and gendered adaptations. Professor Curtis has research experience in the United
States and in 2006 hosted Professor Shindler from OSU who is the leading international
expert in the social dimensions of wild fire management. Professor Shindler has worked
with ILWS researchers to prepare a joint proposal to the NSF and is contributing to a
PhD project at CSU. A/Prof Morrison is working with Professor Boyle (Virginia Tech)
and A/Prof Taylor (Georgia State) on research funded by the US Environmental
Protection Authority and the NSF to increase the accuracy of choice modelling studies.
Professor Parton’s research includes studies of climate change on agriculture and health
in China and in the Philippines (funded through the ACIAR).
Researchers in this group have extensive collaborations with other internationally
recognized Australian researchers. Professor Alston and A/Prof Gray have co-authored
publications with leading Australian scholars at Monash University (Professor Cocklin)
and the University of Queensland (Professor Lawrence). Professor Curtis is making
important contributions to two Cooperative Research Centres (Future Farm Industries
and Irrigation Futures) and a Commonwealth Environmental Research Facilities project
($5 million Landscape Logic project headed by Professor Lefroy, UTas), including as the
social sciences leader for both Future Farm Industries and Landscape Logic. A/Prof
Gray is a partner in a large ARC project examining aspects of regional governance that
includes Professor Brown from Griffith University. A/Prof Morrison has collaborative
research with Professor Bennett (ANU) and with CSIRO scientists, including Dr Darla
Hatton McDonald and with Dr Steve Hatfield-Dodds.
14
Table 1. DEST Reported Research Income
Note: Prof Parton employed at Sydney Uni prior to 2006 and Prof Curtis employed in industry 20022004
Type
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
TOTAL
Category 1
22545
67706
70477
143464
240570
401215
945977
Category 2
70106
105891
73173
43017
388773
135582
816542
Category 3
93829
15933
126039
162585
103754
502141
Category 4
30000
58333
62500
150833
TOTAL
216481
850261
703050
$2,415,492
189530
143650
312520
One or more member of the Research Grouping must list as an Investigator on each grant claimed
Table 2. Individually Earned DEST Publication Points
Note: Prof Parton employed at Sydney Uni prior to 2006 and Prof Curtis employed in industry 20022004
2001
Journal
7.62
2002
7.85
2003
5.49
2004
2005
2006
TOTAL
2.75
5.27
5.77
25.94
1.0
2.0
2.33
7.72
Articles
Book
2.39
Chapters
Books
2.5
2.5
Refereed
0.5
1.0
4.5
12.01
7.45
8.16
1.41
7.41
9.51
43.57
Conference
Publications
TOTAL
1.0
5.44
Table 3. Research Higher Degree Students
Note: Prof Parton employed at Sydney Uni prior to 2006 and Prof Curtis employed in industry 20022004
15
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Total No of
2006
TOTAL
38
students
supervised
No of
2
4
4
6
16
students
graduating
Only include RHDS where a member of the grouping was the Principal Supervisor
Impact Statement
The Regional sustainability: social and economic dimensions RQF group has a very large
body of career publications [refer to Table 4] and exceptionally high career totals and
rates (both per item and per year) of citations [refer to Table 5]. Impact can also be
assessed in terms of influence on others, including collaborators and student researchers
and this group has an outstanding record on these measures (see earlier notes about PhD
numbers and collaborations). Impact can also be assessed in terms of shaping
professional practice, management and policy. A partial summary of the evidence of
research impact across the group has been presented in the earlier section on
Achievements. In the next section we focus on the research impact of two group
members: Professors Alston and Curtis, with Professor Alston as the principal example.
Table 4. Career refereed publications
Books
Book chapters
Journal papers
16
Margaret Alston
4
22
44
Allan Curtis
3
15
63
Ian Gray
2
23
12
Mark Morrison
1
5
30
Kevin Parton
3
11
66
13
76
215
TOTAL
Table 5. Career ISI citations as at August 27, 2008
Total
Number
Mean per
Mean per
citations
items
item
year
Margaret Alston
185
54
3.4
10.9
Allan Curtis
232
57
4.1
16.6
Ian Gray
104
21
5.0
6.5
Mark Morrison
103
11
9.4
10.3
69
22
3.1
2.5
Kevin Parton
Case Study # 1 Professor Allan Curtis – Landcare research
Drawing on theory of program evaluation, rural development, and extension, the research
synthesized in Curtis et al. (2002) (#4 in “best four publications) has been at the cuttingedge of international research attempting to assess and sustain the contribution of local
organizations to NRM and rural development. This research is the largest, most
comprehensive and most frequently cited body of work on these local organizations in
any developed economy. This research has explored program logic and effectiveness;
participation as volunteer activity; agency-community partnerships; factors affecting
group effectiveness; women’s participation and experience; the role of networks in
building social capital; and burnout amongst participants and coordinators. There have
been studies in all Australian states and in the USA. Research has been funded through
the Australian Research Council and by successive Australian Governments, including
17
the only longitudinal study of groups in an Australian state and has resulted in substantial
advances in knowledge. For example:

Contrary to existing literature, there was not a significant relationship between
measures of landholder stewardship ethic and adoption of conservation behaviours.

Using an index to measures group activity and participant’s perceptions of longer-
term outcomes contributed to increased understanding of factors contributing to the
Landcare group health.

Piloting and then applying burnout scales (the MBI) in the Australian NRM context
established that burnout was affecting Landcare group leaders and coordinators.
Research findings and the evaluation methodology have contributed to major national
reviews, including of the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program (NLP).
The NLP is a substantial ($30 million per year) national program. For example, the
evaluation methodology developed by Professor Curtis formed the basis of the $1.5
million, 2004 to 2007 Monitoring and Evaluation Project for the National Landcare
Program (NLP) implemented by the Bureau of Rural Sciences and the Australian Bureau
of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
Professor Curtis is widely regarded as the leading Landcare researcher in Australia. In
2003 he was invited by the Australian Government to co-author a report on “Landcare
farming: securing the future for Australian agriculture” with Professors Peter Cullen and
John Williams. Publication of the highly acclaimed report was accompanied by a media
campaign (even billboards across the country) and dissemination of reports to every
Landcare group in Australia. In 2007 he has/ will address issues around sustaining these
local organizations in keynote addresses to the 5th Australian Stream Management
Conference, Albury in May; and the Australian Landcare Council workshop exploring
the future of Landcare, Canberra in August; and the NSW State Landcare Conference at
Tamworth in October.
Referees
Ms Roberta (Bobby) Brazil, Chair Australian Landcare Council, Chair Land and Water
18
Australia,
Chancellor
University
of
Southern
Queensland,
email
BobbieBrazil@bigpond.com, phone 07 46930133
Mr
Brian
Scarsbrick,
Landcare
Australia
CEO,
email
inquiries@landcareaustralia.com.au, phone 02 94121040
Dr Colin Mues, Senior Agricultural Economist, Agricultural Branch, ABARE, Barton
Canberra, ACT. Email cmues@abare.gov.au Phone 61 2 6272 2027
Case Study # 2: Professor Margaret Alston – Social impacts of drought
Professor Margaret Alston has researched the social impacts of drought over the past five
years. Her initial study in 2003 was followed by a 2005 study (Alston and Kent, 2006) The impact of drought on secondary education access in Australia’s rural and remote
areas, a report to DEST – which was commissioned by the Australian government. Key
findings included that:

Rural and remote young people are more likely not to complete high school for
financial reasons.

Young people from rural and remote areas who must leave home for tertiary
education are disadvantaged by guidelines regarding eligibility for Austudy.

Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) allowances are not adequate.

Distance Education (School of the Air) places unrealistic pressures on mothers to
deliver education.

Formula for calculating teaching staff entitlements in schools does not allow for the
reality that out-migration as a result of drought is often temporary.
The two reports led to a series of publications (2 monographs, 2 book chapters and 8
refereed papers, including the book chapter listed as #1 of “best 4 publications” and the
Alston (2006) paper in the acclaimed journal, Sociologia Ruralis.
Professor Alston’s research and advocacy during the droughts in inland south eastern
Australia during 2002/3 and 2005/6 contributed to national discourse about the nature and
severity of drought impact and to the development of appropriate policy responses. For
example, the report to DEST was launched by the Minister for Education, Julie Bishop at
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Charles Sturt University in 2006 and generated extensive media coverage. One outcome
was the decision by the Minister to fund a national rural education forum with meetings
in Albury and Adelaide in 2007. Speaking at the Adelaide forum in July, Baillieu Myer,
chair of the Rural Education Program (part of the philanthropic Myer Foundation)
commended the contribution of Professor Alston’s research. At these meetings the
decision was made to establish a national association to represent the voice of rural
children in the education debate.
Professor Alston’s research findings empowered key stakeholders, including the NSW
Farmers’ Association, the Country Women’s Association and Foundation for Australian
Agricultural Women. The Isolated Parents’ Children’s Association invited Professor
Alston as the keynote speaker for their national conference in 2005 and subsequently
secured representation at the national forums identified above. The Department of
Education, Science and Training welcomed the second report as critical research shaping
policy formulation. A third group of end users are the community organisations
representing rural people affected by drought.
Professor Alston’s research into drought in Australia led to invitations to deliver a series
of international lectures in the US, Canada and Ireland in 2006 at Pennsylvania State
University, University of Nebraska, Regina University, Saskatoon University Queens
University. , Belfast. More recently, she has been invited to contribute to the UN’s Food
and Agricultural Organisation five-country study of climate change and gender. In
August 2007 Professor Alston was attending a meeting of FAO in Rome, presenting an
invited lecture at the FAO on Tues 28th August.
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Referees
Kay Hull, MP, Federal seat of Riverina, Wagga Wagga Electorate Office, Suite 2 11-15
Fitzmaurice Street, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650. Email, kay.hull.mp@aph.gov.au Phone 02
6921 4600
Jack Beach, Immediate past president, Isolated Children’s and Parents’ Association,
email, J.W.Beach@bigpond.com Phone 0417 758 842
Astrida Upitas, DEST, Director of Strategic Directions. Email, astride.upitas@dest.gov.
au Phone
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Using the Scales below rate your Research Grouping’s
Quality =
5
Impact =
A
Quality Scale
Rating
5
Description
Research that is world leading in its field or makes an equally
exceptional contribution in an area of particular significance to Australia.
4
Research that meets world standards of excellence in its field or makes
an equally excellent contribution in an area of particular significance to
Australia.
3
Research that is recognised internationally as excellent in terms of
originality, significance and rigour but which nonetheless falls short of the
highest standards of excellence.
2
Research that is recognised as methodologically sound in its field and of
high originality, significance and rigour.
1
Research that is deemed to fall below the standard of recognised quality
work described above.
Impact Scale
Rating
A
Description
Adoption of the research has produced an outstanding social, economic,
environmental and/or cultural benefit for the wider community, regionally
within Australia, nationally or internationally.
B
Adoption of the research has produced a significant social, economic,
environmental and/or cultural benefit for the wider community, regionally
within Australia, nationally or internationally.
C
Research has been adopted to produce new policies, products, attitudes,
behaviours and/or outlooks in the end-user community.
D
Research has engaged with the end-user community to address a social,
economic, environmental and/or cultural issue, regionally within
22
Australia, nationally or internationally.
E
Research has had limited or not identifiable social, economic,
environmental and/or cultural outcome, regionally within Australia,
nationally or internationally.
23