Crawford School of Public Policy

Crawford School researchers scored a big success in the Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Grants, announced on Friday.

Among the winners in the grants was Crawford School’s Associate Professor Sango Mahanty, who will lead a project with Crawford colleagues Dr Sarah Milne and Dr Keith Barney looking at nature-society transformations in mainland Southeast Asia.

The project aims to understand the nexus between intensive, cumulative processes of socio-ecological change and emerging forms of social agency. The research team, which also includes Professor Philip Hirsch, will look three case studies of Cambodian and Vietnamese dams, and a review of Thai-Lao cases, to reveal local and civil society responses and how these affect the region, inform advances in environmental change management, and their relevance to Australia’s security policies.

The Discovery grants scheme aims to provide funding for research projects that enhance international collaboration in research and expand Australia’s knowledge base and research capability.

Crawford School Director Professor Helen Sullivan congratulated the team and all the grant winners from around the University.

“Congratulations to Sango, Keith, and Sarah on this fantastic news – I’m delighted for them, and I know everyone else in the Crawford community will be too,” she said.

“Securing an ARC Discovery Grant is a significant achievement. It reflects the value of the research to the nation, as well as the track record of excellence of the researchers involved. Sango, Sarah, and Keith are doing important research that sheds light on some crucial and contentious issues in the region. I very much look forward to seeing this research project progressing.

“Congratulations, too, to all the winners from around ANU, as well as commiserations to those who weren’t successful this time around.”

The award to the Crawford team was part of $24 million in ARC funding for 58 research projects across the University.

Acting ANU Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Harding said the ARC funding highlighted the breadth and significance of research across the University.

“The ARC funding is great news for ANU and will help fund research that tackles some of the biggest challenges facing Australia and the world,” Professor Harding said.

“It is great to see our researchers taking on the big challenges with projects that enhance the reputation of our University around the world.

“On behalf of the University, I congratulate each of our winners and wish then success with their projects.”

A full list of winners can be found at https://rms.arc.gov.au/RMS/Report/Download/Report/a3f6be6e-33f7-4fb5-98a...