Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science

Ray Maher

PhD student
School of the Environment

Researcher biography

As Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Centre for Policy Futures at The University of Queensland I lead research, consulting and capacity-building projects with government and industry on sustainable development strategy.

• My work focuses on sustainable development strategy, urban development and design, Sustainable Development Goals, sustainable building design, decision-support tools, and addressing ‘wicked’ problems using systems and design thinking.

• My research is engagement-focused, interdisciplinary, applied, which builds the capacity of stakeholders.

In 2018–2019, I lead an interdisciplinary team to develop the Energy, Mining and Manufacturing Sector Adaptation Plan for the Queensland Government – part of the Queensland Climate Adaptation Strategy (Q‐CAS).

In late 2019, I began coordinating a research project on foresight for sustainable development with the Secretariat of Pacific Communities (SPC) – the principle science and innovation organisation in the Pacific. Drawing from interdisciplinary experts, the project will inform the development of SPC’s Strategic Plan and build capacity.

I am leading a Circular Economy project with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland’s ecoBiz business development program.

In collaboration with state and local governments I am developing a project on 'Sustainable Regional Communities' which will create a decision support toolkit to help local governments learn from and apply world best practice sustainable development. 

I have presented my research at leading international forums including Resilience 2017, the International Conference on Sustainability Science, and the SDG Ideas and innovations in Stockholm.

I am also an author of the National Rail Station Design Guidelines, endorsed by all Australian state rail authorities. 

My PhD thesis developed a decision-support tool – MetaMAP – which helps policy practitioners, researchers, educators and tertiary students to gain insight into sustainability challenges and designing well-integrated solutions.

In 2013 I co-founded Project Habitation – an award-winning sustainable design and consultancy practice with over 30 projects across subtropical coastal Australia.

As course coordinator and invited guest lecturer, I have taught sustainable development to postgraduate and undergraduate students.

My publications in academic, peer-reviewed journals develop an interdisciplinary approach to sustainable development strategy. See more here: https://researchers.uq.edu.au/researcher/23481

Publications

Book Chapter (1)
Journal Articles (6)
Conference Papers (7)
Generic Document (1)
Newspaper Article (1)
Research Reports (14)
Theses (2)

Book Chapter

Yarnold, Jennifer, Maher, Ray, Hussey, Karen and Dovers, Stephen (2022). Uncertainty: risk, technology and the future. Routledge handbook of global environmental politics. (pp. 253-268) edited by Paul G. Harris. London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003008873-23

Journal Articles

Maher, Ray, Yarnold, Jennifer and Pushpamali, N. N. C. (2023). Circular economy 4 business: a program and framework for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) with three case studies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 412 137114, 137114. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.137114
Maher, Ray, Mann, Samuel and McAlpine, Clive A. (2022). MetaMAP: a graphical tool for designing initiatives to support multiple sustainability goals. Sustainability Science, 17 (4), 1511-1536. doi: 10.1007/s11625-022-01157-4
Maher, Ray, Maher, Melanie, Mann, Samuel and McAlpine, Clive A. (2019). Correction to: Integrating design thinking with sustainability science: a Research through Design approach (Sustainability Science, (2018), 13, 6, (1565-1587), 10.1007/s11625-018-0618-6). Sustainability Science, 14 (2), 551-553. doi: 10.1007/s11625-018-0629-3
Elmqvist, Thomas, Siri, José, Andersson, Erik, Anderson, Pippin, Bai, Xuemei, Das, Pranab Kishore, Gatere, Tatu, Gonzalez, Andrew, Goodness, Julie, Handel, Steven N., Hermansson Török, Ellika, Kavonic, Jessica, Kronenberg, Jakub, Lindgren, Elisabet, Maddox, David, Maher, Raymond, Mbow, Cheikh, McPhearson, Timon, Mulligan, Joe, Nordenson, Guy, Spires, Meggan, Stenkula, Ulrika, Takeuchi, Kazuhiko and Vogel, Coleen (2018). Urban tinkering. Sustainability Science, 13 (6), 1549-1564. doi: 10.1007/s11625-018-0611-0
Maher, Ray, Maher, Melanie, Mann, Samuel and McAlpine, Clive A. (2018). Integrating design thinking with sustainability science: a research through design approach. Sustainability Science, 13 (6), 1565-1587. doi: 10.1007/s11625-018-0618-6
Maher, Ray, Maher, Melanie, McAlpine, Clive A., Mann, Samuel and Seabrook, Leonie (2018). Overcoming barriers to sustainability by combining conceptual, visual, and networking systems. Sustainability Science, 13 (5), 1-17. doi: 10.1007/s11625-018-0576-z

Conference Papers

Mann, Samuel, Bates, Oliver and Maher, Raymond (2018). Shifting the maturity needle of ICT for sustainability. 5th International Conference on Information and Communication Technology for Sustainability (ICT4S2018), Toronto, Canada, 14-18 May 2018. Manchester, United Kingdom: EasyChair. doi: 10.29007/d6g3
Maher, Ray (2017). MetaMAP - a visual collaboration platform for sustainability. 7th International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS 2017), Stockholm, Sweden, 24-26 August 2017.
Maher, Ray (2017). Early career panellist – conference synthesis. International Conference on Sustainability Science, Stockholm, Sweden, 24-26 August 2017.
Maher, Raymond (2017). Expanding social-ecological systems: towards an interdisciplinary meta-framework for sustainability. Resilience 2017: Resilience Frontiers for Global Sustainability, Stockholm, Sweden, 20-23 August 2017. Stockholm, Sweden: Resilience 2017.
Maher, Ray (2016). Harnessing interdisciplinary expertise to communicate and collaborate on global challenges. McDonnell International Scholars Academy 6th International Symposium: Addressing Global Challenges Through International Collaboration in Education and Research, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 22-25 September 2016.
Maher, Raymond and Skinner, Peter R. (2011). An architect's view of the station user experience. 34th Australasian Transport Research Forum 2011, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 28-30 September 2011. Adelaide, SA, Australia: Planning and Transport Research Centre.
Maher, Ray and Skinner, Peter (2010). South East Queensland's projected population and its environmental footprint. Australian and New Zealand Architectural Science Association (ANZAScA) Annual Conference, Auckland, New Zealand, 24-26 November 2010. Auckland, New Zealand: Architectural Science Association.

Generic Document

Gallagher, Jessica and Maher, Ray (2021). From good to great: economic, environmental & social opportunities for South East Queensland. The Committee for Brisbane.

Newspaper Article

Maher, Ray (2015, 06 11). An architectural perspective of sustainability The natural artisan 18-19.

Research Reports

Rogers, Paul, Maher, Ray, Lee, Gary, Naidelage, Chamari, Flomenhoft, Gary, Junior, Patrick and Franks, Daniel M (2023). Building disaster and climate resilience through Development Minerals. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/9052c85
Maher, Ray, Ahmad, Mubeen, Fidelman, Pedro, Franks, Daniel, Fuller, Richard, Hyland, Peter, Junior, Patrick, Kenway, Steven, Ly, Leo, Molyneaux, Lynette, Sharma, Rahul, Sipe, Neil, Sochacka, Beata, Sockhill, Nicola and Webster-Mannison, Marci (2023). SM Bay City - Sustainability Framework: pathways for achieving sustainability outcomes in Manila Bay. Manila, The Phillipines: SM Prime.
Maher, Ray, Fish, Allison and Yarnold, Jennifer (2022). Systems & design thinking: online module as part of the Internet Society’s Mid-Career Fellowship. Geneva, Switzerland: The Internet Society.
Mitchell, Jo, Anna Chevalier, Ray Maher, Elly Howse, Penny Hawe, Melanie Pescud, Andrew Wilson and Lucie Rychetnik (2022). Prevention as a health system priority: Actions for Change. Queensland: The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre and Queensland Health.
Mitchell J, Anna Chevalier, Ray Maher, Elly Howse, Penny Hawe, Melanie Pescud, Andrew Wilson and Lucie Rychetnik (2022). Prevention as a health system priority - Engagement and system analysis with Queensland Health (Interim report) . Queensland: The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre and Queensland Health.
Ray Maher, Jennifer Yarnold and Chamari Pushpamali Narayana Naidelage (2022). Circular Economy 4 Business (CE4B) pilot program: Final Report. Brisbane: Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland.
Ray Maher and Jennifer Yarnold (2021). CCIQ ecoBiz Circular Economy Program: Building Skills Tools and Knowledge for Circular Leadership. Phase 2 – Program Design. Brisbane: Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland.
Maher, R., Buchan, R., Littleboy, A., MacLean, K., Molyneaux, L., Stringer, M. and Valenta, R. (2021). Mining transitions and climate change: a research synthesis to inform CRC TiME strategy. Perth, WA, Australia: CRC TiME.
Franco, Isabel B., Fidelman, Pedro, Maher, Ray, Ritchie, Brent, Yarnold, Jennifer, Derbyshire, Ellen, Foster, Rose and Ulhmann, Kora (2021). The future of sustainability solutions. Conversation Series Brisbane, Australia: The University of Queensland.
Sharp, Emily, Mecartney, Sarah and Maher, Ray (2021). Pacific Community Transition Plan 2021 - foundations for a resilient future: response to recovery. Noumea, New Caledonia: Pacific Community.
Jennifer Yarnold and Ray Maher (2019). CCIQ EcoBiz Circular Economy Program: Phase 1 – Review of Existing Programs. Brisbane: Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland.
Maher, Ray and Hussey, Karen (2019). An Adaptation Plan for the Energy, Mining and Manufacturing sectors and supporting entities. Brisbane,Australia: The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/9e95ac7
Hussey, Karen, Yarnold, Jennifer, McEwan, Christopher, Maher, Ray, Henman, Paul, Radke, Amelia, Curtis, Caitlin, Fidelman, Pedro, Vickers, Claudia and Brolan, Claire (2019). Policy futures: regulating the new economy. Policy Futures Brisbane, Australia: The University of Queensland.
Skinner, Peter and Maher, Raymond (2013). The public face of rail: Australian station design guidelines. Brisbane, Australia: CRC for Rail Innovation.

Theses

Maher, Ray (2021). MetaMAP: A graphical tool for designing sustainability initiatives integrating design, systems, and sustainability science. PhD Thesis, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/a2a5999
Maher, Ray (2009). SEQ2030: an exploration of ecological footprint methodology and its potential as a decision making tool for building a sustainable South East Queensland. Master's Thesis, School of Architecture, The University of Queensland.