Ioan Fazey

Interests

Human activities are resulting in serious degradation of biological and physical systems, which is has major implications for human livelihoods and wellbeing (e.g. see Millenium Ecosystem Assessment and the Stern Report). My interests lie in contributing to understanding about what it means to be sustainable and how individual, community, and societal behaviour can be transformed towards more sustainable trajectories. This includes iternational, interdisciplinary research on human-environment relationships spanning the
ecological and social sciences in countries with developed and least developed economies.

Research in four key areas linked by two overarching, cross-cutting research themes:
 Interactions between people and ecosystems and their services, including valuing environmentVulnerability, resilience, adaptation and transformation;Knowledge exchange and expertise for sustainability;Biodiversity conservation;

Cross cutting research themes
 Interdisciplinary, participatory and evidence-based methods for understanding and achieving sustainability in complex social-ecological systems;Sustainable learning (How we understand and facilitate learning for change, adaptation and sustainability).

Background
I am an interdisciplinary researcher, using a variety of science and social science methods and collaborate with economists, ecologists, educationalists, quantitative modelers, social scientists, local communities and government and non government organisations.
 1993-1997 B.Sc. in Zoology at the University of Aberdeen1997-1998 M.Sc. in Ecology at the University of Wales, Bangor1998-2001 Ecological and conservation projects in UK and abroad. 2001-2005 PhD at the Australian National University, Canberra. The nature and role of experiential knowledge for conservation - this included work with farmers and National Parks and Wildlife Staff about their understanding of the complex social and ecological dynamics of an extensive wetland system.2006 - June 2009 Lecturer Sustainable Rural Development, Aberystwyth University2009 - 2011 Lecturer Sustainable Development, St Andrews University 2011- Current Senior Lecturer Sustainable Development, St Andrews University

Potential Students
Motivation for my work comes from a desire to contribute to achieving a more sustainable and peaceful world. If you share such a vision, are well qualified, and are willing to work hard, then I would be happy to hear from you.