John Martin joined VCCCAR’s Implementation Committee as La Trobe University’s representative in July, replacing Annabelle Duncan who appointed Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) of the University of New England. John is the Director of La Trobe University’s Centre for Sustainable Regional Communities (http://www.latrobe.edu.au/csrc/index.html).

John has a strong interest in the institutions and processes that create sustainable communities. His initial training in ecology and natural resource management, sociology and a PhD in public policy provides a multidisciplinary view on sustainable development. John has worked across Australia for the Federal, state and local governments and in the Asia Pacific and Africa on a range of assignments for the World Bank, the ADB, AusAID and the UNDP.

His current research and consulting interests include local and regional governance, agriculture and rural change, and the impact of climate change on regional Australia.