Dr. Robyn Mansfield (she/her) 

Principal Researcher Inclusive and Sustainable Ecosystems

“What makes the desert beautiful,’ said the little prince, ‘is that somewhere it hides a well…” —  Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

Dr Robyn Mansfield has over 25 years of expertise in climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, community participation, development of thriving public and urban spaces, livelihoods, informal settlement revitalisation, and post-disaster rebuilding. Dr Mansfield holds a PhD in Sustainable Development – Social Inclusion, focused on mainstreaming children’s voices in urban planning processes in communities facing hardships. With degrees in International and Community Development, Disaster Design and Development, and Landscape Architecture, Robyn has a diverse background in local and state government, consulting, academia, and private practice.

Dr Mansfield has conducted research, design, strategic plans and field work in Australia, Asia, the Pacific region, Europe, South America, Africa and the Middle East. Throughout her career she has endeavoured to build inclusive participatory processes across organisations and communities, driven by a need to build social equity for achieving sustainable development and environmental justice. Dr Mansfield has a particular interest in children’s participation, driven by the belief that elevating children’s voices is critical for developing the radical and innovative action needed to achieve a sustainable, equitable and just planet.

Dr Mansfield’s work has been published in high-quality journals and peer-reviewed books and she is committed to building the skills of upcoming researchers. As Principal Researcher for Inclusive and Sustainable Ecosystems, Dr Mansfield leads and participates in research projects tackling complex global issues such as climate change, poverty and inequality by promoting community health, wellbeing, resilience and healthy natural environments.

“”Ensuring active participation of women, persons with disabilities, youth and other groups who may not automatically have a seat at the table is a prerequisite for ensuring that their needs are addressed, and their specific knowledge and skills accessed.” – Global Assessment Report 2019

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