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Saffron O'Neill

NCCARF SEI-network Research Fellow

Photo of Saffron O'Neill
  • Department of Resource Management and Geography
  • University of Melbourne
  • 221 Bouverie Street
  • Carlton
  • Melbourne
  • 3010
  • Australia
  • +61 3 8344 0806

Welcome to my homepage

I am a Research Fellow in the Social, Economic and Institutional dimensions of climate adaptation (SEID-network) network, part of the Australian National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility NCCARF. Previously, I was based in the Climatic Research Unit as a Tutor in Climate Change at the School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, UK. I completed my PhD ‘An iconic approach to representing climate change’ at UEA and the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research in 2008. Prior to UEA, I completed a BSc. Geography at the School of Geography, University of Southampton, UK. I remain a Tyndall Centre Visiting Fellow.

My research interests focus on the social dimensions of climate change. Specifically, I conduct interdisciplinary research investigating the emotional, cognitive and behavioural components of risk perception, risk communication and public engagement with environmental change. I was awarded the 2011 UK Scopus Young Researcher Award for Social Science, awarded by Elsevier and the UK/US Fulbright Commission, for work published in this area.

Whilst in Australia, my research has explored the social dimensions of bushfire risk and household preparedness (for the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission); the concept of ‘maladaptation’, particularly in regard to water management and to migration; and visual representations of climate change in the international media, and public engagement with these images.

I enjoy being involved in public engagement with climate change activities beyond academia. I co-designed a Silver Lindley medal-winning garden for the 2008 RHS Chelsea Flower Show: The 2050 Garden: Exploring plants and practices in a changing climate. The garden was visited by over 20,000 members of the public. I have been interviewed by the BBC World Service, BBC Radio 4 and Teachers TV.

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