Biography
Dr Don Gunasekera is a Research Fellow with the Centre for Supply Chain and Logistics at Deakin University. He has had wide research and policy experience working in a range of organisations including the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE), CSIRO, Productivity Commission, the National Competition Council, the Department of Environment and Heritage, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and Victoria University.
During 2006-2009, Dr Gunasekera was the Chief Economist at the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics. In 2008, Don led ABARE’s climate change modelling work for the Garnaut Climate Change Review. In 2007, he was a member of an independent working group for the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (PMSEIC) which prepared a report on “Climate change in Australia: Regional impacts and adaptation."
He has a PhD in Economics from the Australian National University and has completed the Senior Managers in Government Program at Harvard University.
Projects
National Food Traceability Implementation Program: Implementing Food Traceability (2020-2024)
Consortium of sponsors including Woolworths, and Meat and Livestock Australia – Integrity Systems Company, National Livestock Identification System
Gateway Cities Alliance Supply Chain and Logistics White Paper (2020-21)
Committee for Geelong (Gateway Cities Alliance - Geelong, Wollongong and Newcastle)
Complementary Freight and Supply Chain Opportunities (2019)
Client confidential project
Consultation to Inform the Vintage Rolling Stock Strategy (2019)
VicTrack
National Freight Data Requirements Study: Industry Consultation (Work Package 1) (2018-19)
Australian Government Department of Infrastructure Regional Development and Cities; iMOVE CRC
National Freight Data Requirements Study: International Approaches (Work Package 4) (2018-19)
Australian Government Department of Infrastructure Regional Development and Cities; iMOVE CRC
Modernising the Australian Bureau of Statistics Agricultural Collections Program (2018-19)
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Aquaponics Urban Farming Food Production Expansion Feasibility Study (2018)
PurePonics through Australian Government Regional Jobs and Investment Packages – Geelong
Review of the feasibility to establish a DP World facility in the Port of Newcastle (2017)
DP World Australia Ltd
A second container port for Melbourne? Build it in the west for 2036 (2017)
Avalon Airport Australia Pty Ltd
Peer review of assessment methodology for Melbourne’s second port (2017)
Infrastructure Victoria
Publications
J Porter, N Cook, R Coorey, D Gunasekera, M Hensher, D Kerr, C Pollard, S Yoong, G Dykes, M Lawrence
(2022), Vol. 11, Foods, C1
D Newth, G Gooley, D Gunasekera
(2021), Vol. 9, Frontiers in Environmental Science, C1
Michael Smith, Adam Voak, Don Gunasekera
(2020), Vol. 1, pp. 165-174, Smart and sustainable supply chain and logistics – trends, challenges, methods and best practices, Cham, Switzerland, B1
D Gunasekera, E Valenzuela
(2020), Vol. 39, pp. 152-161, Economic Papers, London, Eng., C1
Effects of ASEAN Transport Connectivity Enhancement
Michael Smith, Don Gunasekera, Rukman Wimalasuriya, David Newth, Adam Voak
(2019), Vol. 27, pp. 149-176, AUSTRALASIAN AGRIBUSINESS REVIEW, C1
Rose Elphick-Darling, Don Gunasekera, Juan Muriel-Villegas, Juan Calle Salazar, Karla Álvarez-Uribe
(2019), Melbourne, Vic., A6
Better transport connectivity in ASEAN: Impacts on commodity trade
Michael Smith, Rukman Wimalasuriya, Don Gunasekera, Adam Voak
(2019), pp. 1-32, AARES 2019 : Proceedings of the 2019 63rd Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society (AARES) 2019 Conference, Melbourne, Victoria, E1
Bridging the Energy and Meteorology Information Gap
D Gunasekera
(2018), pp. 1-12, Weather & Climate Services for the Energy Industry, Cham, Switzerland, B1
Bridging the energy and meteorology information gap
D Gunasekera
(2018), pp. 1-11, Weather and Climate Services for the Energy Industry, B1
Projected changes in Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature under alternative climate scenarios
D Newth, D Gunasekera
(2018), Vol. 9, Atmosphere, C1
Post-harvest loss reduction in Asia-Pacific developing economies
D Gunasekera, H Parsons, M Smith
(2017), Vol. 7, pp. 303-317, Journal of agribusiness in developing and emerging economies, Bingley, Eng., C1
Cold chain distribution capability assessment for selected markets in China
R Elphick-Darling, D Gunasekera, A Ghalebeigi
(2017), North Sydney, N.S.W., A6-1
Y Cai, D Newth, J Finnigan, D Gunasekera
(2015), Vol. 148, pp. 381-395, Applied energy, Kidlington, Eng., C1-1
Effects of foreign direct investment in African agriculture
D Gunasekera, Y Cai, D Newth
(2015), Vol. 7, pp. 167-184, China agricultural economic review, Bingley, Eng., C1-1
A whole of supply chain systems approach to addressing workplace safety risk management
D Gunasekera, G Cain, M Smith
(2015), Melbourne, Vic., A6
Economic impacts of climate change on the Australian dairy sector
K Hanslow, D Gunasekera, B Cullen, D Newth
(2014), Vol. 58, pp. 60-77, Australian journal of agricultural and resource economics, Milton, Qld., C1-1
Effects of variation in the grains sector response to climate change: an integrated assessment
R Scealy, D Newth, D Gunasekera, J Finnigan
(2012), Vol. 31, pp. 327-336, Economic Papers: a journal of applied economics and policy, Richmond, Vic., C1-1
Potential role of renewable energy in water desalination in Australia
B Rowlinson, D Gunasekera, A Troccoli
(2012), Vol. 4, pp. 013108-1-013108-15, Journal of renewable and sustainable energy, Melville, N.Y., C1-1
Reconciling the competing demands in the human‐earth system: ensuring food security
D Gunasekera, D Newth, J Finnigan
(2011), Vol. 30, pp. 296-306, Economic Papers, Richmond, Vic., C1-1
Economic and environmental impacts of greenhouse gas mitigation: an integrated assessment
D Newth, D Gunasekera, K Hanslow, J Finnigan
(2011), pp. 2761-2767, MODSIM 2011 : Sustaining our future: understanding and living with uncertainty : Proceedings of the 19th International Congress on Modelling and Simulation, Perth, W.A., E1-1
Funded Projects at Deakin
Other Public Sector Funding
Local SDGs: A general framework for charting pathways to sustainability to future-proof local communities
Prof Brett Bryan, Prof Rebecca Lester, Prof Euan Ritchie, A/Prof Kelly Miller, A/Prof Robert Faggian, Prof Emily Nicholson, Dr Asef Nazari, Dr Don Gunasekera, A/Prof Timothy Neale, Dr Michalis Hadjikakou
NCCMA Grant - Research - North Central Catchment Management Authority
- 2019: $15,000
Opportunities for Agri-Food and fibre value adding precincts/hubs within the Loddon Campapse Region
Mr David Downie, Dr Don Gunasekera
Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions
- 2023: $45,000
Barwon South West Clean Energy Investment Footprint.
Dr Michael Pereira, Mr Felipe Manuel Bastarrica, Dr Don Gunasekera, Ms Ailiche Goddard-Clegg, Ms Loren Tuck, Mr Adam Fletcher, Prof Joshua Newton
Department of Jobs, Precincts & Regions
- 2024: $13,545
- 2023: $13,600
Industry and Other Funding
Local SDGs: A general framework for charting pathways to sustainability to future-proof local communities
Prof Brett Bryan, Prof Rebecca Lester, Prof Euan Ritchie, A/Prof Kelly Miller, A/Prof Robert Faggian, Prof Emily Nicholson, Dr Asef Nazari, Dr Don Gunasekera, A/Prof Timothy Neale, Dr Michalis Hadjikakou
Ian Potter Foundation Grant - Research, Forrest District Community Group
- 2020: $190,000
- 2019: $205,909
- 2018: $195,000
Understanding potential AAM and cargo drone markets for an Australian manufactured drone - market
Dr Hermione Parsons, Dr Roberto Perez-Franco, Prof Douglas Creighton, Dr Don Gunasekera, A/Prof Michael Johnstone, Mr Bruce Gunn, A/Prof Zoran Najdovski
Quickstep Technologies Pty Ltd
- 2021: $71,842
Scoping Study: BCG Nexus Project.
Mr David Downie, Dr Don Gunasekera
Birchip Cropping Group Inc
- 2022: $10,000
Scoping Study BCG Regional Economic Development.
Mr David Downie, Dr Don Gunasekera, Mrs Brodie Bowman
Birchip Cropping Group Inc
- 2023: $20,000
Mapping the workforce of Australian Agriculture - Current State and Future Requirements.
Ms Rose Elphick-Darling, Dr Don Gunasekera, Dr David Tay
RM Consulting Group Pty Ltd
- 2024: $10,000
Supervisions
No completed student supervisions to report