Find a research supervisor

This themes focuses on analysing and improving performance in relation, materiality, building performance assessment and performance modelling.

Possible supervisors

• Dr Hong Xian Li

This theme develops new understandings of socio-cultural theories and histories towards expanding architecture as a discipline and defining architecture’s role in the context of societal challenges.

Possible supervisors

• Dr Akari Nakai Kidd
• Professor Mirjana Lozanovska
• Dr Md Mizanur Rashid
• Dr Sanja Rodeš

This theme develops a new understanding and models of architecture design pedagogy and practice that work within current economic and ecological contexts.

Possible supervisors

• Dr Surabhi Pancholi
• Professor Richard Tucker

This theme covers the enhancement of spatial experiences through new interactions between people, places, spaces, built environments, and technology.

Possible supervisors

• Dr Chin Koi Khoo
• Dr Akari Nakai Kidd
• Dr Angela Kreutz
• Professor Mirjana Lozanovska
• Dr Sanja Rodeš
• Professor Paul Sanders

This theme makes an impact through transdisciplinary connections in relation to integral and systems thinking approaches and healthy, affordable, inclusive built environments.

Possible supervisors

• Dr Surabhi Pancholi
• Professor Richard Tucker

This theme covers:

• the building life cycle, its management and evaluation
• how management systems work in the organisation and marketing aspects
• construction economics and financing
• construction management practice and innovation
• emerging and innovative technologies for construction.

Other topics can include infrastructure planning, appraisal and delivery; innovation in construction procurement; planning, productivity, health, safety and quality management and the management of mega construction projects.

Possible supervisors

• Dr Dominic Ahiaga-Dagbui
• Dr Abid Hasan
• Professor Chunlu Liu
• Dr Nateque Mahmood
• Dr Igor Martek
• Professor Anthony Mills
• Dr Farnad Nasirzadeh
• Dr Asheem Shrestha
• Dr Jamal Thaheem
• Dr Olubukola Tokede

This theme covers:

• construction and demolition waste minimisation
• demolition management and techniques
• lean construction and just-in-time delivery
• recycling
• reuse and reverse logistics in construction
• removable houses and fabricated construction.

Other topics can include smart and intelligent buildings, sustainable construction and resilience, and wellbeing and liveability enhancements by construction.

Possible supervisors

• Dr Glenn Costin
• Dr Argaw Gurmu
• Professor Imriyas Kamardeen
• Dr Gayani Karunasena
• Dr Hong Xian Li
• Professor Chunlu Liu
• Dr Abdul-Manan Sadick
• Dr Olubukola Tokede
• Dr Nilupa Udawatta
• Dr Xin Hu

This theme covers the digitalisation of work processes in the construction industry with a focus on digital engineering, namely the integration of BIM with emerging technologies like virtual reality, augmented reality, Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence.

Research topics are defined with the aim of addressing the issues that affect real-life projects across the industry. Technical solutions as well as managerial aspects are covered. Candidates applying for this stream need an engineering background and preferably some basic skills in working with BIM-related tools and software. Familiarity with data analysis tools and techniques is also encouraged.

Possible supervisors

• Dr Dominic Ahiaga-Dagbui
• Dr Abid Hasan
• Dr Adam Krezel
• Professor Chunlu Liu
• Professor Jane Matthews
• Dr Farnad Nasirzadeh

This theme covers zero carbon communities and energy buildings, how best to utilise renewable energy and smart building operations, as well as building performance simulation and monitoring.

Possible supervisors

• Dr Hong Xian Li
• Dr Abdul-Manan Sadick

This theme takes an interdisciplinary approach to address the issues in construction management, drawing upon the knowledge and expertise created in related disciplines – particularly architecture, urban planning and landscape architecture. Our major areas of research include:

• international construction
• construction education
• community resilience
• managing the impacts of bushfire.

Possible supervisors

• Dr Glenn Costin
• Dr Igor Martek

Innovation encompasses tangible and intangible aspects, policies, technologies, strategies and ideas that can inform and scaffold positive and/or efficient change for the betterment of humans and our livelihoods. This theme investigates this spectrum for mega-cities, cities, regional centres and/or hamlets, all of which contribute to making our cities, our urbanity and the places we live and recreate in the now, past and future.

Possible supervisors

• Dr Beau Beza
• Dr Yolanda Esteban
• Dr Angela Kreutz
• Dr Surabhi Pancholi

Managing change involves understanding the processes and routes by which change can be effected. We can dream up innovations and pathways, but if we don't understand how to nurture and enable these changes sensitively, and with sustainability and resilience in mind, then these innovations won't occur successfully.

Possible supervisors

• Dr Beau Beza
• Dr Yolanda Esteban
• Dr Surabhi Pancholi

Smart Cities involve holistically the human, biogeographical ingredients and the aquatic and terrestrial inhabitants of (existing/proposed) city landscapes, but smart cities also place an imperative upon technologies that can better inform and enable decision-making as well as city making.

Possible supervisors

• Dr Beau Beza
• Dr Yolanda Esteban
• Dr Surabhi Pancholi

While we can engage with landscapes and cities we can't dislocate ourselves from cultural baggage that brings values, perceptions and actions that embody these values. Cultural landscapes are the human textbook tapestries of our histories, of which it is very clear that our colonial values often need to be decolonised. We recognise that Indigenous cultural landscapes of the past and present hold knowledges in need of respect and incorporation into our current planning and design actions, and this respect also applies to new-found cultural enclave landscapes crafted by new settlers.

Possible supervisors

• Dr Beau Beza
• Dr Yolanda Esteban
• Dr Angela Kreutz
• Dr Surabhi Pancholi

This transdisciplinary research assumes that problems and issues need to be examined through multiple lenses and not through one single-discipline lens. The Planning – Landscape Team believe that a partnership and family of disciplines and lenses are needed in all research investigations and designing activities – including in the disciplines of urban planning, urban design and landscape architecture.

Possible supervisors

• Dr Beau Beza
• Dr Yolanda Esteban
• Dr Surabhi Pancholi