Dr Sebastian Thomas
Wednesday, 27 April 2016 - 11:00am to 12:00pm
A Hot Seat is a chance to hear from thinkers and leaders in climate and energy about their projects, research interests and careers. They are informal gatherings within the College with the format of a short (unprepared) presentation followed by questions and discussion.
Speakers
University of Melbourne
- Sebastian has a diverse background working with businesses and communities in the areas of environmental management, education, and strategic innovation. Prior to joining the University of Melbourne he was Education Program Manager at the International Energy Centre, coordinating the professional, interdisciplinary Master of Energy Studies, and lecturing on topics of energy policy and global change. Sebastian’s research interests include vulnerability and resilience, ‘blue carbon’ in coastal ecosystems and its role in sustainable development, and the role of organizational culture and policy innovation in adapting to global challenges. Sebastian's teaching is grounded in his expertise in sustainability science, integrating political ecology, management strategy, environmental economics, and social-ecological systems dynamics, and he uses interactive games and scenarios to help students understand complex adaptive systems. Sebastian has researched, worked, and lived in Asia, particularly Taiwan and Malaysia, and has extensive international experience working with industry, government, and NGOs to achieve organizational goals in a sustainability context. Sebastian is a Prime Minister's Australia Asia Award winner (2011) and a Wentworth Group Scholar (2013).