I undertook my PhD research in Urban Design at Oxford Brookes University. My thesis - Tourism and small coastal settlements: a cultural landscape approach for urban design - has been widely cited. Refereed papers arising from the PhD are published in international journals including Urban Design International and International Journal of Heritage Studies.

My research interests span the transformation of coastal tourism areas into sustainable urban regions; cultural landscape management; urban design for walkable cities; cross-border city-regions; and knowledge based urban development.

Over 30 of my refereed research publications have appeared in journals, book chapters and conference proceedings published by Australian, UK, and Chinese universities, government departments and professional organisations. I have undertaken international comparative research into urban design and planning approaches in coastal tourism settlements in Australia, USA, Spain, Thailand and the UK.

I have been a lead researcher and collaborator in research projects valued at $1 million, funded by Collaborative Research Centres (CRCs), the Australian Research Council (ARC), CSIRO, government departments, local government and industry. I have also supervised five Higher Degree Research candidates to successful completion.

I maintain an active research profile while teaching, holding academic leadership roles, and remaining connected to current practice through service to professional and community organisations.

I have supervised five Higher Degree Research candidates to successful completion, including four PhDs on topics including:

• The interpretation and management of Chinese World Heritage Landscapes for tourism
• Transit oriented development versus development oriented transit in the planning process for the Gold Coast Light Rail system
• The provision of high rise housing for low income people in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Current candidates under my supervision (some nearing completion) are researching into:

• Sustainable (sub-) urban form for an oil-constrained future
• Urban design qualities of walkable urban beach precincts
• The role of airports in the economic development of second-tier cities
• Community engagement and governance in rural communities.

I would particularly welcome potential research candidates to join in furthering my research into transformation of coastal tourism areas into sustainable urban regions; cultural landscape management; urban design for walkable cities; cross-border city-regions; and knowledge based urban development.