Dr Tira Foran
Interdisciplinary research for sustainable development
Biography
I joined CSIRO in 2010 as a human geographer to focus on international research-for-development. My background includes substantive work on water, energy, and mineral resources governance, in eight Asian and African developing countries and in Australia. I apply this capacity in projects which aim to democratise and improve decision making around desirable and viable regional development pathways.
We use transdisciplinary methodology to work intensively with state and non-state actors in developing countries, supporting [stakeholder-formulated strategic planning] (https://doi.org/10.3390/w11122480), and inter-organisational collaboration.
Methodology that Tira Foran has developed draws on following tools and techniques:
analysis of governance regimes and institutions, allowing diagnosis of opportunities to improve horizontal and vertical coordination, and interest representation;
technical capacity building for in-country governmental partners and resource users (argumentation analysis; scenario thinking and modelling; multi-criteria analysis; options identification and analysis)
facilitating intensive, science-mediated communication between state agencies, and between state and non-state organisations.
Professional Areas
Current Roles
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Co-Lead (2022-present)
Latrobe Valley Collaborative Planning Project (CRC TiME & partners) -
Co-lead (2022-present)
‘Navigating Sustainability Transitions (Minerals)’ (CSIRO) -
Lead (2021-2022)
‘Defining success for CRC TiME’ (CRC TiME & Partners) -
Lead social scientist (2015-present)
Sustainable Development Investment Portfolio (Nepal) Project
Academic Qualifications
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2007
PhD
University of Sydney (Geography) -
1999
M.S.
University of California at Berkeley (Wildland Resource Science) -
1989
B.A.
Harvard University (Anthropology Magna cum Laude)
Professional Experiences
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2017-2019
Project Leader, Ayeyarwady Basin Exploratory Scoping Study
CSIRO -
2010-2011
Team Leader
CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences -
2007-2010
Research Fellow
Chiang Mai University, Thailand -
2006-2007
Research Fellow & Senior Program Officer
IUCN – The World Conservation Union -
2003-2004
Technical Advisor
IUCN – The World Conservation Union
Community and Corporate Citizenship
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2010-present
Reviewer for 16 academic journals: Asia Pacific Viewpoint, Ecology and Society, Ecological Economics, Energy Policy, Energy and Sustainable Development, Energy Efficiency, Global Environmental Change, International Journal of Water Resources Development, Landscape and Urban Planning, Socio-Environmental Systems Modelling,Third World Quarterly, Water, Water Alternatives, Water History, Water Resources & Rural Development, WIRES Water
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2015-present
Adjunct Research Fellow, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University