Dr Aditi Mankad

Dr. Aditi Mankad is a principal research scientist with the Sustainability Pathways Program in CSIRO Environment, based in Brisbane. Her research explores the social dimensions of innovation in agriculture, biosecurity, and biotechnology, with a focus on behavioural science, risk perception, and public acceptability frameworks. Through this work, she contributes to enabling bioeconomy transitions that support community wellbeing and regional prosperity.

Aditi leads the Interdisciplinary Decision Making theme within CSIRO's Advanced Engineering Biology Future Science Platform, managing a portfolio of social and economic science research projects.

Aditi is trained is trained in psychological science, with core expertise in cognitive and behavioural processes related to emotion, motivation, and behaviour change. Her work supports the understanding and advancement of social acceptability—often referred to as social license to operate—particularly in the context of emerging technologies and complex systems.

Her current research portfolio comprises:
* public attitudes & risk perception towards synthetic biology technologies
* risk perception of biosecurity threats
* attitudes towards novel pest biocontrol and associated management practices
* behavioural adoption of biosecurity activities and biotechnologies
* One Health impacts from biosecurity incursions