Douglas Bardsley

Associate Professor Douglas Bardsley

Associate Prof/Reader

School of Social Sciences

Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


Dr Douglas Bardsley is an Associate Professor and current Head of Department for Geography, Environment and Population within the School of Social Sciences at Adelaide University.

Trained as a social geographer, an educator and an agricultural scientist, Doug's research interests over the last 30 years have focused on environmental and agricultural risk management, links between conservation and development, and education for sustainable development. Most of his research involves analysis and planning at the interface of social and environmental systems, with a focus on developing adaptation options to respond to climate change.

His research has included supporting climate change adaptation planning for the Adelaide-Mt Lofty Ranges and the Indigenous Alinytjara Wilurara natural resource management regions in South Australia; resilience analysis within agricultural systems and rural communities; bushfire, coastal and invasive species risk management; and the study of interactions between environmental change and both human migration and education systems. Doug's work has been undertaken within different contexts in Australia, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia, Turkey, Switzerland and the European Union.

Courses taught at Undergraduate Level include:

GEOG 2139 Environmental Management

GEOG 3146 Food Security

GEOG 2142 Climate Change (with A.Prof. John Tibby)

At Postgraduate Level: GEOG 5002 Environmental Planning and Governance

I am interested in supervising PhD Dissertations in my fields of climate change adaptation; agriculture and land use systems; rural development: hazard management; environmental migration; and socio-ecological analysis. Please get in touch if you are looking to pursue these fields of research.

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 Co-Supervisor Grieving the Great Barrier Reef: Ecological Loss, Adaptation and the Hydrosocial in Far North Queensland Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Ella Chiara Vallelonga
    2020 Co-Supervisor Assessing the benefits and challenges of forest succession for sustainable development of abandoned agricultural land in the middle hills of Nepal Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Nicola Kate McGunnigle
    2019 Principal Supervisor Tourism, Multifunctionality and Resilient Landscapes Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Rebecca Eve Pearson
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2020 - 2023 Principal Supervisor Roles and Opportunities for Multifunctional Agriculture in China and South Australia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Bingjie Song
    2018 - 2021 Co-Supervisor The significance of social factors in the planning and implementation of feral cat management programs Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Brooke Patricia Deak
    2018 - 2022 Co-Supervisor Effects of Urban Periodic Markets on Rural Development in Ghana: A Rural Web Analysis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Godfred Addai
    2018 - 2021 Principal Supervisor Climate change, Indigenous knowledge and food security in northern Ghana Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Lawrence Guodaar
    2018 - 2023 Principal Supervisor Policy options for climate change loss and damage: A case study from Fijian agriculture Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Moleen Monita Nand
    2017 - 2021 Principal Supervisor Egyptian Agriculture in Transition: Farmer Perceptions of Risks and Adaptation Opportunities in a Changing Climate Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mrs Ayah Roushdy Abdulaty Omar
    2017 - 2023 Co-Supervisor Natural Resource Management Policies in the Uplands of Indonesia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Sacha Amaruzaman
    2017 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Climate Change Adaptation Benefits of Decentralised Renewable Energy Technologies in the Nepali Mountains Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Govinda Pathak
    2012 - 2016 Principal Supervisor Human Ecological Implications of Climate Change in the Himalaya: Investigating Opportunities for Adaptation in the Kaligandaki Basin, Nepal Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Rishikesh Pandey
    2012 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Climate, Agriculture and Migration: A Critical review of Dynamic Livelihood Changes in the Nepali Tarai Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Asheshwor Man Shrestha
    2011 - 2015 Principal Supervisor South Australian agriculture: A narrative to encourage future policy reform Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Simon James Fielke
    2011 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Risky Environments: Governance and Adaptation for Future Flood Risk Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Rhiannon Niven
    2008 - 2013 Co-Supervisor Coastal Vulnerability and Climate Change in Australia Public Risk Perceptions and Adaptation to Climate Change in Non Metropolitan Coastal Communities Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Christopher David Button
  • Position: Associate Prof/Reader
  • Phone: 83134490
  • Email: douglas.bardsley@adelaide.edu.au
  • Fax: 83133772
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Napier, floor G
  • Org Unit: School of Social Sciences

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