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Professor Kristen Lyons
Professor

Kristen Lyons

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 52020

Overview

Background

Professor Kristen Lyons is a public intellectual with over twenty years experience in research, teaching and service that delivers national and international impacts on issues that sit at the intersection of sustainability and development, as well as the future of higher education. Trained as a sociologist, Kristen is comfortable working in transdisciplinary teams to deliver socially just outcomes, including for some of the world's most vulnerable communities. Kristen works regularly in Uganda, Solomon Islands and Australia, and her work is grounded in a rights-based approach. In practice, this means centring the rights and interests of local communities, including Indigenous peoples, in her approach to research design, collaboration, and impacts and outcomes. Kristen is also a Senior Research Fellow with the Oakland Institute.

Availability

Professor Kristen Lyons is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science, Griffith University
  • Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), Griffith University
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Central Queensland University

Research interests

  • Climate Change and Human Rights

    Responses to climate change deliver significant impacts at the local level. I lead cross country research that examines the impacts of carbon trading initiatives - one response to climate change - for local communities.

  • Transdisciplinary and Indigenous Rights

    I am engaged in research that examines the social, legal and policy frameworks to support Australia to meet its Indigenous rights obligations, especially in the context of a climate changing world.

  • Transforming Universities for the Public Good

    Today’s university system is increasingly market driven, with institutional requirements that constrain options for public good research and learning. This system stands at odds with the primary and historical role of universities. Higher education movements – including free universities, progressive colleges and civic forums – offer important critical alternatives to this current system. I am engaged in research to analyse a selection of movements, delivering outcomes that will increase knowledge of how alliances and campaigns organise, what their change agenda entails, and how they are transforming universities for the public good.

Research impacts

My recognised role as public intellectual enhances my national and international academic, policy and industry impacts on issues related to the environment, development and human rights. Over the last five years I have led research teams to deliver socially just outcomes for some of the world's most vulnerable communities. For example, I have led research to identify human rights abuses that underpin international carbon offset projects in Uganda. The outcome of this has changed practices of one of the worlds largest plantation forestry and carbon offset companies, and shaped public debates related to global carbon trade projects. Collaborative research with Traditional Owners in Australia has also also delivered outcomes that have impacted public and policy understandings of Australia's indigenous rights obligations in the context of resource development.

To maximise research impact, I regularly work with funding bodies that support collaborative engagement with key partners, and build enduring relations between academic, industry and community groups.

In my role as advisor on a number of government advisory bodies, I have played a part in changing guidelines and policies related to emerging technologies. I was part of a team that provided recommendations to the Department of Industry Science and Resources to ensure Australia's compliance with international organic agriculture and food standards, with outcomes that ensure Australia maintains international market access.

I am committed to publishing broadly in non academic outlets, including in The Conversation (over 126,000 readers, and ranked #3 at UQ in 2018), ABC, New Matilda), and my research regularly features in international and national media.

Works

Search Professor Kristen Lyons’s works on UQ eSpace

174 works between 1995 and 2024

141 - 160 of 174 works

2004

Book Chapter

Consumer views of organic and GM food

Lyons, K., Lockie, S. and Lawrence, G. A. (2004). Consumer views of organic and GM food. Recoding Nature: Critical Perspectives on Genetic Engineering. (pp. 94-107) edited by R. HIndmarsh and G. Lawrence. Sydney: UNSW Press.

Consumer views of organic and GM food

2003

Conference Publication

Food sovereignty, food security and the environment: Australian consumer attitudes to organics and genetic engineering

Lawrence, Geoffrey, Lyons, Kristen and Lockie, Stewart (2003). Food sovereignty, food security and the environment: Australian consumer attitudes to organics and genetic engineering. Conference on Organic Agriculture, Havana, Cuba, 27-30 May 2003.

Food sovereignty, food security and the environment: Australian consumer attitudes to organics and genetic engineering

2003

Conference Publication

Backlash? Media discourses on food, environment and health

Lyons, K., Lockie, S. and Lawrence, G. (2003). Backlash? Media discourses on food, environment and health. Xth Conference of the Australasian Agri-food Research Network, Akaroa, New Zealand, 21-24 April 2003.

Backlash? Media discourses on food, environment and health

2002

Conference Publication

Organics and biotechnology: Never the twain shall meet?

Lawrence, G. A., Norton, J., Lockie, S. and Lyons, K. (2002). Organics and biotechnology: Never the twain shall meet?. World Congress of Sociology: International Sociological Assoc., Research Committee on Agriculture & Food, x, 2002. USA: International Sociological Assoc.

Organics and biotechnology: Never the twain shall meet?

2002

Conference Publication

Global moves on the local level - community supported agriculture

Lyons, K., Lockie, S. and Lawrence, G. (2002). Global moves on the local level - community supported agriculture. Australian Organics Conference 'Local Global Organics', Lismore, NSW, Australia, 3-4 October 2002.

Global moves on the local level - community supported agriculture

2002

Conference Publication

Localism, community and the politics of organic food systems

Lawrence, G. A., Lyons, K. and Lockie, S. (2002). Localism, community and the politics of organic food systems. Cultivating Communities, 14th IFOAM Organic World Conference, Victoria, Canada, 21-24 August, 2002. Canada: IFOAM.

Localism, community and the politics of organic food systems

2002

Journal Article

Eating 'Green': Motivations behind organic food consumption in Australia

Lockie, Stewart, Lyons, Kristen, Lawrence, Geoffrey and Mummery, Kerry (2002). Eating 'Green': Motivations behind organic food consumption in Australia. Sociologia Ruralis, 42 (1), 23-40. doi: 10.1111/1467-9523.00200

Eating 'Green': Motivations behind organic food consumption in Australia

2001

Journal Article

The culture and politics of organic food: an Australian perspective

Lyons, Kristen (2001). The culture and politics of organic food: an Australian perspective. Australian Review of Public Affairs.

The culture and politics of organic food: an Australian perspective

2001

Conference Publication

Eating 'Green': the relative importance of environmental concerns in the consumption of organic foods

Lockie, S., Lyons, K., Mummery, K. and Lawrence, G. (2001). Eating 'Green': the relative importance of environmental concerns in the consumption of organic foods. Kyoto Environmental Sociology Conference, Kyoto, Japan, 21-23 October 2001.

Eating 'Green': the relative importance of environmental concerns in the consumption of organic foods

2001

Book Chapter

What do we mean by green? Consumers, agriculture and the food industry

Burch, David, Lyons, Kristen and Lawrence, Geoffrey (2001). What do we mean by green? Consumers, agriculture and the food industry. Consuming foods, sustaining environments. (pp. 45-68) Bowen Hills, Qld: Australian Academic Press.

What do we mean by green? Consumers, agriculture and the food industry

2001

Book Chapter

Institutionalisation and resistance – organic agriculture in Australia and New Zealand

Lyons, Kristen and Lawrence, Geoffrey (2001). Institutionalisation and resistance – organic agriculture in Australia and New Zealand. Food, nature and society: rural life in late modernity. (pp. 124-147) edited by Hilary Tovey and Michel Blanc. Aldershot: Ashgate.

Institutionalisation and resistance – organic agriculture in Australia and New Zealand

2001

Conference Publication

Who buys organics, who doesn't, and why? Insights from a national survey of Australian consumers

Lyons, K., Mummery, K., Lockie, S. and Lawrence, G. (2001). Who buys organics, who doesn't, and why? Insights from a national survey of Australian consumers. Inaugural National Organic Conference 'The Organic Challenge - Unity Through Diversity', Sydney, Australia, 27-28 August 2001.

Who buys organics, who doesn't, and why? Insights from a national survey of Australian consumers

2001

Book Chapter

From sandals to suits: green consumers and the institutionalisation of organics

Lyons, Kristen (2001). From sandals to suits: green consumers and the institutionalisation of organics. Consuming foods, sustaining environments. (pp. 82-94) edited by Bill Pritchard and Stewart Lockie. Bowen Hills, Qld: Australian Academic Press.

From sandals to suits: green consumers and the institutionalisation of organics

2001

Journal Article

Consuming ‘Green’: the symbolic construction of organic foods

Lyons, Kristen, Lockie, Stewart and Lawrence, Geoffrey (2001). Consuming ‘Green’: the symbolic construction of organic foods. Rural Society, 11 (3), 197-210. doi: 10.5172/rsj.11.3.197

Consuming ‘Green’: the symbolic construction of organic foods

2001

Conference Publication

Organic foods: Australian consumer motivations, concerns and preferences

Lockie, S., Lyons, K., Lawrence, G., Norton, J. and Mummery, K. (2001). Organic foods: Australian consumer motivations, concerns and preferences. IX Conference of the Australasian Agri-food Research Network, Palmerston North, New Zealand, 11-14 September 2001.

Organic foods: Australian consumer motivations, concerns and preferences

2001

Journal Article

Renegotiating gender and the symbolic transformation of Australian rural environments

Lockie, Stewart and Lyons, Kristen (2001). Renegotiating gender and the symbolic transformation of Australian rural environments. International Journal of the Sociology of Food and Agriculture, 9 (1), 43-58.

Renegotiating gender and the symbolic transformation of Australian rural environments

2001

Book

The research & management of non-urban koala populations

Kristen Lyons, A. Melzer, F. Carrick and D. Lamb eds. (2001). The research & management of non-urban koala populations. Rockhampton, QLD Australia: Koala Research Centre of Central Queensland.

The research & management of non-urban koala populations

2001

Conference Publication

Organic: what do consumers really think?

Lyons, K., Lockie, S. and Lawrence, G. (2001). Organic: what do consumers really think?. Third National Public Health Association of Australia Food and Nutrition Conference, Melbourne, Australia, 15-17 July 2001.

Organic: what do consumers really think?

2000

Journal Article

Constructing "green" foods: corporate capital, risk and organic farming in Australia and New Zealand

Lockie, Stewart, Lyons, Kristen and Lawrence, Geoffrey (2000). Constructing "green" foods: corporate capital, risk and organic farming in Australia and New Zealand. Agriculture and Human Values, 17 (4), 315-322. doi: 10.1023/A:1026547102757

Constructing "green" foods: corporate capital, risk and organic farming in Australia and New Zealand

1999

Conference Publication

Standard Resistance: Organic Growers in Australia and New Zealand

Lyons, K. and Lawrence, G. (1999). Standard Resistance: Organic Growers in Australia and New Zealand. Farming for the Future: Organic Producer for the 21st Century Conference, Mackay, QLD Australia, 22-23 September 1999.

Standard Resistance: Organic Growers in Australia and New Zealand

Funding

Past funding

  • 2023 - 2024
    Building Climate-Resilient Agri-Food Futures: Reducing Emissions and Improving FoodSecurity Through Agroecology (Monash administered Australia Awards Fellowship)
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2023
    Centring Community-based planning and participation alongside low carbon transition: a global south-north comparative study
    UQ-FAPESP Strategic Research Fund SPRINT
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2020
    ''We are the people from that land'': Beyond big coal by centering Indigenous peoples' rights in the transition to a sustainable low carbon future (GCI Flagships)
    Research Donation Generic
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    Enhancing Economic Opportunities offered by Community and Smallholder Forestry in Solomon Islands (ACIAR Project Administered by Griffith University)
    Griffith University
    Open grant
  • 2012
    UQ Category 2 Travel Award - Kristen Lyons
    UQ Travel Awards for International Collaborative Research (Category 2)
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2012
    Urban food security, urban resilience and climate change (administered by Griffith University)
    Griffith University
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2015
    The New Farm Owners: Finance Companies and the Restructuring of Australian and Global Agriculture
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2012
    The politics of food security in a global age: Community impacts and responses to biofuel production in Ghana, West Africa
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Professor Kristen Lyons is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Digital and Agricultural Innovation, and Alternative Agriculture Practices in Australia

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Kiah Smith

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Digital and Agricultural Innovation, and Alternative Agriculture Practices in Australia

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Kiah Smith

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Breaking the bias: delivering gender equality in conservation

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Hugh Possingham

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Political and Environmental Contributions of Agro-Forestry and Permaculture to Build Resilience to Climate Change

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Sonia Roitman

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Postapocalyptic environmental practices: the narratives and political possibilities of the Dark Mountain Project

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Heloise Weber

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Gender, Conservation and Natural Resource Management in Solomon Islands

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Hugh Possingham

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Postapocalyptic environmental practices: the narratives and political possibilities of the Dark Mountain Project

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Heloise Weber

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Green extractivism, environmental justice and Indigenous Rights: The case of lithium mining in Chile

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Sally Babidge

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

Contact Professor Kristen Lyons directly for media enquiries about:

  • carbon markets and human rights
  • development and environment
  • East Africa
  • nanotechnology in food and agriculture
  • privatised university
  • Solomon Islands and logging

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au