Ned Wales

Assistant Professor, Ned Wales, is an internationally recognised and nationally awarded academic, with an extensive career path in private consultancy and the public sector. He has expertise in land use development, environmental management, and quantitative research projects. Collaboration with private industry and government agencies has long been a focus regarding creating sustainable communities and moving towards a circular economy. His leadership experience includes tertiary operations and governance, as well as a four-year term in public office.

His work background is integrated into his teaching approach as an educator at Bond University. Ned's wealth of industry-based experience, ongoing professional partnerships, and effective networks within the built environment and sustainable development industries, allows for a rich, meaningful, and authentic teaching and learning experience for his students. His deliberate and conscientious approach to interweave theoretical application with real-world scenarios gives students relevant and meaningful learning, underpinned by current business practice and research collaboration in the sector. 

In 2018, Ned received the AAUT Award for Programs that Enhance Learning in Global Citizenship and Internationalisation, as well as receiving the Vice Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence in collaboration with other academics from the Health Science and Medicine Faculty at Bond. These awards were in recognition of his dedication to undertaking economic development projects in the Solomon Islands, and their significant success. The New Colombo Plan program provided immersive student training experiences, with cooperation from local communities and the provincial government. In 2019, Ned and his colleague, Daniel Krause, were allocated the Award for Planning Excellence for the Solomon Islands Capstone Program. Their work in establishing this program, and it's importance in improving the quality of life in developing nations, was also recognised by the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA). 

Ned holds an appointed position to the New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment, on the Joint Regional Planning Panel, undertaking development application determinations for development valued over $20,000,000. He also runs a consultancy practice undertaking funded research projects with local and state government. These professional projects assist students in finding employment in the industry. 

Research activity
Ned was recently contracted by Gold Coast City Councils City, Strategic Planning Branch, where he undertook extensive field work data collection, comprising of 150 face-to-face interviews and online surveys with business owners, to gain an understanding of how to improve entrepreneurial activity based on current data sets. His research project findings have been used in his subjects, as examples of how the economic trends of society impact on how we transition to a low carbon emissions economy.

He has frequently embarked upon consultancy research to improve local government capabilities, over recent years. Collaborating with the Bond Office of Research and Tweed Shire Council he was contracted to evaluate how best to achieve biodiversity conservation and urban land development. This project also investigated how local government agencies can increase revenue through business enterprise by raising funds for investment in local infrastructure needs. Ned's professional and political career are well suited to negotiating the dynamics of complex organisations and political culture.

Video: Sustainable Communities for the Next Generation

Statement for HDR students
Ned has previously supervised HDR research working at the master’s degree level, however he is not currently available to supervise PhD candidates at this time. His research areas of expertise are in sustainable development, climate change dynamics, urban planning processes, environmental management, and urban design. Ned hold's a particular interest in transitioning human activity towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to protect the planet, people, peace and ensure prosperity for all. Ned's work contributes towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that meets the following goals:

• SDG 1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhere.
• SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
• SDG 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation.
• SDG 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
• SDG 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
• SDG 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
• SDG 15 - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
• SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.