Alumni

George (Kev) Dertadian, is a social researcher interested in alcohol and other drugs, the sociology of crime and deviance, and social and cultural theory. During 2011-2016 Kev completed his Doctoral studies at the Institute for Culture and Society (ICS), Western Sydney University (WSU). During this time he co-convened the Institute’s seminar series and was the Postgraduate Representative on its Higher Degree Research Committee. Kev's thesis was on the topic of the non-medical use of pain medications, an area which he has continued to do much of his research. In 2019 he also published his first book, which was based on doctoral research conducted at ICS and is titled A Fine Line: Painkiller and pleasure in the age of anxiety. Kev is currently a Lecturer in Criminology at the University of New South Wales (UNSW).

On reflecting about his time at ICS Kev says that "the research training and critical thinking skills I developed at ICS set me up well to work in many and various academic roles" during and since his doctorate. This includes work as an Associate Lecturer at the Kirby Institute for infection and immunity in society, UNSW between 2015-2016 and a Teaching Focussed Role as an Online Lecturer in the School of Social Sciences and Psychology, WSU between 2016-2018. He notes that "the thoughtful development of programs of workshops and training sessions that drew from the wealth of talent within ICS and work-class guest presenters is a highlight of my time at ICS."

Tayanah is based at the Australian Academy of Science where she leads the Future Earth Australia initiative, as well as currently Acting as Director of the Science Policy team. She was previously a research fellow at the University of Canberra and is currently an honorary senior lecturer with the climate change institute at the Fenner School for society and environment at the Australian National University. She has published several journal papers in leading international journals, as well as a number of book chapters that span topics such as legal and political geographies, climate change adaptation and property rights, climate law, and land use planning and the public interest, and several research reports and international keynotes. Tayanah is lead author of an edited collection, Legal Geography: Perspectives and Methods, under production with Routledge.

Tayanah’s dissertation explores the legal, political and cultural aspects of coastal climate change adaptation. It won an AMP Tomorrow Maker award in 2017 (with an accompanying grant). Her dissertation, along with her work with local and state governments in Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and Queensland, is under contract for two books with Palgrave Macmillan (expected in 2020). She maintains an active, albeit selected, research profile given her demanding day job in the prestigious Australian Academy of Science.

Tayanah says the best things about her PhD experience at ICS was the collegiality of all staff including senior professors and the ability to pursue true interdisciplinary research with real world impact. In particular, her supervisors Donald McNeill and Louise Crabtree, as well as key research staff including Megan Watkins, enabled Tayanah to produce a dissertation that contributes to both academia and to society.