Lecturers
Samuel Alexander, PhD
Dr. Sam Alexander is a passionate environmental educator, scholar, and activist, who is Academic Director of the Australia: Sustainability and Environmental Action (semester) program. He has an interdisciplinary PhD in environmental law and politics and has published widely on sustainability themes, including award-winning books and essays. His interests and expertise include sustainable consumption, social movements, renewable energy transitions, ecological economics, and environmental politics. Beyond his academic credentials, Dr. Alexander enjoys practicing sustainable living strategies, testing alternative technologies, and has co-produced a documentary on ecovillage living. Prior to joining SIT, he lectured for 10 years with the Master of Environment program at the University of Melbourne, Australia, and was also a research fellow at the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute.
Elizabeth (Eshana) Bragg, PhD
Dr. Eshana Bragg is an eco-psychologist and has taught in the Sustainability and Environmental Action (Semester) program since 2000. She has an undergraduate degree in ecology and psychology from the University of Sydney and a PhD from James Cook University in Far North Queensland. She focuses on understanding the psychological relationship between people and nature and using this to motivate social change and environmental action. Dr. Bragg is on the editorial board of the peer-reviewed journal Ecopsychology. She has consulted for Sustainable Futures Australia since 1998, specializing in developing innovative educational materials and experiences and systems for organizational change and has managed award-winning projects. She collaborates with visual artists and photographers and uses creative and interpretive writing for sustainability social marketing campaigns. She works in partnership with government, industry, and communities (including Aboriginal custodians).
Delta Kay
Delta is a local Aboriginal elder, a Bundjalung woman who has been involved in the program for many years. Early in the semester she offers a ‘Welcome to Country’ – a traditional Aboriginal ceremony – and she is also involved in the camping trip facilitated by Country as Teacher, of which Delta is a part. She runs deep cultural immersion experiences in the Byron Bay region and beyond and is also a local Councilor with the Australian Greens party.
David Holmgren, PhD
Dr. David Holmgren is best known as the co-originator of permaculture. In 1978, he and Bill Mollison published Permaculture One, starting the global permaculture movement. Since then, he has developed three properties, consulted and supervised on urban and rural projects, written eight more books, and presented lectures, workshops and courses in Australia and around the world. Dr. Holmgren’s writings over those three decades span a diversity of subjects and issues, whilst always illuminating aspects of permaculture thinking and living. He and his partner Su host SIT students for a ‘walking workshop’ which takes place at their permaculture property, Melliodora.