Environmental Influence
Growing solutions: From government policy to grassroots research
For Jessica Abramovic, pursuing a PhD was a natural choice.
The º£½ÇÉäÇø graduate completed a Bachelor of Arts in 2015, majoring in International Studies and Communications, followed by a Master of International Development in 2016.
It was during her postgraduate degree that she became interested in issues of food and water security. Her master’s thesis focused on an in-depth case study of a food-producing garden established for Burmese refugees in Canberra.
“My research comes from the perspective that climate change is having real impacts, and that many of the solutions already exist,” says Jess.
“People every day, everywhere are already taking action in all sorts of ways. And while those ways might seem small individually, when taken together, they actually contribute to significant action that could be scaled up.”
After graduating, Jess held roles in the not-for-profit sector and consulting before she began working for the federal government in 2020. In the Australian Public Service (APS), she found the perfect opportunity to apply her research skills in the policy areas that she’s passionate about.
As Director of Research and Insights in the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Jess led a multidisciplinary team, where she managed key projects for national climate and environmental policies.
Earlier this year, Jess moved to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, where she is Director of Urban Reporting and Research, leading the next State of Australian Cities report.
While Jess has been working on climate resilience policy within government, she never lost her passion for exploring community-driven solutions.
After several years in the workforce, she knew that she was ready to pursue a PhD – so in 2021, she reached out to one of her master’s supervisors, Associate Professor Bethaney Turner, with her ideas for a project on climate resilience.
“Bethaney said, ‘Great – let’s go for it!” recalls Jess.
Because Jess wanted to continue working full-time, she needed flexibility with her studies.
“It was really important to me that I picked a university that cares about people, and has structures that account for the flexible needs of our daily lives,” says Jess.
“And at UC, you certainly see that the PhD program supports people to succeed.”
Returning to UC’s Faculty of Arts and Design and joining the Centre for Creative and Cultural Research was also an easy decision for Jess.
“I already had all of these relationships I've developed from my time as an undergraduate and postgraduate student, and we have a number of research centres that are really well-recognised,” says Jess.
Her PhD examines how local communities are contributing to climate resilience in ways that are locally-specific and place-based. One case study that Jess is currently exploring is the – the group has been collecting and saving seeds in the Canberra region for close to a decade, with initiatives like the Living Seed Bank, the Community Seedlings Program and the Dwarf Tomato Project.
The Canberra Seed Savers meet regularly at the Canberra City Farm in Fyshwick. “They contribute to climate resilience by increasing the biodiversity in our local places, and through ensuring that we have a local supply of food adapted to Canberra’s environment should an emergency occur,” says Jess.
“They also contribute to community resilience by teaching people to be more self-sufficient, which I believe is really important for underpinning climate resilience.”
UC PhD programs begin with a semester of classes on research best practices with students from all faculties – an experience that Jess particularly appreciated.
I made some really wonderful friends. Being a part-time student can feel quite isolating since I’m not on campus, so it’s really nice to be part of a support network.
Jess designed her project to complement her nine-to-five job, and she is also enjoying the benefits of having an extended period of time to collect her research data.
“I designed my PhD project knowing that I work full-time, so the case studies that I picked primarily meet on weekends, which allows me to participate as well,” she says.
Being able to work with the community for a much longer time builds trust and helps me to understand how the program has broader community impacts.
Jess is extremely thankful to her thesis supervisors, Bethaney and Dr Ann Hill. “I have really, really supportive supervisors, who are able to support me when my workload is ramping up or down,” she says.
Along with her supervisors, Jess has also received support from Professor Emerita of Urban and Regional Planning Barbara Norman – Jess and Barbara were matched through UC’s unique PhD Plus Mentoring Program.
“Barbara has helped me grow in my academic journey and in my career by offering invaluable insights and advice,” says Jess. “I feel so lucky to have a mentor and supervisors to support me throughout my PhD.”
Jess is now well on her way in her PhD journey. Having passed her confirmation last year and secured ethics approval, she’s been out in the field collecting data for several months.
And if her full-time job and part-time PhD weren’t enough to keep her busy, Jess is also the student representative on the UC Sustainability Committee. It just goes to show that with enough passion, there’s always enough time.
“I think it’s really important to contribute to a university that has given me so much,” she says.
Jess explains that research has the power to amplify community voices.
“You're able to take those power structures of academy and the privilege that you have as a researcher, and partner with communities to highlight their work,” she says.
“While working and studying part-time is a challenge, it's also setting me up for great success in my career because I haven't had to put either on hold. I’m creating government and university connections through both of my roles.”
The PhD Plus program is open to all HDR students, and offers opportunities for work placements, mentoring and more.
Words by Larissa Fedunik, photos by Tyler Cherry