Dr Severine van Bommel

Dr Severine van Bommel is a senior lecturer with the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability at the University of Queensland, Australia and the Rural Development Group leader. She holds a PhD from Wageningen University (NL). Taking an qualitative, interpretive approach, she studies the construction of meaning in interaction in rural development and agricultural extension. Drawing on insights from social learning, communication and innovation studies, her research and teaching are focused on innovative, co-design research methods and methodologies for addressing resource dilemmas and competing claims.

Her current research projects include: 1) co-design of a virtual platform for verification of environmental credentials for Australian Beef producers (developing online co-design processes); 2) developing engagement methods that help Australian researchers communicate with Ni-Vanuatu livestock farmers (based on storian principles).

She is an editor of the book "Forest and Nature Governance: A practice-based approach" (Springer). She has published and presented papers on the above mentioned topics in journals and international congress proceedings, been a co-editor in scientific journals and publications. She is a member of the Advisory Board of the International Interpretive Policy Analysis conference (IPA) and she is a member of the editorial board of the Critical Policy Studies journal. She mentors early career researchers interested in interpretive methods within the framework of the APSA mentoring program and she runs a Virtual International Community of Practice for Interpretive Practitioners. She is also part of in the International Farming Systems Association (IFSA) and the Australasia-Pacific Extension Network (APEN).

Courses that she currently teaches:

- Leadership in rural industries (MSc)

- Effective stakeholder engagement (MSc)

- Human-wildlife interactions (MSc and BSC)