The focus of my research is in the broad area of sustainable communities and how they contribute to the wider concept of sustainable development. In particular, I am interested in the gap between planning and policy development and local environmental action.   In Dunedin, I am a member of Our Food Network whose mission is to stimulate the production, distribution and consumption of local food and in that way contribute to the building of a resilient and prosperous community. I write a regular column “Seeds for Change” in the Otago Daily Times on food and sustainability - http://www.odt.co.nz/news/tags/seeds-change .  I have a BA from the University of Guelph, a MA from the University of Northern British Columbia and a PhD from Simon Fraser University.