Dr Sarah Kneebone

She is Unit Coordinator for Understanding human behaviour to influence change, a multi-award-winning unit within Monash University’s Master of Environment of Sustainability course and runs the professional development program for BWA’s Graduate Research Industry Partnership doctoral program. Sarah also manages the development of bespoke training solutions for BWA partners and clients and is passionate about making behavioural science tools and techniques accessible and usable to support the Sustainable Development Goals.

Sarah holds a PhD from Monash University, through the innovative, multidisciplinary CRC for Water Sensitive Cities program. Her thesis, ‘Catalysing water-saving behaviours in Australian urban households’, focused on the identification and prioritisation of water sensitive behaviours. This work developed a novel method to select catalytic behaviours that increase the likelihood of behavioural spillover, and thus maximise program outcomes.

Sarah’s broader research interests lie in using innovative pedagogies and engaging strategies to maximise training outcomes, within online or face to face deliveries. She is also interested in using behaviour prioritisation techniques to develop focussed and effective behaviour change programming, particularly for environmental conservation and biodiversity outcomes.

Sarah is a qualified science teacher (Cambridge University) and holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Development (Imperial College & School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London), and Master’s degree in Environmental Conservation (University College London). Prior to arriving in Australia, Sarah was Director of Education and Public Engagement at Oman Botanic Garden, where she established strategic interpretation and marketing programs and built an education centre for schools focused on biodiversity conservation and sustainability.

Sarah previously worked in environmental education and interpretation within the international botanic garden and zoo sector, designing and leading training events and workshops on education best practice in Honduras, the Philippines, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Canada, Russia, Thailand, USA, UK, South Africa, China, Spain and Germany.