Studies take BCEC PhD candidate around the globe

For well-versed traveller Robert Mackay, the opportunity to connect personal interests with research was too good to pass up.

Robert is in the final year of his post-doctoral studies with Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, researching the social impacts of natural disasters in Africa.

After completing his Masters of Sustainability and Climate Policy at Curtin University, he wanted to continue studies in an environmentally focused field.

“I’ve always been interested in the random nature of disasters and this idea of a societal ‘shock’ proved an ideal set-up for econometric analysis,” Robert said.

In December 2023, Robert took his studies to the field, heading to the Baringo region of Kenya for 11 days to interview locals impacted by flooding and the crime that followed on from the flooding in the region.

“Conducting fieldwork in Kenya was fascinating and an immersive experience,” Robert said.

“One of the highlights was definitely visiting the Baringo region and witnessing some of the effects of disaster myself and the scope of the flooding.

“It put the narrative and scope [of the research] into perspective.”

While it was a very valuable research experience, it was far from a straightforward process.

“One of the challenges was drawing out the information we sought,” Robert said.

“So often the people we interviewed were only used to questions of this nature by NGOs for aid, or their own government organisations, meaning that often they tailored their answers to the audience in search of more aid, or complimenting the government to avoid trouble.

“Once we were able to outline the scope of the study and the impacts, the answers were truer to their experience.”

Following on from his trip to Kenya, Robert ventured to Oxford in the United Kingdom in March this year for the prestigious Centre for the Study of African Economies’ 2024 Conference, where he successfully presented a paper from his thesis.

A traveller who has now visited more than 60 countries, Robert’s PhD is fulfilling his interest in how environments, landscapes and climates all influence our societies, experiences and economic habits.