George Curry

Professor George Curry is a Geographer and faculty member at Curtin University's School of Design and the Built Environment. His primary academic role is as a Professor focusing on Development Studies, migration, rural geography, and research methods. He holds a PhD in Geography from the University of New England (1992).

His research emphasizes socio-cultural and economic change in Papua New Guinea, particularly examining transitions to market economies through a sustainable livelihoods lens. Key projects include studies on smallholder cocoa, coffee, and oil palm production, labor migration impacts, and innovation adoption in farming households. Current affiliations include a FIAS fellowship at Montpellier (2024-2025) and collaborations with UMR-Innovation (CIRAD, France) and the Pacific Livelihoods Research Group.

Research grants include major ACIAR-funded projects totaling over AUD 8 million, focusing on livelihood improvements for smallholder communities. Notable projects include analyzing coffee supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigating land tenure dynamics in oil palm frontier regions.

Awards include his FIAS fellowship, which supports advanced research through European Union funding. His work bridges academic disciplines, integrating geography, anthropology, and development studies to address complex rural challenges in the Pacific region.