Kiah Smith

Dr. Kiah Smith is a Senior Research Fellow at The University of Queensland's Centre for Policy Futures, specializing in environmental sociology and sustainability transitions. Her research bridges academia, policy, and grassroots activism, focusing on food justice, financialisation of agriculture, and civil society's role in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• Academic Roles: ARC DECRA Fellow, Future Earth Fellow, and active participant in global policy dialogues including UN Food Systems Summit and SDG Summit.
• Research Themes: Explores intersections of food systems, climate resilience, gender empowerment, and ethical trade through qualitative participatory methodologies.

Publications & Impact: Authored 69 works including books on ethical trade in Kenya, journal articles on farmland investment politics, and reports influencing Australian Senate inquiries. Her research informs global food security frameworks and local initiatives like the AFSA People’s Food Plan.

Collaborations: Partnerships with organizations such as FIAN International, UN Women, UNRISD, and CSIRO. She leads the Social Justice, Rights and Empowerment research theme at CPF, emphasizing non-traditional research translation.

Scientific Awards

• ARC DECRA Fellowship (2019–2023)
• Future Earth Fellow
• Executive Member, ISA RC40 on Food and Agriculture

Advising & Grants: Supervises PhD candidates on topics like digital agriculture and women’s empowerment in Bangladesh. Secured significant funding from ARC Discovery Projects and Australia-Germany joint schemes for studies on horticulture networks and SDG implementation.