Michael Fabinyi

Professor Michael Fabinyi is a distinguished academic at the University of Technology Sydney, where he serves as Professor in Social and Political Sciences within the Faculty of Design and Society. Previously, he held positions as Associate Professor (2019-2023) and Senior Lecturer (2016-2018) at the same institution. His academic journey includes significant research experience at the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University (2010-2016), where he progressed from Postdoctoral Research Fellow to Senior Research Fellow.

Professor Fabinyi completed his PhD at the Australian National University in 2009 and earned his BA (Hons.) from the University of Melbourne. His international experience is extensive, having lived and worked in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Solomon Islands. He has held visiting appointments at Peking University (2013-14) and WorldFish in Malaysia (2015), and currently serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor at Palawan State University in the Philippines.

Professor Fabinyi's research focuses on the social, political, and cultural dimensions of marine resource use and management. His work spans coastal livelihoods, agrarian change, food security in coastal contexts, seafood trade, fisheries governance, and coral reef restoration. His research approach integrates theories and methods from anthropology, development studies, and human geography, with a strong emphasis on Southeast Asian contexts, particularly the Philippines. He has developed expertise in political ecology, environmental anthropology, and the blue economy, examining how maritime zone developments impact small-scale fishing communities across Southeast Asia.

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on coral reef restoration governance in Southeast Asia, small-scale fisheries contributions to global food systems, and China's role in global seafood trade. Professor Fabinyi's work consistently addresses the intersection of environmental conservation and human wellbeing, with particular attention to governance structures, equity issues, and the social dimensions of marine resource management. His research often employs ethnographic methodologies including interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation to understand local perspectives on marine resource management.

Professor Fabinyi has secured significant research funding from various sources including the Australian Research Council, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, and the Nippon Foundation Ocean Nexus Centre. His current projects focus on sandfish mariculture, coral reef restoration and governance in the Philippines, small-scale fisheries governance in the Philippines, edible bird's nest trade in Indonesia, and China's role in global fisheries.

At UTS, Professor Fabinyi coordinates and teaches undergraduate subjects on political economy, sociology, and climate justice and policy. He actively supervises PhD students researching fisheries governance and coastal livelihoods. His work engages with multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Life Below Water (14), No Poverty (1), Reduced Inequalities (10), Responsible Consumption and Production (12), Zero Hunger (2), and Decent Work and Economic Growth (8).

Professor Fabinyi is an active contributor to international research networks, collaborating with scholars across Southeast Asia, Australia, and globally. His work bridges academic research with policy relevance, contributing to debates on sustainable ocean governance, equitable blue economy development, and effective coral reef conservation strategies that consider both ecological and social dimensions.