Nicholas Drake

Nicholas Drake is a Research Fellow at the School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet) and a Research Affiliate at the School of Philosophy at the Australian National University (ANU). His research focuses on ethics, applied social and political philosophy, including wellbeing measurement, philosophy of disability, conceptual engineering, and Indigenous rights. He collaborates with the Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation to examine agreements between Indigenous communities and extractive industries, aiming to promote economic self-determination and rights protection.

• Education:
• PhD in Philosophy, ANU (2025)
• MA Philosophy, Washington University St. Louis (2019)
• MA Philosophy, Victoria University of Wellington (2016)
• BPhil (Honours), Massey University (2014)
• Bachelor of Philosophy, Massey University (2013)
• Certificates in Sustainable Rural Development and Māori Studies, NorthTec (2006, 2009)

His research interests include wellbeing frameworks, ensuring these systems align with diverse societal values and future generations' needs. He critiques and constructs frameworks that respect Indigenous perspectives and pluralistic societies. Recent work emphasizes conceptual tools for practical ethics, particularly in resource agreements and policy design.

Grants and Projects:

• Collaborative project with ANU’s Vice President (First Nations) and Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation
• Interdisciplinary ethics research funded by ANU

Labs/Teams: Part of RegNet’s Indigenous Policy and Global Governance research cluster, and cross-disciplinary wellbeing framework initiative.