معرفی
Sharon Harwood is affiliated with James Cook University's Department of Urban and Regional Planning. Her research focuses on land use planning, disaster resilience, remote community development, and Indigenous engagement in northern Australia. She has authored over 20 publications, including influential works on Cape York Peninsula and Nunavut's place-based planning, climate adaptation strategies, and Indigenous tourism models. Her reports address challenges in statutory planning systems, community infrastructure needs, and youth perspectives in remote settlements.
Key research areas include:
- Disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation policies
- Sustainable tourism development in resource-dependent regions
- Indigenous knowledge integration in environmental governance
- Policy conflicts between federal/state frameworks and local needs
Her work frequently examines northern Australia's contested landscapes, emphasizing the disjuncture between top-down planning and grassroots community priorities. Recent studies explore future tourism directions, resilient infrastructure designs, and rethinking development strategies for remote regions.
Harwood has collaborated on projects funded by institutions like the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, producing actionable insights for community-based planning initiatives.
