Dr Michael Chew is an environmentalist, action-researcher, and photographer/designer with degrees in participatory design, social ecology, art photography, critical theory and mathematical physics. He has a background in community-based sustainability programs in non-profit and local government and is passionate about using creativity to empower communities. He co-founded the Melbourne Environmental Arts Festival, a multi-venue community arts festival, and has coordinated various social and environmentally focused creative participatory projects. His international perspectives come from involvement in a range of grassroots global solidarity initiatives: co-founding the NGO Friends of Kolkata to coordinate international volunteer programmes and teach participatory photography; working in Bangladesh on community-based climate adaptation; co-founding the Friends of Bangladesh climate justice solidarity group. He recently completed an action-research PhD exploring how participatory photography can inspire environmental behaviour change across Bangladesh, China and Australia, and a Rotary Peace Fellowship, and runs the small consultancy Ecoimagine specialising in community-based research, creative participation, facilitation and program design.
