Research Team
Our team gathers a diverse and complementary set of qualitative and quantitative modelling skills. We are also supported by leaders who have successfully managed scores of projects and developed extensive networks across research, commercial and public sectors.
Garry McDonald
PhD (Ecological Economics)
Director
Garry McDonald is one of the founding directors of M.E. He has a PhD in ecological economics and previously held a position within Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research. Garry’s research interests focus on the integration of environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability and resilience, and the use of systems and data-science tools and techniques to assist public and private decision making within these contexts.
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Over the past two decades Garry has successfully founded the M.E Research team, a group that uniquely combines research and consulting in the development of decision-support tools, starting from initial conception in innovative science, through to real-world application in policy evaluation and project feasibility studies. Through his wide experience Garry has developed an extensive network of research colleagues and commercial and public sector clients.
Garry presently co-leads the ‘Multi-Hazard Risk Model’ programme within the Resilience to Nature’s Challenges National Science Challenge and co-leads the MBIE Endeavour research programme ‘Transitioning Taranaki to Volcanic Futures’. He has been an invited professor at Universite de Versailles (France) and has held or currently holds adjunct professorship roles at University of Auckland, University of Canterbury and Massey University.
Nicola McDonald
PhD (Ecological Economics)
Director
Nicky is one of two directors within M.E Research. She has over 15 years’ experience, mainly in research and consulting at M.E but also in planning at the local government level. Nicky is broadly interested in assisting communities to improve their wellbeing, including through enhancement of ecological sustainability and resilience to natural hazards. These interests are reflected in her chosen academic background in geography, law, and a PhD in ecological economics and supported through a Bright Futures scholarship.
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During her time at M.E, Nicky has worked on a range of exciting and cutting-edge projects. These include the creation a of new modelling tool, MERIT, that simulates economic systems disrupted by infrastructure outages or natural hazards, development of a framework for valuing the benefits of different types of water demand management and assisting local government and stakeholders to assess alternative transition pathways towards improved freshwater quality. She has expertise in complex system enquiry and economic evaluation frameworks and methods. Nicky is currently a Research Aim leader within the ‘Transitioning Taranaki to Volcanic Futures’ Endeavour research programme.
Juan Monge
PhD (Agricultural Economics)
Associate Director
Juan joined M.E Research after almost 12 years at Texas A&M University and Scion. Juan specialises in the application of numerical methods, namely optimisation protocols (e.g. equilibrium models) and stochastic simulation, especially in contexts involving land-use change, ecosystem services, climate change, renewable energy, and natural hazards. Juan currently leads a project funded by the Biological Heritage National Science Challenge to model the economic impacts from myrtle rust and Kauri dieback in New Zealand.
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Most of Juan’s work has been funded by private firms, government, and four National Science Challenges. Such work has culminated in several publications in some of the world’s leading scientific journals such as Applied Energy, Ecological Economics, the Journal of Cleaner Production, Ecosystem Services, and Science of the Total Environment. This work has been used and cited by various government entities, private firms, and private consortia.
Juan also serves as a section editor of the New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science and as associate advisor in master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Canterbury and Lincoln University.
Les Dowling
M.For.Sc
Research Consultant
Les joined M.E. Research in April 2022, having worked as a scientist for 10 years at Scion. Between his roles at Scion and M.E., Les held forest management and consulting positions in the forest industry. Les is interested in the application of quantitative methods to inform land-use management and adaptation, and specialises in the use of empirical and heuristic modeling with discounted cash flow analysis.
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Les has a strong background in applied land management and likes to work as a bridge between the theoretical and applied. Les sees the greatest potential for change at the intersection of different academic disciplines, world views, and schools of thought.
Robert Cardwell
PhD (Land Use and Infrastructure Economics)
Researcher
Robert has worked at Market Economics since 2011, while also undertaking a PhD at University of Auckland from 2017 to 2021. During this time the primary area of expertise Robert has developed is in the building and application of integrated models, particularly input-output and computable general equilibrium type economic models, land use change, and transportation models.
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Robert has a wide background in engineering, having completed degrees in mechatronics and engineering management, and undertaking his PhD through the school of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Robert is also a co-founder, and current chair of the board of Engineers Without Borders New Zealand.
Stefania Mattea
PhD (Environmental Economics)
Researcher
Stefania joined M.E Research in 2021. She holds a PhD in Environmental Economics from the University of Waikato and an MSc in Forestry from the University of Padua. Her expertise focuses on the micro-econometrics of survey data, with applications in public and environmental economics. Skilled in non-market valuation and choice modelling, Stefania has contributed to MBIE Endeavour projects, National Science Challenges, EU initiatives, and consultancy projects on resilience to natural hazards, ecosystem services valuation, and outdoor recreation.
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With experience as a sustainability specialist in the construction industry, she integrates academic knowledge with real-world applications, aligning research with societal needs.
Barbara Martelli
PhD (Italian)
Researcher
Barbara, a cultural anthropologist, joined M.E Research in October 2023. Her expertise centers on the socio-cultural dimensions of geothermal development, including citizen engagement, sustainable innovation, distributive justice, identity, tourism, and perceptions of hazards. Alongside her role as a research consultant, Barbara serves as a Teaching Fellow in Italian at the University of Auckland, where she earned her PhD.
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Her academic background includes an MA in Cultural Anthropology and Ethnology from the University of Bologna and a BA in Communication Studies from the University of Milan. She is an active presenter at international conferences and has published on topics spanning cultural anthropology, migration, feminism, Italian literature, and language teaching. Barbara has also collaborated with Italian public institutions and non-profits on projects concerning social inclusion, cultural mediation, and asylum seekers
Yvonne Matthews
PhD (Environmental Economics)
Researcher
Yvonne is an applied economist specialising in environmental issues, thoughtfully weaving together economic assessment methods and science insights to inform policy and decision-making. With a PhD in Environmental Economics complemented by qualifications in Computer Science and Public Policy, she integrates diverse fields of knowledge, blending data-driven insights with a grounded understanding of policy needs and implications. Her expertise extends to non-market valuation, economic assessment and econometrics, enriched by extensive participation in multidisciplinary projects.
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Her contributions have spanned regional and central government, CRIs, academia, and the energy sector. The scope of her work has included key sustainability challenges such as freshwater policy, land use change, air quality, regional development, invasive species management, natural hazard resilience, and household energy efficiency. With publications in respected journals and a history of effective client reports, Yvonne is committed to collaborative research and the sharing of insights to foster informed decision-making.
Current PhDs
Martyna Wala
School of Environment, University of Auckland, 2021-current
Supervisors: Dr. Garry McDonald (M.E Research), Prof. Anita Wreford (AERU, Lincoln University), Prof. Shane Cronin (School of Environment, University of Auckland).
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My research focuses on enhancing socio-economic adaptation and resilience to potential long-term volcanic disruption caused by Mt. Taranaki. My holistic perspective highlights complex interactions between system components, while the application of System Dynamics methodology enables the simulation of plausible changes in the behaviour of aspects of the socio-economic system under distress. My research seeks to identify robust strategies and pathways for dynamic transition through long-term disruption under conditions of deep uncertainty. This transdisciplinary topic sits at the interface of hazard management, socio-economics, decision theory, and systems science.
Duncan Grimson
Massey University, 2021-current
Supervisors: Prof. Mark Bebbington (Massey University), Dr. Garry McDonald (M.E Research)
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New Zealand is exposed to a wide range of natural hazards and with the growing influence of climate change, New Zealand’s exposure and vulnerability to natural hazards is likely to increase. Many of the impacts of these disruptions will be economic in nature and can be estimated. However, traditional approaches often overlook the unique disruptive elements of natural hazards such as the out of equilibrium dynamics and the propagation of impacts along the economy’s value chains. Using an approach that intertwines ecology and economics, my research will incorporate standard (input-output) and emerging (network analysis) economic practices with business transaction data to estimate the dynamic spatial and temporal impacts of disruptions to address the limitations of standard economic approaches. Improved estimation of natural hazard disruptions will provide improved clarity in local (business, industry, or regional level) and national decision-making processes to provide better recommendations of disaster risk reduction strategies. This approach will be applied to a case study focused on the Rangitaiki and Tarawera river systems in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty region.
Rahul Rakesh Chopra
University of Auckland, 2023 - current
Supervisors: Prof. Nirmal Nair (University of Auckland), Dr. Garry McDonald (M.E Research), Dr. Nicky McDonald (M.E Research)
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My research investigates the interplay of natural hazards, energy systems, and resilience. By modeling earthquake impacts and resilience, I explore how disruptive technologies like smart grids and sensors can enhance energy infrastructure and overall societal resilience. I examine economic, social, and policy implications of these technologies, aiming to develop strategies for their effective integration and widespread adoption. Economic impact modeling utilises the quasi-computational general equilibrium model ‘MERIT’ developed by Market Economics and GNS. Ultimately, our goal is to create a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable energy future.
Kasra Habibi
University of Auckland, 2023 - current
Supervisors: Dr. Alice Chang-Richards (School of Engineering, University of Auckland), Dr. Olga Filippova (School of Business, University of Auckland), Dr. Robert Cardwell (M.E Research)
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Seismic design standards in many earthquake-prone countries, such as New Zealand, are life-safety-focused. However, learnings from past major events and recent research direction have called for functional recovery-based design that considers both life-safety and functionality of buildings post-hazard. This study aims to investigate the economic drivers for functional recovery by quantifying the overall economic benefit of implementing low damage and repairability-based design concepts. First, a detailed seismic risk assessment quantifies direct economic and social consequences. Given the seismic risk, economic recovery is then simulated using a dynamic equilibrium-seeking model to quantify indirect economic losses and pace of recovery. A demand-supply approach is introduced to explicitly account for the dependence of recovery trajectory of communities on their supply capacities. The findings are hoped to provide evidence-based research to support the adoption of functional recovery-based design and practices towards achieving greater socioeconomic resilience in the face of disasters.
Luay Dwaikat
University of Auckland, 2024 - current
Supervisors: Dr. Enrique del Rey Castillo (Faculty of Engineering and Design, The University of Auckland), Dr. Nicola McDonald (M.E Research)
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The economic and environmental viability of incorporating pumice as a concrete component remains unexplored in New Zealand’s construction sector. This research aims to assess the economic feasibility of pumice quarrying and processing by identifying the key cost components that influence production efficiency and cost optimization. A significant gap in academic research exists regarding the financial viability of using pumice as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) and its overall impact on concrete production costs. While pumice is argued to reduce concrete costs, the extent of these reductions across varying mix proportions remains unquantified, particularly when considering the full production and supply chain of concrete. This research will conduct a comprehensive economic assessment, including quarrying, processing, and utilisation costs, and will explore the potential of utilising geothermal energy in pumice processing to reduce production costs and enhance sustainability. Additionally, a life cycle economic and environmental performance analysis will evaluate the long-term benefits of pumice-based concrete. The findings will provide industry stakeholders with critical insights about the economic and environmental performance of pumice as a potential sustainable construction material in New Zealand.