Dr Ben Payne Email & Phone Number

New Zealand

New Zealand

Contract-based project delivery experience:Sustainability, Property & RenewablesTuatara Structures & Carbon Property (Oct 23 - Mar 24)◦ Conducted a strategic review of green building accreditation frameworks in New Zealand, resulting in an industry whitepaper.Auckland Council (Oct 23 - Apr 24)◦ Advised on strategic communications for the storm water modelling programme.Air Rights International [Melbourne] (2019 - ongoing)◦ Research and advisory to support development of GIS tools to assess air rights values.◦ Evaluated commercial air rights for sustainability outcomes (green roofs, solar). Complex Risk & ResilienceAdapt Research Limited (Nov 22 – Nov 23)◦ Authored reports on multi-sector impacts of global catastrophic risk events.◦ Led data collection and analysis for this project.UNDRR & International Science Council (Aug 20 – Nov 21)◦ Facilitated the development of the Global Framework for Risk-Informed Sustainable Development on behalf of UNDRR and ISC. ◦ Coordinated international stakeholder consultations and co-drafted the framework document and subsequent publications. Joint Centre for Disaster Research, Massey University (Jun 19 – Ongoing)◦ Undertook a varied range of team based research work in areas including, but not limited to climate change mitigation and managed retreat, seismic engineering research and early warning system implementation.◦ Supported multi-sector earthquake and tsunami risk planning initiatives with emphasis on the Hikurangi Subduction Zone and Alpine Fault.◦ Co-led rural resilience projects and assessed government disaster response funds on behalf of the Ministry for Primary IndustriesPublic Education & CommunicationsEast Coast Life at the Boundary (Jan – Jul 20)◦ Developed disaster preparedness education initiatives for New Zealand's East Coast.◦ Created digital (GIS StoryMap) education resources in collaboration with AF8 for public hazard education in response to COVID-19.

Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

As an independent researcher and facilitation consultant I have led and contributed to a wide range of cross-agency projects. Recent contract roles have involved significant milestones in the following areas: • Co-leading the collaborative project ‘Scoping networks, knowledge and activities for rural resilience’ as a collaborative project between Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and universities to build the resilience of rural communities to climate change. • Leading a research programme for MPI to assess the effectiveness of Rural Recovery Advice Funds provided by the government to support rural resilience, disaster response and recovery. • Conducting research to inform government strategy and investment mechanisms for COVID-19 recovery in regional and rural communities throughout New Zealand, including carbon farming and solar energy investment. • Leading a research team on behalf of QuakeCore, the NZ Society of Earthquake Engineers, and the NZ Insurance Council to investigate societal expectations of engineered building performance during major earthquakes. • Co-ordinating a comprehensive cross-agency research initiative to improve earthquake and tsunamic risk planning and preparedness, involving engagement across all levels of government and other stakeholders. • Conducting research that contributed to the implementation of an earthquake early warning system nationwide in New Zealand and the suite of communication tools that support its effectiveness.

Melbourne, Australia

Air Rights International's technology platform serves property owners and property managers globally, by helping to maximise the economic value of their air rights.Core tasks have included: • Using spatial analysis expertise to map carbon abatement of sustainability potentials by exploring the use of air rights in commercial property portfolios. • Conducted evaluations of market opportunities for potential launches in the United Kingdom and Australia, considering factors such as data availability, carbon abatement potential and sustainability considerations.

New Zealand

We are navigating a unique period in human history, with mounting global tensions, growing divides, and rapid climate change, all while technology and innovation propel us into an increasingly unpredictable future. The question is, how resilient and prepared will Aotearoa NZ be if a major global catastrophe (magnitudes greater than Covid-19) occurred? How would very large global catastrophes (such as nuclear war/winter, unaligned AI, super-volcano eruption, super-pandemic events) would impact the ability of NZ industry and society to function? My contributions include: • Leading the data gathering process through surveys, interviews, and sector-specific research to identify vulnerabilities within and between industry sectors (e.g., healthcare, food production and supply, fuel and energy, communications and IT and social cohesion). • Developing models to understand the consequences of trade isolation and disruptions across multiple sectors, including food security issues, energy resilience and technology vulnerabilities. • Advocating for the expansion of risk assessment at the national level and encouraging sector-specific organisations to address complacency and transition risks. This includes highlighting the importance of decarbonisation, but also addressing issues related to an unbalanced national energy profile if transition is out-of-step. We are acutely interested in how co-benefits of resilience building can be achieved across the broad suite of risks that New Zealand faces, from rare but extremely high impact events, through to more regular geohazard events and the pressing needs of climate change.

Geneva, Switzerland

As Lead Scientific Officer, my role involved facilitating the development of a new Framework for Global Science in Support of Risk-Informed Sustainable Development and Planetary Health (launched in November 2021), co-sponsored by UNDRR and ISC. Key milestones with this role, included: • Leading the development of the new Framework for Global Science in Support of Risk-Informed Sustainable Development and Planetary Health, co-sponsored by the UNDRR and ISC, which was launched in November 2021. • Efficiently delivery of this complex global project within the designated timeframe by implementing effective project management and collaboration processes at various global and regional levels. • Coordinating an extensive consultation process involving diverse international stakeholders including private sector, government, and indigenous community interests, as well as diverse scientific, policy and practice communities.

London, England, United Kingdom

Human City is a collective of specialists who offer data driven strategic insights to help property developers create commercially and socially successful projects. My area of expertise is at the interface of research (applying 'big data', quantitative and qualitative insights) and spatial visualisation, for example, through the application of ArcGIS tools and data analysis to inform commercial, social and sustainability outcomes. I see social value and sustainability as integrally linked, and I use my diverse experience in social and data science to deliver socially and environmentally responsible strategy and planning outcomes.

Napier, Hawke’S Bay, New Zealand

East Coast LAB (Life at the Boundary) is a collaborative programme that brings together scientists, emergency managers, experts and stakeholders across the East Coast to learn about and plan for natural hazards. My role included: • The review and support of stakeholder and public education efforts for East Coast LAB, focusing on disaster preparedness and strategic planning for a major earthquake and tsunami event across New Zealand’s East Coast. • Developed digital Webinars and ArcGIS resources, including the collaboration with AF8, to adapt to COVID-19 restrictions: https://af8.org.nz/whats-on-our-plates/

Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

Independent stakeholder engagement contractor on behalf of Greater Wellington Regional Council. My role included:• Facilitating cross-agency collaboration to develop an advanced multi-agency flood early warning system for the Wellington Region. • Facilitated effective stakeholder engagement between regional and local councils, Civil Defence and Emergency Management (CDEM) organisations, local communities, and Iwi groups. • Employed efficient people and project management techniques to ensure timely delivery, budgeting, and evaluation.

Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

My transition to become a social scientist at GNS Science followed gaining a breadth of applied communications and tech-focused social science insight at GeoNet. My research areas within the social science team included: - RiskScape end-user engagement; - Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) development in New Zealand;- ECLIPSE (Super Volcano) Endeavour project; - Modelling the Economics of Resilient Infrastructure Tool (MERIT) end-user engagement;- Resource management/planning research projects focused on effective stakeholder engagement and better planning to enhance community resilience to geo-hazard risks.Notable milestones included: • Analysing the Disaster Risk Finance (DRF) landscape in the Pacific Region, endorsed by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). • Contributing policy analysis, planning reviews and national guidance on managed retreat from climate change induced sea level rise. • Coordinating cross-agency provision of science advice to the Indonesian Government in response to the Palu earthquake and tsunami in September 2018.

Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

GeoNet, in conjunction with GNS Science, seeks the best information and to employ exceptional science to understand natural hazards within New Zealand and to package and deliver this data in effective, innovative and readily accessible ways to end-users in New Zealand and internationally. In this role I applied my skill base in social and physical sciences to develop best practice linkages between GNS Science and GeoNet. Improving community resilience across Aotearoa NZ was at the forefront of everything achieved, including: • Leading research programmes to improve risk communication and community resilience in New Zealand, including public communications during disaster events.• Analysed metrics to measure and enhance GeoNet’s impact on public and institutional behaviour towards hazards and risks.• Conducted surveys to understand the expectations of diverse stakeholder communities, from the general public to technical data users. • Communicated technical information effectively to various audiences, including New Zealand’s engineering, financial and insurance sectors, using user-friendly and demographic-appropriate approaches across different platforms. This included frontline public communications during geo-hazard emergencies.

Takapuna, Auckland

In this role, I: • Contributed to multidisciplinary Assessments of Environmental Effects (AEE) for private and government clients, involving comprehensive data summary and analysis, assessment of complex national and regional planning frameworks and consideration of diverse policy and statutory regulations. • Facilitated design and implementation of consultation programmes, including analysis, monitoring/evaluation, and communication of consultation outcomes.

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Geography

Postgraduate Diploma In Arts Subjects With Distinction, Social And Political Geography, Sociology And Development Studies.

Bachelor Of Science - Bsc, Major In Physical Geography, Minor In Ecology.