Team

Researchers

Associate Professor Benjamin Hanckel

Project Leader

Dr Benjamin Hanckel (he/him) is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the Institute for Culture and Society and the Young and Resilient Research Centre at Western Sydney University. Benjamin’s research examines youth health and wellbeing, social inequalities in health, and social change. His work has explored the design and use of digital technologies for health and wellbeing, particularly as they are experienced and used by young people, including sexuality and gender diverse youth. His work also focuses on methodology, including evaluative designs for health, as well as the use of innovative methods in research with young people. He has led research projects across Australia, East and South-East Asia, and the United Kingdom. He is a 2023-2026 Australian Research Council DECRA fellow, an editor-in-chief of the Journal of Applied Youth Studies, and Associate Editor of Health Sociology Review. Contact at: b.hanckel@westernsydney.edu.au

Associate Professor Jan Michael Alexandre Bernadas

Co-Investigator

Dr Jan Michael Alexandre Bernadas is an Associate Professor at the Department of Communication and Research Fellow at De La Salle University. Working on health communication, his research appears in Public Relations Review, Communication and the Public, Journal of Creative Communications, Media International Australia, and Journal of Communication in Healthcare. As co-investigator, he has completed grants supported by Facebook, The Sumitomo Foundation, and USAID Philippines. To date, Jan is an editorial board member of Management Communication Quarterly, International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, and Health & New Media Research.

Dr Pryor Placino

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Dr Pryor Placino is an economic and development geographer with extensive experience in qualitative research and community capacity building across the Philippines, Australia and Thailand. He is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University. His research focuses on livelihood practices for surviving well together, the political ecologies of technological and social innovation, and (post)development strategies for strengthening resilience and wellbeing in agricultural and periurban communities. His recent publications appear in Environment and Urbanization, World Development, Buildings and Cities, Asia Pacific Viewpoint, The Handbook of Diverse Economies, and Future Cities Laboratory Indicia 03. Pryor sits on the Board of Directors of Community Economies Institute.

Advisory Boards

Youth Advisory Board

Carlo Arellano, Philippines

Dr Paolo Baquiano, Philippines

Caye Cheng, Philippines

Lily Gorvett-Page, Australia

Quinn Harwood, Australia

Lisa Lewis, Australia

Franklin Madriñan, Philippines

Professional Advisory Board

Professor Kath Albury, Australia

Dr Brenda Alegre, Hong Kong

Benedict Bernabe, Philippines

Professor Charibeth Cheng, Philippines

Distinguished Professor Gerard Goggin, Australia

Dr Elma Laguna, Philippines

Josh Wiseman, Australia