Professor Harpinder Sandhu
Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research and Innovation
Campus
Biography
Professor Harpinder Sandhu is Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research and Innovation at Federation University Australia, providing strategic leadership for large-scale grant capability and for delivering research impact and innovation pathways across the University’s research centres and institutes. He is also a professor of Ecological Economics at the Institute of Innovation, Science and Sustainability.
A transdisciplinary researcher, Harpinder examines interactions between society and the environment to support inclusive and equitable development. His research focuses on integrating social, human and natural capital to transform agriculture and food systems towards sustainability and equity.
Harpinder also leads the Ararat Jobs and Technology Precinct, a multidisciplinary research hub dedicated to regional and rural economic development. The Precinct undertakes applied research in agtech, space-based intelligence, renewable energy, small business innovation and community development, working with communities, industry, government and research partners to deliver impact.
Harpinder holds a PhD in Agroecology and Ecological Economics from Lincoln University, New Zealand, and brings over two decades of experience across government, research institutes and universities. He has collaborated with global organisations including UNEP, FAO, the World Bank, UNDP and IPBES, publishing extensively on agri-food, environment and sustainability and serving as an academic editor for leading sustainability journals.
More about Harpinder
Qualifications
- PhD Agroecology and Ecological Economics, Lincoln University (New Zealand)
- M.Sc. Agriculture, Punjab Agricultural University (India)
- B.Sc. Agriculture (Hons), Khalsa College, GND University (India)
Areas of interest
- Sustainable agrifood systems
- Sustainability analytics
- Non-market valuation of ecosystem services
- Agri-economic modelling
- Agtech and decision-making systems
- Social capital
Grants
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia), Phase Out of Live Sheep Exports by Sea: Enhancing Market Demand Grants Program. Chief Investigator (2026–2028). Category 1 (Australian Competitive Grant)
- Australia’s Economic Accelerator Ignite Grant. Led by the University of Adelaide. Investigator. 2025–26. Category 1 (Australian Competitive Grant)
- Australian Government Centre for Australia-India Relations. Chief Investigator. 2024–25. Category 1 (Australian Competitive Grant)
- CSIRO Roadmap for legumes and grains in Victoria. Chief Investigator. 2022–2025. Category 2
- Project on Inclusive food systems. Aleph Farms Israel. 2021–2026. Chief Investigator. Category 3
Current
- PhD student, ‘Carbon farming: role and implications for broadacre agriculture’, principal supervisor.
- PhD student, ‘Inclusive food system models for the meat sector: socio‑economic impacts and opportunities for livestock farmers’, principal supervisor.
- PhD student, ‘Drivers and inhibitors of value adding to agricultural products in rural Victoria’, principal supervisor.
- PhD student, ‘Achieving net‑zero emissions in agriculture: developing decision support systems for land and enterprise managers’, principal supervisor.
- PhD student, ‘Boutique wine regions in a crowded market: the intersection of sustainable growth and regional development in boutique, emerging wine regions’, principal supervisor.
- PhD student, ‘Smart farms: using big data to quantify environmental, social and governance (ESG) impacts in agriculture’, principal supervisor.
- PhD student, ‘Building life after migration: examining programs, services and events for refugee settlement’, principal supervisor.
- PhD student, ‘Voluntarism and social capital: implications for practice and policy in Australia’, principal supervisor.
- Master’s student, ‘The role of volunteer organisations in strengthening social capital: examining environmental, economic, and community impact in Australia’, principal supervisor.
- Master’s student, ‘Circular economy: role of municipal waste to create value through local processing’, principal supervisor.
- Ecological economics
- Environmental management
- Climate change adaptation
- Natural resource management
- Environmental policy
Specialist roles
- Distinguished fellow, Pahle India Foundation, New Delhi
- Advisory board member, AusInd Bridge Foundation (AIBF), Melbourne
- Advisor to FAO State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA 2023, 2024)
- Study leader, TEEBAgriFood application in Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming project led by GIST Impact, Switzerland. 2020–23
- Publications
Prospects of Carbon Farming in Australian Broadacre Agriculture: Transition Towards Net Zero
- Journals
- DOI reference: 10.1002/sae2.70110
Risk perceptions and management strategies of beef producers in the United States and France
- Journals
- DOI reference: 10.1007/s43621-026-02605-2
Environmental, social and governance impacts of beef production systems: an integrated literature review
- Journals
- DOI reference: 10.1007/s44498-026-00011-5