My research aims to support local communities in urban planning processes, leadership, and participation.
Qualifications
Research Interests
My research focuses on adaptive urbanism, community resilience, and bicultural planning; aiming at socio-ecological justice. In Human Geography and urbanism, I demonstrate high competence – not only through scientific dissemination and external funding – but particularly by opening pathways to advance the integration of traditional ecological knowledge in decision-making processes, and urban living outcomes. I lead with novel research methods; combining action research, co-creation, and Kaupapa māori methodologies. My research has an increasing local, national, and international impact in the context of climate change emergency. I apply my expertise in collaborative planning through action research and my community connectedness reflects this. The national research programmes that I develop and lead, have the potential to transform local communities, inform national policy, and place UC in a leading position in the field of bicultural planning.
Recent Publications
- Yates A., Dombroski K. and Dionisio R. (2023) Dialogues for well being in an ecological emergency: Wellbeing-led governance frameworks and transformative Indigenous tools. Dialogues in Human Geography 13(2): 268-287. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/20438206221102957.
- Dionisio MR. and Carr J. (2022) Prismatic immersion of urban ruins: A framework for the integration of ruins' multiple geographies in urban regeneration. Cities 130 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2022.103818.
- Hobbs M., Ahuriri-Driscoll A., Kingham S., Wiki J., Marek L., Dionisio MR., Curl A., Schluter P., Banwell K. and Mackenbach JD. (2022) A city profile of Ōtautahi Christchurch. Cities 121 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2021.103481.
- Bennett C., Matunga H., Steyl S., Borell P., Dionisio R. and Hāpuku A. (2021) Mana whenua engagement in Crown and Local Authority-initiated environmental planning processes: A critique based on the perspectives of Ngāi Tahu environmental kaitiaki. New Zealand Geographer 77(2): 63-75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nzg.12304.
- de Jesus Dionisio MR., Macfarlane AH., Walker DP., Macfarlane SL., Derby M., Caldwell R., Pani J. and Waru R. (2021) Ngā Mātāpono e Rua: Stories of co-creation for bicultural spatial governance in Aotearoa New Zealand. New Zealand Geographer 77(2): 76-89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nzg.12299.