Dr Rajanathan Rajaratnam
Lecturer, School of Behavioural and Cognitive and Social Sciences
Qualifications
B.Sc (Hons)(Malaysia), M.S. (Florida), PhD (Malaysia)
Contact
| Email: | rrajarat@une.edu.au |
| Room: | Earth Sciences (C2) 332 |
| Phone: | 02 6773 3435 (or +61 2 6773 3435 overseas) |
| Fax: | 02 6773 3030 |
Raj is a wildlife ecologist who worked for World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia over a period of 15 years before migrating to Australia in 1996. His PhD research was a radio-telemetry based ecological study on the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) in Tabin Wildlife Reserve which is located in the Malaysian state of in North Borneo. This study was the first ever detailed ecological study on the leopard cat in Malaysia particularly the Bornean subspecies, P.b. borneoensis.
He finished his PhD in 2000 and joined the Department of Geography and Planning in 2002, initially in various capacities ranging from research fellowships to short-term academic appointments before recently becoming a full-time staff member in 2007. During this time, he gained significant experience in teaching and applying his experience into Geography units particularly in the field of environmental science.
Affiliations
- Member of IUCN’s (World Conservation Union) World Commission on Parks and Protected Areas.
- Member of the Ecological Society of Australia
- Member of the Australian Institute of Geographers Inc.
- Member of UNE’s Paleo Group (Holocene Sea Level Research).
Areas of Teaching
He currently teaches in the following units in Geography and Planning.
GEPL111: Earth in Crises? (Coordinator)
GEPL112: Australia - Sustainable Development?
GEPL322: Cradle to Grave - Introductory Population Geography
GEPL303: Coastal Field Studies
GEPL307: Climate Change and Future Planning (New Unit in 2008)
GEPL341/441: Topics in Biogeography (Coordinator of New Unit in 2008)
Research interests
Raj has active ongoing collaborative research in Malaysian North Borneo particularly in the areas of wildlife ecology, conservation biogeography for wildlife management and sustainable natural resource use by indigenous people.
His main research focus encompassing the above areas is in the Kinabatangan Orang-Utan Conservation Project which is run by a French NGO called HUTAN.
Raj is also involved with capacity building for indigenous field staff of HUTAN particularly in wildlife field research techniques for conservation management.
He also has some experience in human geography research being a member of a research team with Professor Jim Walmsley and Dr. Fran Rolley, through UNE’s Centre for Applied Research in Social Science, which conducted research into the social costs and benefits of migration as part of a research consultancy with Australia’s Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs.
Recent Publications
Rajaratnam, R., Pang, C. & Ancrenaz, L. (2008). Ecotourism and indigenous communities: The lower Kinabatangan experience. Chapter 13 in Rugendyke, B & Connell, J (eds.). Tourism at the Grass Roots: Villagers and Visitors in the Asia Pacific. Routledge, Abington and New York.
Rajaratnam, R., Sunquist, M, Rajaratnam, L & Ambu, L. 2007. Diet and habitat selection of the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis borneoensis) in an agricultural landscape in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Journal of Tropical Ecology 23: 209-217.
Walmsley, J., McIntosh, A. & Rajaratnam, R. 2007. Natural Capital. pp 98 – 104 in K. Carrington, A. McIntosh & J. Walmsley (eds). The Social Costs and Benefits of Migration into Australia. Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Canberra.
Walmsley, J., McIntosh, A. & Rajaratnam, R. 2007. Produced and Financial Capital – Productive Diversity. pp 81 – 97 in K. Carrington, A. McIntosh & J. Walmsley (eds). The Social Costs and Benefits of Migration into Australia. Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Canberra.
Walmsley, J., Rolley, F., Rajaratnam, R. & McIntosh, A. 2007. Settlement Patterns and Experiences. pp 8 – 24 in K. Carrington, A. McIntosh & J. Walmsley (eds). The Social Costs and Benefits of Migration into Australia. Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Canberra.
Bittman, M., Brown, J., McIntosh, A., Rolley, F., Rajaratnam, R. & Walmsley, J. 2007. Human Capital. pp 25 – 47 in K. Carrington, A. McIntosh & J. Walmsley (eds). The Social Costs and Benefits of Migration into Australia. Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Canberra.
Walmsley, J., McIntosh, A., Carrington, K., Bittman, M., Rolley, F. & Rajaratnam, R. 2007. Social Capital. pp 48 – 80 in K. Carrington, A. McIntosh & J. Walmsley (eds). The Social Costs and Benefits of Migration into Australia. Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Canberra.