Dr Josephine Vaughan

“From Extraction to Circulation: Rethinking Cities as Sources of Building Materials”

Dr Josephine Vaughan is a Senior Lecturer in the built environment and a recognised leader in sustainable and regenerative construction research. Her work sits at the intersection of circular economy, embodied carbon, low impact building materials and industry engaged innovation, with a strong focus on translating foresight into practical, scalable action. Dr Vaughan has led more than 15 major industry funded research projects in collaboration with government, industry and international partners, producing over academic and industry publications that inform policy, practice and education. She co leads the Circular Economy and Sustainable Construction Research Group at the University of Newcastle, Australia and is a co chair of Materials and Assemblies in the Materials and Embodied Carbon Leaders’ Alliance (MECLA), supporting interdisciplinary collaboration across the built environment sector. Her research and leadership have been recognised through multiple awards, including the Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy (TRaCE) Fellowship, Global Engagement Awards and UNITAR CIFAL United Nations certifications, reflecting her commitment to capacity building and systemic change in construction practices worldwide. She is also actively involved in international knowledge exchange initiatives across Asia–Pacific, including climate resilient and net zero infrastructure programs.