Matt Herington

Matt is currently completing his PhD research with the Energy & Poverty Research Group at UQ, co-supervised from within the School of Chemical Engineering and the School of Communication and Arts. His main research interests focus on understanding the mechanisms that enable and shape social change in energy related practices – with a particular interest in energy transitions occurring amongst the energy impoverished across South Asia.

More specifically, Matt’s PhD research draws upon contemporary theories of change in sociology and the concept of positive deviance, to investigate the generative mechanisms – e.g. leadership, personal and collective motivation, and/or the nature of institutional support and relationships – that underpin individuals or groups that deviate from the social norm in relation to their energy practices.

Matthew is uniquely positioned for transdisciplinary research with a background in public policy, a Master of Business and undergraduate studies in finance at UQ. Prior to commencing his PhD studies, Matt worked for several years developing energy policy in various roles with the Queensland Government. 

Research Skills

• Energy Access and Development
• Energy Policy (International and Domestic)
• Qualitative Research
• Energy and Resource Economic modelling
• System Dynamics, Agent-based Modelling
• Climate Finance and Carbon Markets (International and Domestic)

Achievement Highlights

Australian Government Endeavour Fellow (2016-17), American Australian Association Fellow (2016), Elizabeth Usher Memorial Scholar (2015). 

Key Publications

Herington, M.J., van de Fliert, E. (2017). Positive Deviance in Theory and Practice: A Conceptual Review. Deviant Behavior.

Herington, M.J., van de Fliert, E., Smart, S., Greig, C. & Lant, P.A. (2017). Rural energy planning remains out-of-step with contemporary paradigms of energy access and development. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.

Herington, M.J., Reddy, N.H., Rao, R.K. (2016). The Smokeless Village: Understanding energy transitions in rural Andhra Pradesh, India. World Development Perspectives.

Herington, M.J., & Malakar, Y. (2016). Who is energy poor? Revisiting energy (in)security in the case of Nepal. Energy Research & Social Science, 21, 49-53.

Herington, M.J., Malakar, Y., van de Fliert, E., Smart, S., Greig, C. & Lant, P.A. (2016). Exploring structure and agency in changing cook stove practices: Insights from the energy poor in rural India. DEMAND Centre Conference, 13-15 April 2016. Lancaster, U.K.