| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Symons, J., Howard, E., Sweeny, K., Kumnick, M., & Sheehan, P. (190701). Reduced Road Traffic Injuries for Young People: A Preliminary Investment Analysis. Journal of Adolescent Health, 65(1), (S34-S43). |
| 2017 | Sheehan, P., Sweeny, K., Rasmussen, B., Wils, A., Friedman, H. S., Mahon, J., Patton, G. C., Sawyer, S. M., Howard, E., & Symons, J. (171014). Building the foundations for sustainable development: a case for global investment in the capabilities of adolescents. The Lancet, 390(10104), (1792-1806). |
| 2017 | Ward, J., & Symons, J. (170601). Optimising crop selection for small urban food gardens in dry climates. Horticulturae, 3(2), |
Key details
Areas of expertise
- Economic modelling
- Education
- Environmental economics
- sustainable development
Available to supervise research students
Not available for media queries
About John Symons
John is an economist whose research includes environmental economics and economic analysis of investments to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the health, education and road safety fields. Research partners include the WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, FIA Foundation and the Murdoch Children's Research Institute.
Current projects are modelling investment in adolescent wellbeing for the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), including the developing toolkits at both the global and national level to allow the models to be used by planners and analysts to produce their own benefit-cost estimates. The results of the investigation will be presented at the WHO/PMNCH Global Forum for Adolescents (1.8 billion Young People for Change) in October 2023.
Recent projects include modelling the benefits of investing in the WHO (WHO), an investment case for interventions into preventing child marriage in low and middle-income countries (UNFPA), rebuilding the education system in Syria (UNICEF), modelling the economic benefits of treating vision loss in collaboration with the Fred Hollows Foundation, and a comprehensive analysis for multiple SDGs, including 75 low and middle-income countries, as well as country specific studies in India and Burundi (UNFPA).
John also worked with the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and FIA Foundation to establish an investment case for road safety interventions to reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries for young people in Australia, as well as low and middle-income countries. This work focused on active transport and mobility issues specific to young people.
Recent environmental economics projects include research into potential markets for ecosystem goods and services and an IOT approach to increase plastic recycling within the circular economy. Other work has included Green Infrastructure Valuation and Decision making for several councils in the Melbourne area, economic analysis of green roofs and walls, and an economic geography of fire and flood risks for the Bushfire and Natural Hazard Cooperative Research Centre.
Qualifications
- BSc (Uni Melb)
- G Dip Ed (UNE)
- M Env Plan (Macquarie)
- PhD (VU)
Key publications
John has over 28 publications, with a selection listed here.
A more comprehensive list of John's publications is available in the VU Research Repository.
Commissioned research report (showing 7)
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2018 | Jones, R. N., & Symons, J. (181031). Sectoral and Regional Vulnerability Assessment for Victoria. Melbourne: Victoria University. Victoria Institute of Strategic Economic Studies. |
| 2016 | Young, C., Jones, R., & Symons, J. (160101). Understanding Values at Risk And Risk Ownership Workshop Synthesis Report. Melbourne: Victoria University, Victoria Institute of Strategic Economic Studies. |
| 2016 | Symons, J., Jones, R., Milne, R., & MacLeod, A. (160101). Economic Geography of Bushfire and Flood Vulnerability in Victoria at the Statistic Local Area Scale. Melbourne: Victoria University, Victoria Institute of Strategic Economic Studies. |
| 2016 | Young, C., Symons, J., & Jones, R. (160101). Institutional Maps of Risk Ownership for Strategic Decision Making. Melbourne: Victoria University, Victoria Institute of Strategic Economic Studies. |
| 2016 | Young, C., Jones, R., & Symons, J. (160101). Mapping and Understanding Bushfire and Natural Hazard Vulnerability and Risks at the Institutional Scale: Annual Project Report 2015-2016. Melbourne: Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre. |
| 2015 | Howard, E., Symons, J., Sheehan, P., & Sweeny, K. (151201). Modelling the Impact of Interventions to Reduce Road Injuries, Adolescents 10-19 Years, Countdown Countries. |
| 2015 | Young, C., Jones, R., & Symons, J. (151001). Mapping and understanding bushfire and natural hazard vulnerability and risks at the institutional scale: Annual project report 2014-2015. Melbourne, Australia: Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC. |
Journal article (showing 3 of 3)
Research funding for the past 5 years
Please note:
- Funding is ordered by the year the project commenced and may continue over several years.
- Funding amounts for contact research are not disclosed to maintain commercial confidentiality.
- The order of investigators is not indicative of the role they played in the research project.
2020
|
An Investment Case Study on HPV Vaccination in Vietnam
From: United Nations Population Fund
Other investigators: Dr Kim Sweeny, Prof Bruce Rasmussen
For period: 2020-2020
|
Not disclosed |
2019
|
Investing in Women's Sight - Benefits Across Generations
From: Fred Hollows Foundation
Other investigators: Prof Bruce Rasmussen, Dr Kim Sweeny
For period: 2019-2020
|
Not disclosed |
2018
|
Cost Benefit Analysis of Health Interventions to Improve Labour Productivity
From: US Chamber of Commerce Grant
Other investigators: Prof Peter Sheehan, Dr Kim Sweeny, Prof Bruce Rasmussen
For period: 2018-2019
|
Not disclosed |
|
Investment Framework Case Study: Estimating the Impacts & Opportunity Costs of Social Sector Investments for Adolescents (10-19 years) in Burundi.
From: UNICEF-Bujumbura/Burundi
Other investigators: Dr Kim Sweeny, Prof Peter Sheehan, Prof Bruce Rasmussen
For period: 2018-2019
|
Not disclosed |
|
Economic evaluation youth work program for the city of Whittlesea
From: City of Whittlesea
Other investigators: Prof Bruce Rasmussen
For period: 2018-2018
|
Not disclosed |
|
Economic evaluation youth work program for the centre for multicultural youth
From: Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues
Other investigators: Prof Bruce Rasmussen
For period: 2018-2018
|
Not disclosed |
|
A Case for National Investment in Adolescent Health & Wellbeing in India
From: United Nations Population Fund
Other investigators: Prof Bruce Rasmussen, Prof Peter Sheehan, Dr Kim Sweeny
For period: 2018-2018
|
Not disclosed |
2017
|
Quantifying the benefits of green infrastructure in Melbourne - Literature review and gap analysis.
From: City of Melbourne
Other investigators: Prof Roger Jones
For period: 2017-2017
|
Not disclosed |
Supervision of research students at VU
Available to supervise research students
Not available for media queries
Completed supervision of research students at VU
| No. of students | Study level | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PhD | Associate supervisor |
Completed supervision of research students at VU
| Students & level | Role |
|---|---|
| PhD (1) | Associate supervisor |
Careers
Details of this Researcher's career are currently unavailable.
