Jennifer Macklin (Downes)

Jennifer has a particular passion for circular economy, with unique and unmatched expertise in understanding the application of behavioural insights to resource efficiency, waste prevention, recycling behaviours and circular business models. Complementing this expertise in behavioural insights is deep knowledge of Australia’s waste industry, developed through leading literature reviews and preliminary research; designing, delivering and evaluating a range of waste prevention and recovery strategies, action plans and individual projects; and undertaking targeted research for a variety of invited speaking and media engagements.

Jennifer has co-led BehaviourWorks’ two major circular economy research collaborations with the Victorian, NSW and Australian Governments: the 2019-2021 Waste and Circular Economy Collaboration, and the 2020-2023 Responsible Consumption Mission, which involved engaging with a ride range of local and regional councils, and key circular economy experts across Australia’s public, private, civil and research sectors. She has also led a number of individual circular economy and waste prevention behavioural science projects with all levels of government, peak industry bodies and individual businesses, and environmental not-for-profits.

Jennifer has a Bachelor of Arts with Distinction focusing on social regulation and policy, a Graduate Certificate of Science in Applied Statistics and a Masters of Evaluation. She is currently enrolled in a PhD investigating the complex drivers and solutions to correct household waste sorting with applicability to kerbside recycling contamination and broader circular economy behaviours.