Billy Tusker Haworth

Dr Billy Tusker Haworth is a geographer with expertise in critical human geography, geographic information systems (GIS), and international disaster studies and humanitarianism. Billy holds a PhD in Geography, Master of Applied Science (Spatial Information Science) and Bachelor of Science (Geography, Geology & Geophysics), all from the University of Sydney. Their main research areas over the past decade have included the role of volunteered geographic information, social media and participatory mapping in bushfire emergency preparedness in Australia, environmental livelihood security and spatial information in the Asia-Pacific region, reading graffiti in conflict-affected societies (e.g., Cyprus), and queer disaster vulnerability and resilience, including studies of LGBTQIA+ experiences of COVID-19 in Brazil and the UK.

From 2017 to 2022 Billy was a Lecturer in GIS and International Disaster Management at the Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute (HCRI), University of Manchester. They have since returned to Australia and continue to work with universities, government and non-government organisations, and communities. Billy is presently Co-Director at LEADRRR, a participatory action disaster research consultancy, Program Officer at Edge Effect, an organisation delivering projects on inclusion for people with diverse SOGIESC (i.e., LGBTQIA+ people) in disaster management, humanitarianism and international development, and Research Fellow in the School of Geosciences, University of Sydney.