Sarah Holdsworth

Associate Professor Sarah Holdsworth

Associate Professor

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Emailsarah.holdsworth@rmit.edu.au


Phone: +61 39925 9929


Campus: Melbourne City


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Contact details

DSC | School of Property, Construction and Project Management


Emailsarah.holdsworth@rmit.edu.au


Phone: +61 39925 9929


Campus: Melbourne City


More information

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Associate Professor Sarah Holdsworth is a lecturer within the School of Property Construction and Project Management at RMIT University.

Overview

Dr Sarah Holdsworth is an Associate Professor in the School of Property, Construction and Project Management at RMIT University. Sarah has a Bachelor of Education (Sec) in Environmental Science, MEnv Sci, MEnv and Urban Planning and a PhD. Sarah teaches in the construction management program at RMIT.

Sarah has proven competitive grants success and more than 70 publications in built environment research.

Sarah collaborates with industry partners, professionals and practitioners to better understand the development of resilient communities. Her recent research projects cover an evaluation of the planning practices for gas safety, regulatory mapping for future fuels, trades training for hydrogen and understanding vulnerable customers in the transition to future fuels as part of the Future Fuels CRC.

Sarah has a strong understanding of the issues facing women in the construction industry, having undertaken research for the Victorian State Government since 2019. Sarah's research has provided evidence and a strong foundation for implementing the actions in Victoria's first Women in Construction Strategy 2019-22 and developing and evaluating the world's first Building Equality Policy. Sarah has partnered with the Victorian Government to develop the Building Equitable Future 2022- 2031 Strategy Women in Construction and Action Plan. The research has been integral to the widespread cultural change we are now seeing. It is also the basis of ongoing conversations with employers, unions, industry associations and the Government about how practical actions can be implemented to address complex barriers. 

Sarah's professional roles involve change projects in relation to the improvement of tertiary learning and teaching and the delivery of graduate capabilities to prepare students for the transition from university into the workplace.

Web

Industry experience

  • Advisor to Construction Skills Queensland's Women in Construction Advisory Committee
  • Provide ongoing advice to the Victorian Building Industry Consultative Council (BICC), government departments and other industry organisations  on gender equity in the Victorian Construction Industry

 

Accomplishments

Nominated for RMIT L&T award 2003, 2004, 2011

Web

Research

Dr Sarah Holdsworth generates research and applies knowledge with purpose in three complex areas: Sustainability Education, Sustainable Built Environments, and Diversity and Inclusion in the Construction Industry.  
Within the area of Sustainability Education, Sarah leads research and adds knowledge in developing and measuring sustainability capabilities and GAs to enable graduates to address the relevant goals of the SDGs in their professional practice. Since 2015, I have led a research team of local and international partners to develop the GAAT and research best practice pedagogies, their application and impact.

Since 2020, Sarah has contributed to developing research for Sustainable Built Environments as a lead researcher within the Future Fuels CRC Program 2: Social Acceptance, Public Safety & Security of Supply. Sarah's research has resulted in the amendment of policies and professional development to enable Australia's transition to a decarbonised energy future.

Sarah's research in gender equality in construction has been funded and informed Victoria's globally leading approach to attracting, recruiting and retaining women in the construction industry. In 2019, Sarah conducted a piece of pivotal research funded by the first Women In Construction Gender Equality Strategy 2019-2022, entitled Women in Construction: Exploring the Barriers and Supportive Enablers of Wellbeing in the Workplace. The report has provided the government with evidence and impetus to lead change in policy and practice within the Victorian construction industry, including developing the Building Equality Policy. Further research has been undertaken to identify the gender bias held by careers councillors, VET/VCAL providers and secondary teachers and awaits release by the government. The report entitled: "Career Pathways of Women in Construction: Boots on the Ground (2022) informs the education priority areas of the Building Equitable Future 2022- 2031 Strategy Women in Construction and Action Plan. Sarah led the consultation with the industry in partnership with Industrial Relations Victoria to develop the Building Equitable Future 2022-2031 Strategy.

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Teaching

Sarah works with the construction management discipline to develop a technology-enhanced curriculum focused on imaginative, critical, reflective experiences connected to the industry, ensuring students understand their ethical responsibilities as global citizens. The development of RMIT's Graduate Attributes and associated SDGs is interwoven throughout Sarah's approach, ensuring graduates are work-ready. Sarah engages RMIT's student community with critical sustainability knowledge through the following courses, BUIL1229 Managing for Sustainability, a common first-year course undertaken by all PCPM students on-shore and off-shore in Hong Kong and Singapore, BUIL1266 Industrial Environment, a fourth-year course undertaken by Construction Management and Engineering students, electives BUIL1319: Global Built Environment Study Tour and BUSM4667: Construction for Shelter. Sarah has also developed and managed RMIT micro-credentials Sustainability 101, Sustainability: Leading the Change accredited by Sustainability Victoria and the Resilience and Adaptability micro-credential accredited by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

In 2015, Sarah was awarded RMIT's Learning and Teaching Award P9 Development of Graduate Learning Outcomes; and RMIT's Vice Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award.

Sarah's education research focuses on notions of sustainability in relation to curriculum development, graduate attributes, professional education in the built environment, and undergraduate assessment. Sarah's current research includes projects on developing learning activities and materials to foster urgent skills for an environmentally constrained future and devising drivers for the diffusion of sustainability studies in higher education programs.

Web

Supervisor interest areas

Research that informs the evolution of sustainable built environments through the following areas:

  • Policy development
  • Gender studies
  • Sustainable/resilient communities and buildings
  • Education – community and formal

Supervisor projects

1 PhD Current Supervisions

Key publications by year

  • Holdsworth, S. & Turner, M. 2023, "Building Gender Equality: Victoria's Women in Construction Strategy 2023-2031. Focus Group Consultation: 2", RMIT University: Melbourne, Australia
  • Building Gender Equity Strategy 2023-2031: Women in Construction
    Diversity and Inclusion in the construction industry 
  • Turner, M. and Holdsworth, S. 2023, "Developing resilience: examining the protective factors of early career construction professionals", Construction Management and Economics, DOI: 10.1080/01446193.2023.2208238 (Q1: citations - 2)
  • Qi, L., Wong, P. & Holdsworth. S. 2023, "Towards Understanding the Impact of the Perceptions About Construction Innovation on Advanced Technology Adoption." International journal of construction management: 1–9. Web

  • Holdsworth, S. & Turner, M. 2022, "Building Gender Equality: Victoria's Women in Construction Strategy 2023-2031. Focus Group Consultation: 1", RMIT University: Melbourne, Australia
  • Holdsworth, S., & Turner, M. 2022, "Career Pathways of Women in Construction: Boots on the Ground", RMIT University: Melbourne, Australia
  • Holdsworth, S., Turner, M., Scott-Young, C.M., & Sandri, K. 2020, "Women in Construction: Exploring the Barriers and Supportive Enablers of Wellbeing in the Workplace", RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
    Sustainable Built Environments: Future Fuel CRC (FFCRC)
  • Sandri, O., Holdsworth, S., Hayes, J. & Wakefield, R. 2022, "RP2.3-04: Gasfitting practices for future fuels: Opportunities for training and upskilling in Victoria and South Australia: Interim Report 1", Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre
  • Sandri, O., Holdsworth, S., Hayes, J. & Wakefield, R. 2022, "RP2.3-04: Gasfitting practices for future fuels: Opportunities for training and upskilling in Victoria and South Australia: Interim Report 2", Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre
  • Sandri, O., Holdsworth, S., Hayes, J. & Wakefield, R. 2022, "RP2.3-04: Gasfitting practices for future fuels: Opportunities for training and upskilling in Victoria and South Australia: Interim Report 3", Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre
  • Sandri, O., Holdsworth, S., Wong, P.S., Hayes, J. & Wakefield, R. 2022, "RP2.3-04: Gasfitting practices for future fuels: Opportunities for training and upskilling in Victoria and South Australia: Interim Report 4", Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre
  • Sandri, O., Holdsworth, S., Wong, P.S., Hayes, J. & Wakefield, R 2022, "RP2.3-04: Gasfitting practices for future fuels: Opportunities for training and upskilling in Victoria and South Australia: Final Report", Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre
  • Holdsworth, S., Hayes, J. & Sandri, O. 2022, "RP2.2.03 Identifying drivers of policy and practices regarding future gas uses in the built environment: Final Report", Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre
  • Holdsworth, S., Hayes, J. & Sandri, O. 2022, "RP2.2.03 Identifying drivers of policy and practices regarding future gas uses in the built environment: Interim Report 3 (NSW)", Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre
  • Holdsworth, S., Hayes, J. & Sandri, O. 2022, "RP2.2.03 Identifying drivers of policy and practices regarding future gas uses in the built environment: Interim Report 2", Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre
  • Wong, S., Holdsworth, S., Keough, J. & Kenny, D. 2022, "How may the organisations' readiness to change affect the uptake of off-site construction?", Proceedings of Institution of Civil Engineers: Management, Procurement and Law, 175.1: 16 - 26. (Q3: citations - 1) 
  • Holdsworth, S., Hayes, J., Sandri, O. & Maslen, S. 2022, "Developing professional expertise for safety: a learning design framework", Cog Tech and Work, 24: 459 – 472 (Q1)

  • Holdsworth, S., Hayes, J. & Sandri, O. 2021, "Project RP2.2.03 Identifying drivers of policy and practices regarding future gas uses in the built environment", Interim Report 1, Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre
  • Sandri, O., Holdsworth, S., Hayes, J., Willand, N. & Moore, T. 2021, "Hydrogen for all? Household energy vulnerability and the transition to hydrogen in Australia", Energy Research & Social Science, 79: 1 - 11. (Q1: citations - 13)
  • Hayes, J., Maslen, S., Holdsworth, S. & Sandri, O. 2021, "Defining the capable engineer: Non-technical skills that support safe decisions in uncertain, dynamic situations", Safety Science, 141: 1 – 12 (Q1: citations - 7)
  • Hayes, J., Sandri, O. & Holdsworth, S. 2021, '‘More likely to be killed by a coconut': varying professional perceptions of risk impacting residential development planning around pipelines", Journal of Risk Research, 24.2: 183 - 197. (Q1; citations - 2)
  • Holdsworth, S., Sandri, O. & Hayes, J. 2021, "Planning, gas pipelines and community safety: What is the role for local planning authorities in managing risk in the neoliberal era?", Land Use Policy, 100: 1 - 12. (Q1: citations - 6)
  • Maslen, S., Hayes, J, Holdsworth, S. & Sandri, O. 2021, "When Ethics is a Technical Matter: Engineers' Strategic Appeal to Ethical Considerations in Advocating for System Integrity", Science and Engineering Ethics, 27.4: 45 - 46. (Q1: citations - 2)
  • Wong, P. S. P., Whelan, B., Holdsworth, S. 2021, "Are contractors ready for greater use of prefabrication in projects? An empirical analysis on the role of unlearning and counter-knowledge." International Journal of construction management 21.4: 353-368. (Q1: cit - 16)
  • Gilbert, G., Turner, M. & Holdsworth, S. 2021, "Understanding volunteer commitment to a project: Testing a conceptual model", International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 14.6: 1406 – 1421 (Q2: citations - 2) 
  • Turner, M., Scott-Young, C. and Holdsworth, S. 2021, "Resilience and wellbeing: a multi-country exploration of construction management students", International Journal of Construction Management, 21.8: 858 - 869. (Q1: citations - 7) 
  • Turner, M., Holdsworth, S., and Scott-Young, C., and Sandri. K. 2021, "Resilience in a hostile Workplace: The Experience of Women Onsite in Construction", Construction Management and Economics, 39.1: 839–852 (Q1: citations -12) 
  • Zhang, R., Holdsworth, S., Turner, M. and Andamon, M. 2021, 'Does gender really matter? A closer look at early career women in Construction, Construction Management and Economics, vol. 39, no.8, pp. 669 – 686 (Q1: citations - 13)
  • Qi, L., Holdsworth, S. & Wong, P. 2021, "What Affects Construction Innovation Adoption in Building and Infrastructure Projects – A Case Study in Australia." in EASEC16: Proceedings of The 16th East Asian-Pacific Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction, 2019Springer Nature, Singapore, pp. 2097 - 2106

  • Hayes, J., Maslen, S. Holdsworth, S., Sandri, O. & Wong, J. 2020, "Project RP2.3-03: Establishing a Case Based Learning Framework for Pipeline Engineers", Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre
  • Sandri, O., Willand, N, Holdsworth, S.. Moore, T., Wong, J., Hayes, J. & Paterno, D. 2020, "Project RP2.1-06: Mapping Vulnerability to Future Fuels – A Scoping Review", Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre
  • Sandri, O., Holdsworth, S., Hayes, J., O'Shea, B., Krosch, D., & Chester, L. 2020, Project RP2.2-01: Regulatory mapping for future fuels, Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre
  • Sandri, O., Hayes, J. & Holdsworth, S. 2020, "Regulating urban development around major accident hazard pipelines: a systems comparison of governance frameworks in Australia and the UK", Environment Systems and Decisions,40.3: 385 - 402. (Q1; citations - 11) 
  • Wong, P. S., Holdsworth, S., Crameri, L. & Lindsay, A. 2019, "Does carbon accounting have an impact on decision-making in building design?" International Journal of Construction Management, 19:2: 149-161 (Q1; citations - 13)
    Sustainability Education 
  • Sandri, O., Holdsworth, S., Maslen, S. & Hayes J. 2023, "Contextualising Capabilities for Public Safety in Undergraduate Sustainability Engineering Education." Environmental education research, 29.3: 451–472. (Q1) 
  • Sandri, O. and Holdsworth, S. 2022, "Pedagogies for sustainability: insights from a foundational sustainability course in the built environment", International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 23.3: 666-685 (Q1; citations - 4) 
  • Holdsworth, S., and Thomas. I. 2021, "Competencies or Capabilities in the Australian Higher Education Landscape and Its Implications for the Development and Delivery of Sustainability Education." Higher education research and development", 40.7: 1466–1481. (Q1: cit - 21) 
  • Holdsworth, S. and Sandri, O. 2021, "Investigating undergraduate student learning experiences using the good practice learning and teaching for sustainability education (GPLTSE) framework", Journal of Cleaner Production, 311: 1 – 14 (Q1: citations - 12) 
  • Thomas, I., Holdsworth, S. & Sandri, O. 2020, 'Graduate ability to show workplace sustainability leadership: demonstration of an assessment tool', Sustainability Science, 15.4: 1211 - 1221. (Q1: citations - 12)
  • Scott-Young, C., Turner, M. & Holdsworth, S. 2020, "Male and female mental health differences in built environment undergraduates", Construction Management and Economics, vol. 38, no.9, pp. 789 - 806. (Q1: citations - 13)

  • Holdsworth, S. Thomas, I., Sandri, S., Chester, A., McLaughlin, T. 2019, Producing sustainability professionals: Assessing graduate attributes in sustainability Australian Government Department of Education and Training, Canberra, ACT, Australia
  • Holdsworth, S., Thomas, I., Wong, P., Sandri, O., Boulet, M., Chester, A. & Mclaughlin, T. 2019," 'Graduate attribute for minimising environmental harm: Assessing effectiveness in the graduates' workplaces", Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 211, pp. 396 - 407. (Q1: cit - 6) 
  • Holdsworth, S., Thomas, I, Wong, P., Sandri, O., Chester, A. & Mclaughlin, T. 2019, "The Assessment of Graduate Sustainability Attributes in the Workplace: Potential Advantages of Using the TPB." Journal of cleaner production 238: 117929 (Q1: citations - 38)
  • Turner, M., Scott-Young, C., & Holdsworth, S. 2019, "Developing the resilient project professional: examining the student experience", International Journal of managing projects in Business, Vol. 12 No. 3, 2019, pp. 716-729 (Q2: citations - 26) 
  • Holdsworth, S., Turner, M., & Scott-Young, C. 2018. "Not Drowning, Waving. Resilience and University: a Student Perspective." Studies in higher education (Dorchester-on-Thames) 43.11 (2018): 1837–1853 (Q1: citations - 159)

Significant funded projects as Chief Investigator

Sustainable Built Environments: Future Fuel CRC (FFCRC)

  • 2021-2025: Understanding householder electricity and gas practices - Managing the transition of vulnerable customers towards future fuels, Funded: $1,906,380– Cat 4
  • 2021-2022: Development, delivery and evaluation of public safety workshops and a serious game/simulation for engineers Funded: $149,700 – Cat 4
  • 2021- 2022: Identifying drivers of policy and practices regarding future gas uses in the built environment, Funded: $98,400 – Cat 4
  • 2020-2022: Gas fitting practices for future fuels: Opportunities for training and upskilling in Victoria and South Australia Funded: $296,300 – Cat 4
  • 2020-2021: FFCRC ALARP decision making (RP2.3-05) 2021 Funded: $78,300 – Cat 4
  • 2020: FFCRC Establishing a Case-Based Learning Framework for Pipeline Engineers Funded: $60,600 – Cat 4
  • 2020: FFCRC Mapping vulnerability to Future Fuels – A Scoping Review (RP2.1-06) Funded: $75,900 – Cat 4
  • 2020: FFCRC Regulatory mapping for future fuels Funded: $68,650 – Cat 4
    Total Funding: $2,734,230

Diversity and Inclusion in the construction industry: Victorian Government

  • 2022: Victoria's Women in Construction Strategy 2019-2022- Building Gender Equality: Development of the 2nd strategy Funded: $50,000 – Cat 2
  • 2021-2023: Victorian Government Victoria's Women in Construction Strategy 2019-2022 - Phase 2 Funded: $100,000 – Cat 2
  • 2019-2023: Women in Construction - Women in Construction Strategy 2019-2022 Building Gender Equality: Stage 3, Funded: $250,000 – Cat 4
  • 2020: Victorian Government Victoria's Women in Construction Strategy 2019-2022 - Phase 1 $30,000 – Cat 2
    Total Funding: $430,000

Sustainability and education research

  • 2018-2020 Sustainability Graduate Attributes Assessment AUD$24,800, funded by UA-DAAD Australia-Germany Joint Research Co-operation Fund.
  • 2015 Producing sustainability professionals: Assessing graduate attributes in sustainability Office of Learning and Teaching, Australian Government.
  • 2012-2013 Graduate capabilities to contribute to a more sustainable future - An emerging field of research in education for sustainability. Funding Source: Australian Technology Network of Universities (ATN) and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

Media

  • Channel 7 Melbourne Seven News: Women in construction - 6/02/2021
  • Build Australia Women in construction experience high rates of discrimination – 5/01/2021
  • Hvac Discrimination in the construction industry - 9/02/2021
  • The Fifth Estate. Jobs news: Social housing jobs boom in Victoria + our pick of the jobs – 9/01/2021
  • Connected World Systemic Change: What's Next for Women - 24/02/2021
  • ABC Radio segment for The World Today 2021
  • Podcast for the 100% Equality project as part of their Women in Construction series
  • Internationally recognised gender equality researcher
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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.

aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.