About
Founded by St Michael’s Grammar School and designed as a partnership-focused hub, the Centre for Earth and Ethics fosters bio-inclusive ways of thinking and acting that are rigorous, transformative, and connected to community. Our work is grounded in the belief that how we live as part of the Earth is fundamentally an ethical question, and that education is one of the most powerful ways to build an understanding of our responsibility for a thriving and equitable world.
The Centre brings educators, students, schools, researchers and community partners together to deepen understanding and inspire practical action towards more sustainable and just futures. We work to strengthen environmental education and support research-informed responses to ecological challenges, guided by St Michael’s values of dignity, respect, care and compassion for people and planet.
Purpose
The Centre aims to be a place where knowledge is created, shared, and put into practise through meaningful relationships, collaborative projects, and public engagement. We support transdisciplinary environmental learning that helps people contribute to the health of the living world by:
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making sense of complex ecological realities using scientific research
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engaging with ethical questions about responsibility, justice, rights, and interdependence
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developing the capacity to act thoughtfully, collaboratively, and with long-term care
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encouraging an awareness of the environment in which we live, learn, work and play
Who We Are
Dr Rebecca Garcia Lucas
Director, Centre for Earth and Ethics
I am dedicated to nurturing rigorous thinking and bio-inclusive practices that respond to the ecological challenges of our time. I believe that transdisciplinary school–community partnerships are essential for addressing these challenges by building the shared ethical responsibility and action we need to confront planetary crises. I work to bring community together through research, creativity, and relationship-centred collaboration to support transformative and ethical action. I bring these commitments into my professional life as a Literature & Research teacher at St Michael’s Grammar School, where I integrate environmental humanities perspectives into my practice, and as a former Lecturer in Literature, Cultural Studies, and Environmental Studies.
Ros Casey
Senior Research Advisor, Centre for Earth and Ethics
My work has always involved strategic and stakeholder management, community relations, culture change and communications and I have a passion for nurturing partnerships that build social cohesion and address the many challenges facing us at a local and global level. I have a longstanding interest in philosophy and ethics and believe that governments, communities and individuals have a responsibility to ethically manage Earth’s resources now, and for the future.
During my ten years at Victoria University, I worked closely with academics and researchers assisting them to communicate the benefits and impact of their work to a wider audience. While at St Michael’s, I was privileged to work with students and staff to promote the broad range of teaching and learning initiatives designed to develop students’ knowledge, capabilities and ethical framework.
Advisory Board
Advisory Board members are trusted experts who offer constructive guidance and diverse perspectives to support the Centre’s transdisciplinary work. They help strengthen critical thinking in both research and education, ensuring that the Centre’s practices remain rigorous, ethical, and oriented toward transformative learning and ecological responsibility.
Youth Advisory Board
Youth Advisory Board members bring youth perspectives, lived experience, and insight to support the Centre’s work. They are recognised as emerging leaders who hold valuable knowledge about learning, the environment, and the social and cultural realities shaping their generation. In dialogue with the Advisory Board, they contribute to reflection on education and emerging priorities, helping ensure the Centre’s work remains ethically grounded and attentive to intergenerational responsibility.
Key Stakeholders
The Centre for Earth and Ethics has a range of stakeholders, both internal and external, who play important roles. It is essential for the Centre to engage and communicate with these stakeholders effectively to achieve its research, educational, and engagement goals. Building strong partnerships and collaborations will further enhance the Centre’s impact.
These stakeholders include the School Board and Executive, who provide leadership, funding, and strategic oversight, as well as teachers and school staff who contribute through curriculum integration, mentoring students, and research projects. St Michael’s students are central to the Centre’s work, engaging in learning, research activities, and events, with parents and families supporting and advocating for their involvement.
Beyond the school, the Centre connects with the local community in St Kilda and collaborates with government, industry partners, NGOs, and environmental organisations to address real-world challenges. Partnerships with research institutions and support from donors and philanthropic organisations may further strengthen the Centre’s capacity to deliver meaningful impact in environmental and ethics education.