Marita Doak

Centre Coordinator and Research Officer in Urban Innovation

Marita Doak is Centre Coordinator at Melbourne Centre for Cities and Research Officer in Urban Innovation, facilitating cross-sector engagement and operations across the interdisciplinary centre focusing on urban research and projects with urban and climate resilience at its core.

Marita’s works on the Innovate4Cities project with partners the Global Covenant of Mayors, the Climate-Induced Displacement, Resettlement, Adaptation, and Resilience for Cities Network, and supports the City of Melbourne Chair in Urban Resilience, specialising in research translation and engagement strategies around climate change impacts on urban systems, environmental policy, and community-centred approaches to urban challenges.

Her interdisciplinary expertise spans environmental science, urban design, creative approaches and social equity, with particular focus on stakeholder engagement and collaborative solutions. Her diverse professional background includes supporting sustainability initiatives on the Masterchef Australia set, with her Masters research project focusing on waste reduction and streamlining environmental practices in production systems—reflecting her commitment to embedding environmental practices across unexpected sectors. She has embedded herself into diverse community groups including roles with the Midsumma board and Melbourne Queer Film Festivals.