Michael is a co-designer, environmental change-maker and community cultural development practitioner with degrees in Participatory Design, Mathematical Physics, Art Photography, Environmental Humanities, and Social Ecology. He co-founded the NGOs Friends of Kolkata, and Friends of Bangladesh to run international volunteer programmes and North-South solidarity work, and has led participatory storytelling projects across Asia. He holds a PhD in participatory design and environmental behaviour change at Monash University and recently completed a Rotary Peace Fellowship at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand.