Prof Daiane Scaraboto

Q&A with Professor Daiane Scaraboto

"What does your role involve?"

I am a Professor of Marketing and Deputy Head of Research and Engagement in the Department of Management and Marketing. As a professor, I teach classes across our Master programs, supervise PhD students, and do research in the field of Consumer Culture. As Deputy Head, I support my academic colleagues in developing their research profile.

"What do you enjoy most about your position?"

I enjoy the fact that there is no routine, and that I work in a broad array of tasks. There is always something new to learn, a different challenge to tackle, and no one week is like another.

"Tell us about your background?"

I was born and raised in Brazil. I did and undergrad in Communications with a Major in Advertising, and a Master in Marketing. After working for a bit, I moved to Canada in 2007 to do a PhD in Marketing, and then lived in Chile for seven years before moving to Australia in 2019.

"Tell us about something you are currently researching?"

I am currently doing research to understand how people creatively reuse materials and objects they have at hand rather than buying new products. My co-authors and I call this "makeshifting". We went on house tours where people would show us everything they had invented, repaired, or improvised in their homes. We are now writing a paper to share what we learned.

"What would surprise people to know about you?"

That I am quite critical of Marketing. It is such a powerful tool, and it is often used without much concern about its impact on society. For example, rather than promoting excessive consumption I would love to see marketing techniques being used more often to identify solutions that would help us preserve natural resources and avoid waste.

"What advice would you give to your younger self?"

Trust that everything will fall into place eventually.

"If you were not an academic, what would you like to do?"

I think I would enjoy working at a marketing or advertising agency focused on nonprofit accounts.

"What are your hobbies or interests?"

I enjoy reading fiction, practicing yoga, going on hikes, and travelling. I also enjoy upcycling furniture!

Prof Daiane Scaraboto

Professor in Marketing