Academy Fellow

Michael Mintrom has made a sustained contribution to the study of public policy, with a particular focus on how policy change occurs and how it can be deliberately shaped. His research on policy entrepreneurship, policy processes and policy design has influenced scholarship internationally and has helped connect social science research with the practical challenges faced by governments and public organisations.

A central strand of his work concerns policy entrepreneurship. A series of contributions culminating in his book Policy Entrepreneurs and Dynamic Change helped establish policy entrepreneurship as an important area of public policy research. Mintrom’s research shows how individuals and groups identify emerging problems, develop new policy ideas, build networks of support and work strategically within political and institutional settings to advance change. This work has shifted attention towards the people who actively shape policy agendas and has provided concepts and evidence for understanding how innovative ideas gain traction.

Mintrom has also made significant contributions to policy design. His research examines how policy makers develop interventions to address complex problems, drawing attention to the relationship between policy ideas, institutional settings, behaviour and implementation. He has contributed to the development of policy design as a systematic field of inquiry, while emphasising the importance of learning and adaptation as policies encounter real-world conditions.

A defining feature of this scholarship is its practical orientation. Mintrom has applied his knowledge of policy processes and policy design to assist public organisations address difficult policy challenges. His research and engagement have covered issues including sustainability, human rights, technological change, public-sector innovation and artificial intelligence. Across these areas, he has sought to translate insights from social science into approaches that can improve decision-making and produce better outcomes for society.

·      Australia Good Design Award, Design Research category for The Tomorrow Party – A Wellcome Trust UK commission with WonderLab, Monash University.

·      Journal of Asian Public Policy Best Paper Prize 2020/2021

Fellow of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government, 2019-.

1.        Darren Disney and Michael Mintrom (2025). “Policy Entrepreneurs and Policy Brokerage for Policy Advice.” Chapter 33 in Handbook for Policy Advice. (Eds.) Ishani Mukherjee and Michael Howlett. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. pp.452-461.

2.        Michael Mintrom, Philippa Goddard, Lisa Grocott, and Shanti Sumartojo. (2024). “Co-Design in Policymaking: From an Emerging to an Embedded Practice.” Policy Sciences.

3.        Michael Mintrom, Philippa Goddard, and Shanti Sumartojo. (2025). “Anticipatory Policy Design for Robots in Public Spaces. Journal of Asian Public Policy, 1–15.

4.    Michael Mintrom, Katrina Gorjanicyn, and Briony C. Rogers. (2025). “Sustainability Change Agents and their Implementation Work: Lessons from Water Change Agents in Australia.” Sustainable Development.

5.    Anang Dwi Santoso and Michael Mintrom. (2025). “Narrative Framing and Adoption of Evidence-Based Policy: Indonesia’s Response to Covid-19.” Journal of Asian Public Policy, 1–21.