Sebastian is a Professor of Urban Planning and Management at Western Sydney University.

His multidisciplinary research is built around the complex issue of urban heat. He investigates how climate-responsive planning and design can help mitigate the impacts of heat on humans, the built environment and urban ecosystems. His evidence-based work informs government and industry organisations across Australia and internationally where it is the underpinning of policy change and design improvements.

Sebastian’s projects have won multiple awards for innovation, sustainability and technology. His high-quality research is documented in the form of more than 120 published works. He features regularly in the media, which in 2023 led to more than 380 headlines in 26 countries, published in 9 languages and had an online reach of 900 million people.