Dr. Diane Austin’s work examines the impacts of the offshore oil and gas industry in communities along the Gulf of Mexico; addresses environmental issues along the Arizona-Sonora border, and involves Southern Paiute cultural resource and environmental monitoring and education in the context of the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program. She conducts most of her work in the context of long-term, multisectoral partnerships with governmental, non-governmental, academic, and business organizations and specializes in the development of community-based participatory research approaches.

As coordinator of BARA's internship program, Dr. Austin seeks to expand opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students to work directly on sponsored research projects. She includes students in her own research and outreach initiatives and helps to identify other projects on which students can become involved.