Clifford entered adulthood as a cowboy where he realised the pivotal role that power has in altering the future when he was kicked off the farm he was working on. He is a sociologist by training and criminologist by profession. He continues to work widely in academic environments in Australia, Canada and South Africa where he applies his knowledge in risks and regulation from the traditional criminological context and bringing it forward into the 21st century to risks such as climate change and cyber security. His current research focus centres on the impacts of evolving global risks posed to critical infrastructure. He is an avid indoor rower and has a keen interest in understanding and supporting sustainable ecosystems. His present topics of interest are mycelium and regenerative farming.