Exploring social innovations in urban water systems with a novel modelling approach. The project will investigate how wide reaching social renewal takes place in the urban water sector. With improved understanding of how social innovation works, the project will develop a computer model to assist decision-making under conditions of high uncertainty with systematic scenario analysis.
Human Oöcytes for Stem Cell Research: donation and regulation in Australia. This study will contribute to the development of workable, ethical guidelines and practices for Australian research oöcyte donation. It will contribute to the protection of women's health and autonomy and the design of sound donation practices and support services. It will contribute to the national and international debate about the ethics of stem cell research, and improve the knowledge base available to regulators and ....Human Oöcytes for Stem Cell Research: donation and regulation in Australia. This study will contribute to the development of workable, ethical guidelines and practices for Australian research oöcyte donation. It will contribute to the protection of women's health and autonomy and the design of sound donation practices and support services. It will contribute to the national and international debate about the ethics of stem cell research, and improve the knowledge base available to regulators and other stakeholders to frame adequate and comprehensive regulation.Read moreRead less
Understanding heavy alcohol consumption cultures among nurses and lawyers . This Project aims to investigate drinking cultures among nurses and lawyers – two sizeable Australian workforces where heavy drinking is common. Addressing drinking cultures among social groups is an emerging strategy to complement population and individual level efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm. Alcohol use among workers has implications for health, safety and performance, yet researchers have paid little attentio ....Understanding heavy alcohol consumption cultures among nurses and lawyers . This Project aims to investigate drinking cultures among nurses and lawyers – two sizeable Australian workforces where heavy drinking is common. Addressing drinking cultures among social groups is an emerging strategy to complement population and individual level efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm. Alcohol use among workers has implications for health, safety and performance, yet researchers have paid little attention to occupational drinking cultures. Using rigorously collected qualitative and quantitative data, this Project expects to generate new knowledge on sociocultural practices and meanings of drinking in the groups, illuminate relations between drinking cultures and harms, and enable innovative intervention opportunities.
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Digital energy futures: forecasting changing residential electricity demand. This project aims to understand and forecast changing digital lifestyle trends and their impact on future household electricity demand, including at peak times. The project expects to generate new knowledge by employing digital ethnography and sociological theories to investigate how changing social practices will impact on electricity sector planning. Expected outcomes include: scenarios and principles for digital ener ....Digital energy futures: forecasting changing residential electricity demand. This project aims to understand and forecast changing digital lifestyle trends and their impact on future household electricity demand, including at peak times. The project expects to generate new knowledge by employing digital ethnography and sociological theories to investigate how changing social practices will impact on electricity sector planning. Expected outcomes include: scenarios and principles for digital energy futures; an interdisciplinary energy demand forecasting methodology; and demand management tools to help the sector meet future residential consumption. This should provide significant benefits, such as lowering the cost of infrastructure spending, and helping secure affordable electricity provision.Read moreRead less
The Impact of the Mobile Phone on Work/Life Balance. The telecommuncations industry exemplifies the frontier technologies that are at the heart of Australia's successful knowledge economy. Mobile phones are developing innovative capacities far ahead of consumer needs and requirments. For example, third generation technologies are currently seeking to find the 'killer application' that will provide them with a mass market. A profound understanding of the social dimensions of existing mobile telec ....The Impact of the Mobile Phone on Work/Life Balance. The telecommuncations industry exemplifies the frontier technologies that are at the heart of Australia's successful knowledge economy. Mobile phones are developing innovative capacities far ahead of consumer needs and requirments. For example, third generation technologies are currently seeking to find the 'killer application' that will provide them with a mass market. A profound understanding of the social dimensions of existing mobile telecommunications will provide insights for the development of new technologies and new services. It will provide the industry with a competitive advantage in a fast developing sector.Read moreRead less
Re-engaging Disadvantaged Youth Through Science. 17000 youth have become disconnected from the education system across Australia. The project will provide a model to reengage these youth by providing relevant scientific content where students actively interact with peers in widely dispersed locations. The groups of students will engage in investigative projects where their performances are able to extend beyond traditional literacy-based assessment techniques. Investigations of body image will b ....Re-engaging Disadvantaged Youth Through Science. 17000 youth have become disconnected from the education system across Australia. The project will provide a model to reengage these youth by providing relevant scientific content where students actively interact with peers in widely dispersed locations. The groups of students will engage in investigative projects where their performances are able to extend beyond traditional literacy-based assessment techniques. Investigations of body image will be used as a vehicle to integrate academic teaching, promoting good health and well-being within a social values framework to develop citizenship and social awareness with scientific skills. The research will help us understand the factors required to reengage at-risk youth with their community.
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Science and Citizenship: Democracy in the age of science-mediated risk. This community-based project in the Goulburn Valley focuses on citizens' negotiation of scientific expertise, perceptions of risk and participation in policy formation. It asks: 'how can democracy work in a world of proliferating cultures of expertise?' The project will produce an environmental history drawn from citizens' experience of transforming the landscape for irrigation and agribusiness, and of scientific advice ov ....Science and Citizenship: Democracy in the age of science-mediated risk. This community-based project in the Goulburn Valley focuses on citizens' negotiation of scientific expertise, perceptions of risk and participation in policy formation. It asks: 'how can democracy work in a world of proliferating cultures of expertise?' The project will produce an environmental history drawn from citizens' experience of transforming the landscape for irrigation and agribusiness, and of scientific advice over time. It will explore how citizens deal with conflicting scientist-generated scenarios around climate change and environmental flows in the light of their historical experience, and trial new modes of public policy formation.Read moreRead less
Coordinating Innovation in Knowledge-Based Multinational Organisations. Integration into global supply chains is one of the fundamental challenges for manufacturing companies in Australia. This project seeks to identify the optimal design for coordinating innovation in globally-dispersed organisations. It will analyse three mechanisms for transferring knowledge within organisations: hierarchies, communities of practice, and social networks. Outcomes will include a new multilevel statistical netw ....Coordinating Innovation in Knowledge-Based Multinational Organisations. Integration into global supply chains is one of the fundamental challenges for manufacturing companies in Australia. This project seeks to identify the optimal design for coordinating innovation in globally-dispersed organisations. It will analyse three mechanisms for transferring knowledge within organisations: hierarchies, communities of practice, and social networks. Outcomes will include a new multilevel statistical network modelling framework and organisational designs to overcome barriers to knowledge-transfer, such as language, culture and distance. The project will collect and apply data from Boeing Global Technology, the international research arm of The Boeing Company, a world leading business with major subsidiaries in Australia.Read moreRead less
The Future Cemetery. This project aims to identify and critically assess the potential of innovative technologies to enhance the experience of the cemetery for an increasingly diverse, secular, and well-informed public, and to strengthen cemeteries’ community connections.
It will generate knowledge about the industry’s and the public’s future-oriented desires through an interdisciplinary, collaborative, and evidence-based assessment of emerging cemetery-based technologies including mobile apps, ....The Future Cemetery. This project aims to identify and critically assess the potential of innovative technologies to enhance the experience of the cemetery for an increasingly diverse, secular, and well-informed public, and to strengthen cemeteries’ community connections.
It will generate knowledge about the industry’s and the public’s future-oriented desires through an interdisciplinary, collaborative, and evidence-based assessment of emerging cemetery-based technologies including mobile apps, GPS systems, drones, holography, virtual reality, green burials, and resomation.
A key expected outcome is a future cemetery that makes sensitive use of technology to enhance its services to public and community, underpinned by scholarly research.
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Incendiary cultures: co-constructing resilience to engage with fire and risk in landscape management. Effective communication and management of bushfire risk can be hindered by wide divergence between expert views and community understandings. Building on resilience theory, this project will draw together experts from fire agencies and local communities to rethink fire from modelling to combat, and from resisting to engaging in response activities.