Collaborating for Sustainable Futures: Advances in Research Co-design

Organizer: Sara Bice
Format: Onsite-Online, Afternoon

Abstract:
Are you wondering how the very good research that you do could be more influential? Are you hustling daily to produce results that you know can help advance sustainability objectives, but struggle to push that research beyond your institution? Then join us in this highly interactive workshop as we share new ways to generate knowledge-to-action through research co-design and implementation science. The creation of a sound and influential research evidence-base is critical to the advancement of sustainable futures. But research-as-usual consistently struggles to achieve policy, practice and social impact. This session introduces participants to the latest thinking in research co-design and implementation science as two related ways of generating greater research impact. In order for the very best research to extend beyond the academy and to be meaningful and useful to policymakers, industry and civil society we need to rethink not just how we communicate research, but how we design and undertake it. The workshop will introduce participants to the latest thinking and techniques in research co-design, including the principles and basic techniques of the process. We will also share recent findings about the application of ‘implementation science’ to fields beyond healthcare. Four case studies of co-design/implementation science will then be shared by invited colleagues in a fun, rapid-fire Pecha Kucha session. Participants will then be invited to share their experiences, ask questions and get fully engaged as we facilitate a ‘fishbowl’ session. The workshop is led by members of the Australian National University’s Next Generation Engagement program, Australia’s largest study into community engagement in infrastructure projects. Since 2017, the team have been working directly with industry and government to co-design and co-produce a program of research tackling an industry-defined research agenda.

Themes: Knowledge-to-Action