Urban Futures Symposium
2 - 6 June 2025
2 - 6 June 2025
Monday 2 June, 12:00pm, Green Brain, Building 16, Level 7, RMIT City Campus
This workshop covers essential aspects of using AI in research, with a focus on research integrity and maintaining ethical standards. It discusses key considerations for responsible use of AI, common tools for literature searching, and strategies for creating effective prompts. The session also includes guidelines for acknowledging AI use, along with relevant RMIT resources and services.
This session is facilitated by Julian Blake, Teaching and Research Librarian, and Huong Phan and Barbara Yazbeck, Academic Skills Advisors.
Tuesday 3 June, 12:00pm, Green Brain, Building 16, Level 7, RMIT City Campus
Join us for a lively lunchtime panel and Q and A featuring four presenters who have worked in academia, government, not-for-profits, policy, and cultural and museum sectors. Hear real life stories and practical tips about diverse career pathways—spanning climate, energy, digital cities and communities, and urban farming and local food systems—and discover strategies to shape your future beyond the PhD.
Our panellists include Kelly Donati (Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellow), Kat Lucas-Healy (Senior Climate & Energy Advisory Environment Victoria), Sarah Barns (Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellow) and Victor Albert (Assistant Director, Gas Transition Policy, DCCEEW).
Wednesday 4 June, 12:00pm, Green Brain, Building 16, Level 7, RMIT City Campus
Explore strategies for publishing - identifying relevant, quality publications - as well as considerations around promoting research through social media and researcher profiles. This workshop also outlines support for open access publishing from the library to maximise research visibility and impact.
This session is facilitated by Mark Parsons and Jennifer Hurley, Teaching and Research Librarians.
Tuesday 3 June, 2:45 - 3:45pm, Green Brain, Building 16, Level 7, RMIT City Campus
Got questions about your candidature, enrolment, leave, or scholarship?
Drop by and chat with the friendly team from the School of Graduate Research at this drop-in session. The team is here to answer your questions and connect you with the right support services if required to help you navigate your research journey.
Tuesday 3 June, 5:00pm, Green Brain, Building 16, Level 7, RMIT City Campus
Join us at this catered social and networking event at the iconic Green Brain. At this networking event, the Poster Competition entries were showcased, and certificates and prizes awarded to the winners.
Posters were judged on design, clarity, and research impact.
Higher Degree by Research (HDR) candidates from the College of Design and Social Context will present their milestones throughout the symposium.
Please note that information for milestone presenters, chairs and panellists is available through the RMIT SharePoint site for HDR Milestone Presentations (RMIT login required).
The candidate milestone schedule for Urban Futures is available below and a list of research abstracts can be accessed here.
Check out also the Social Change Symposium and PRS Australia milestone schedules.
Presentations may be given in-person or online. Refer to the location column for details.
Presentations may be given in-person or online. Refer to the location column for details.
| Time (AEST) | Candidate | Presentation title | Location |
| 09:00 - 10:30 | Fatemeh Khalilnezhady | Risk management of Public-Private-Partnerships using Artificial Intelligence | 016.07.001 |
| 09:00 - 10:30 | Shabnam Varzeshi | Towards Smart Resilience in Urban Planning and Design: Integrating Smart City Technologies and Urban Resilience Strategies | 016.07.002 |
| 10:30 - 12:00 | Dona Iresha Gurusinghe | Integrating circular economy principles in the whole-life cycle of residential properties in Australia | 016.07.001 |
| 12:30 - 14:00 | Mahsa Khanpoor Siahdarka | The Impact of Nature-based Solutions on Sustainability Outcomes for Urban University Campuses: A case study of RMIT's urban campuses, Melbourne | 016.07.001 |
| 15:30 - 17:00 | Muthukumar Maragathamayil | Exploring the indoor air quality in dwellings in current and future climates – A case study in inner west Melbourne | 016.07.001 |
| 15:30 - 17:00 | Tarun | On Floods, (Im)mobilities and Production of Places in Bihar, India | 016.07.002 |
Presentations may be given in-person or online. Refer to the location column for details.
| Time (AEST) | Candidate | Presentation title | Location |
| 9:00 - 10:30 | Karolina Bartkowicz | Uncommon Scents: An Exploration into the Effects of Planting Scents in Enabling and Enhancing Restorative Experiences for Users of Urban Green Spaces | 016.07.001 |
| 9:00 - 10:30 | Peter Mercouriou | Towards an Equitable Transition to Electric Vehicles: An Analysis of Local Government Climate Policies in Victoria, Australia | 016.07.002 |
| 10:30 - 12:00 | Behzad Shojaedingivi | Sustainable ‘Smart Villages’: Exploring the Role of Smart Frameworks and Strategies in Enhancing Sustainability in Rural and Regional Australia | 016.07.002 |
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.
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