Social Change Symposium

The College of Design and Social Context and the Social Change Enabling Impact Platform are pleased to present the Social Change Symposium.

Featuring special presentations, workshops and Higher Degree by Research milestone presentations, designed for and by subject experts from the applied humanities and social sciences. Join us as we celebrate new research and provide a hub for transdisciplinary engagement and collaboration.

Keynotes

Susan Luckman headshot, Caucasion woman, short brown hair, smiling, in front of bookshelf

The importance of analogue skills in a digital future

Monday 21 October, 5:30pm, Green Brain, Building 16, Level 7, RMIT City Campus

Keynote presentation by Professor Susan Luckman, Professor of Culture and Creative Industries and Director of the Creative People, Products and Places Research Centre, University of South Australia.

    Event speaker headshot images on a colourful, celebratory background

    Marriage of the Minds - A Transdisciplinary Research Salon 

    Tuesday 22 October, 5:30pm, Green Brain, Building 16, Level 7, RMIT City Campus

    Dive into a dynamic exchange of ideas in this thought-provoking panel discussion that marries diverse disciplines and explores how our collective research can shape the world. 


      Workshops

      Doing a non-traditional PhD 

      Monday 21 October, 12pm, Green Brain, Building 16, Level 7, RMIT City Campus

      Want to know more about undertaking a PhD in the social sciences and humanities? Hear from current PhD candidates, supervisors and the RMIT Library about different thesis models including thesis with publication, thesis with project, and working with industry partners.

      Unlock your research: open access for HDRs 

      Tuesday 22 October, 12pm, Green Brain, Building 16, Level 7, RMIT City Campus

      Learn about the benefits of Open Access for your research, including increased visibility and discoverability, enhanced research collaboration, compliance with funding requirements, public engagement and societal impact, equitable access and long-term preservation.


      Higher Degree by Research Milestones

      Higher Degree by Research (HDR) candidates from across the College of Design and Social Context will present their milestones during 21-25 October.

      Please note that information for milestone presenters, chairs and referees is available through the RMIT SharePoint site for HDR Milestone Presentations (RMIT login required).

      The candidate milestone schedule for Social Change is available via the daily tabs in the program and registration section below.

      Program and registration

      Monday 21 October

      Milestone presentations

      Presentations may be given in-person, online or in hybrid mode. Refer to the location column for details. 

      Time (AEDT)  Candidate Presentation title Location
      15:30 - 17:00 Erin Seymour

      Which pathways lead women to successful careers in the Australian film industry

      016.07.002
      Blue shoes pointed towards multicoloured arrows, each leading in a different direction.

      Panel discussion

      Doing a non-traditional PhD

      Monday 21 October, 12pm – 1:30pm, Green Brain, Building 16, Level 7, RMIT City Campus

      This session will explore different options for undertaking a PhD in the social sciences and humanities. 

      Sophie Langley, Research Academic Skills Advisor from the RMIT Library will present on different thesis models, including thesis with publication, thesis with project, and working with industry partners.

      Associate Professor Juliet Watson will then host a panel discussion with supervisors and PhD candidates from the School of Global Urban and Social Studies and the School of Media and Communication. 

      Speakers 
      • Sophie Langley, Research Academic Skills Advisor, RMIT Library
      • Professor Hannah Badland, Director, Social Equity Research Centre
      • Dr Kathryn Daley, Associate Director, Social Equity Research Centre
      • Betty Haralambous, PhD candidate, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies
      • Jasmine Aslan, PhD candidate, School of Media and Communication
      • Associate Professor Juliet Watson (Host), School of Global, Urban and Social Studies
      Susan Luckman headshot, Caucasion woman, short brown hair, smiling, in front of bookshelf

      Keynote - Professor Susan Luckman

      The importance of analogue skills in a digital future

      Monday 21 October, 5:30pm, Green Brain, Building 16, Level 7, RMIT City Campus

      This presentation foregrounds craft skills as enablers of care, given the central role they play as the key point of contact, and impact, between humans and the environment. The importance of craft skills in facilitating more ethical ways of engaging with our everyday material worlds is highlighted. It argues that the loss of craft skills is an increasing problem across the English-speaking countries of the Global North, poorly equipping these communities to enact necessary changes towards the more sustainable and caring futures demanded by the climate crisis.

      A networking reception with refreshments will follow the keynote presentation.

      Speaker
      • Professor Susan Luckman, Professor of Culture and Creative Industries and Director of the Creative People, Products and Places Research Centre, University of South Australia 

      Tuesday 22 October

      Milestone presentations

      Presentations may be given in-person, online or in hybrid mode. Refer to the location column for details. 

      Open padlock sitting on a computer keyboard

      Workshop

      Unlock your research: open access for HDRs

      Tuesday 22 October, 12pm, Green Brain, Building 16, Level 7, RMIT City Campus

      Find out how to ensure that everyone you would like to read your research can access it easily and free of charge.

      This workshop will use RMIT HDR examples to provide insights into preparing your thesis, research data and publications to be made Open Access.

      It will also highlight the wider benefits of Open Access for researchers such as:

      • Increased visibility and discoverability
      • Enhanced research collaboration
      • Compliance with funding requirements
      • Public engagement and societal impact
      • Equitable access
      • Long-term preservation
      Facilitators
      • Karen MacVean, Librarian, RMIT Library’s Learning, Teaching and Research team. 
      • Ian Kolk, Librarian, RMIT Library's Research Services team.
      Event speaker headshot images on a colourful, celebratory background

      Panel Discussion

      Marriage of the Minds: A Transdisciplinary Research Salon

      Tuesday 22 October, 5:30pm, Green Brain, Building 16, Level 7, RMIT City Campus

      Join us for 'Marriage of the Minds: A Transdisciplinary Research Salon', a thought-provoking event that unites leading RMIT academics. Dive into a dynamic exchange of ideas that marries diverse disciplines and explores how our collective research can shape the world. Engage in interactive dialogues that uncover new connections, spark innovation, and challenge conventional boundaries. The evening concludes with a networking reception, offering an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals in an intellectually stimulating atmosphere. Don’t miss this unique event that redefines collaborative research.

      Speakers
      • Dr Andrea Eckersley, Associate Professor, School of Graduate Research, RMIT University
      • Dr Marietta Martinovic, Associate Professor, Criminology and Justice studies at RMIT University
      • Dr Matt Duckham, Professor in Geospatial Sciences and Director, Information in Society Enabling Impact Platform, RMIT University
      • Dr Stayci Taylor (Host), Senior Lecturer, School of Media and Communication, RMIT University

      Wednesday 23 October

      Milestone presentations

      Presentations may be given in-person, online or in hybrid mode. Refer to the location column for details. 

      Time (AEDT) Candidate Presentation title Location
      13:00 - 14:30 Scarlet Rosa Trans and Gender Diverse Individuals' Experiences of Incarceration in Australia Teams (online)

      Thursday 24 October

      Milestone presentations

      Presentations may be given in-person, online or in hybrid mode. Refer to the location column for details. 

      Friday 25 October

      Milestone presentations

      Presentations may be given in-person, online or in hybrid mode. Refer to the location column for details. 

      aboriginal flag float-starttorres strait flag float-start

      Acknowledgement of Country

      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.

      Learn more about our commitment to Indigenous cultures