ORCA is a transdisciplinary network focused on human-ocean relationships and climate action, with members from art, design, cultural studies, geography, education, urban research and civil society.
ORCA seeks to catalyze creative research, exchange and civic engagement that encourages more regenerative ways of living with oceans as vital planetary commons. As academics and activists, we contribute to understanding human-ocean relationships in everyday life through leisure, urban planning, creative practice, public artworks, education, transport, citizen science, and more. We invite people to join us in exploring new forms of engaging oceans sovereignty and civics in multisensory, multimedia and fluid ways.
The following themes overlap and will work together in different combinations and as required.
Using posthuman and creative approaches to understanding the world beneath the surface asks us to consider underwater entanglements of people, water, algae, animals, and technologies through public art.
Focused on participatory research, this theme explores the everyday ways that people experience coasts and oceans and engage in active, relational practices, such as swimming, surfing and walking, that encourage human-ocean health and wellbeing.
This theme uses socially engaged practices to reimagine our knowledge of oceans and rivers including extreme environments, which are key to planetary health, but which few of us can visit.
This theme aligns with the Planetary Civics Inquiry (PCI), by exploring and demonstrating new ways of understanding oceans as planetary commons, civics and governance entanglements in climate change.
Dr Fiona Hillary
School of Art
Dr Rebecca Olive
School of Global, Urban and Social Studies
Professor Wendy Steele
School of Global, Urban and Social Studies
Professor Kit Wise
School of Art
Dr Fiona Hillary
School of Art
Dr Rebecca Olive
School of Global, Urban and Social Studies
Professor Kit Wise
School of Art
Professor Wendy Steele
School of Global, Urban and Social Studies
Please get in touch with our Network or Theme leads listed above to find out more.
ORCA is supported by the following Enabling Impact Platforms:
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| Urban Futures | Researching how cities can be more resilient, sustainable and regenerative. |
| Design and Creative Practice | Applying an inventive, exploratory approach to real-world problems through interdisciplinary research, within and beyond design and creative practice. |
| Social Change | Focuses on transformative research in the areas of digital society, quality of life, global mobility and research practice for social change. |
EIPs enable economic, environmental, societal, health and cultural impact with government, business and the community through research and innovation.
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.
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.