Vice-Chancellor and President, Charles Darwin University
Welcome to the 2022 CDU Higher Degree by Research Conference, another milestone for our fantastic HDR student cohort. In this three-day conference, our research students can showcase their research and network with Industry Leaders, Government, and the Research Community.
Importantly, this conference will enable our research cohorts to come together to share their stories and connect with various industry and government leaders. Charles Darwin University is proud to be bringing together in a virtual sense and a physical presence of more than 100 research students from across CDU Colleges and Research Institutes.
The theme, “Connect & Succeed: from Research to Real-life Impact” is derived from the CDU Strategic Plan 2021-2026. We believe that we can only be successful through our connections with all our partners, and the people of the Northern Territory, Australia and beyond. These connections help us realise the mutual benefits of learning, undertaking research and working together to allow our communities to grow and prosper.
There will be academic papers on critical issues such as emerging renewable technology, advancement in the First Nations health research, groundwater research, and other research that aim to make our future more sustainable. In addition, the keynote sessions and panel discussions have been prepared to inspire our research students and supervisors to build those connections with the sectors, where CDU research could make real impact. We aim to build capacity and a shared understanding of our research impact measurements to maximise the benefits of CDU’s research.
I want to thank everyone who has made this conference possible, especially over these past challenging years.
With that, I hope you enjoy the conference.
Professor Scott Bowman AO
Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation,
Charles Darwin University
It gives me great pleasure to introduce this year’s CDU Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Conference. My first, as Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation. Our CDU HDR students are a critical and valued part of our research community. Researchers make a difference to the people, to communities, government, and industry organisations that are CDU partners.
Your research journey is our research journey. The theme that we have chosen for this year’s conference was inspired by the CDU Strategic Plan 2021-2026. Our vision states: “We will be Australia’s most connected university by being courageous and making a difference in the Northern Territory, Australia and beyond”. We are the university of the Northern Territory and closer to many of our neighbours to the north than we are to our major cities to the South.
The theme – “Connect & Succeed: from research to real-life impact” – symbolises the purpose of this Conference by connecting our research students with the broad research community, government, and industry leaders to make the world more sustainable, fairer, and healthier place for our future. For three days, students from across CDU Colleges, Menzies School of Health Sciences, & Research Institutes will come together and present their work.
Let us support and encourage everyone to develop by working together, to deliver research that has real impact.
Professor Steve Rogers
Director, Office of Research and Innovation
Charles Darwin University
I am pleased to welcome everyone to the 2022 CDU Higher Degree by Research Conference. This biennial conference is a great opportunity for research students, supervisors and the CDU community to come together and celebrate the work and impact of our research on society.
The CDU Office of Research and Innovation hosts research students from across Australia and around the world. We aim to deliver leading research degrees with graduates that make a practical difference in society. This year we have more than 300 research students in our programs. This includes 50 new research students with various scholarships, enrolled from across Colleges, Menzies School of Health Research and other research institutes and centres. These scholars research critical issues such as advancement in First Nations health and education, renewable energy, protection of endangered species, economic empowerment; research that aims to make our future more sustainable.
We are a regional university, but we are well-connected to the real world. In three days, research students and supervisors will have the opportunity to network with our keynote and invited speakers from industry, government and academia.
Enjoy the workshop and we look forward to welcoming you again in 2024!
Claire Pamenter
Foreword from the Organising Committee
Every researcher in Australia strives to improve society in some way. Every university in Australia values impact—the capacity of research to benefit people and communities. Yet, some academics secretly like to perceive themselves as the font of extensive knowledge and the source of great wisdom who, on occasion, vacate their ivory tower to inform the masses of the changes that people must implement or the beliefs that people should adopt.
But CDU does not believe in ivory towers or academic superiority. Instead, at CDU, researchers tend to be embedded in the communities they serve. They are friends, neighbours, and partners of the leaders and individuals that could benefit from their research. They listen and learn, respectfully and humbly. Although CDU researchers will share information about the latest technologies, discoveries, and methods in their fields, their industry partners and communities will help these researchers apply these advances as effectively and sensitively as possible.
The CDU HDR Conference is designed to epitomize this approach. Our keynote speakers will present some inspiring insights on how to enhance the impact of research in First Nations communities, commercial enterprises, government agencies, and other sectors Research students will present research plans, findings, and advances—enabling other academics, industry partners, community representatives, government agencies, and other sectors to learn, contribute, and collaborate in the future. Networking opportunities will be designed to assist these students on their journey and to translate their research into reality