Early Career Researchers 24.6.11

8/4/2019 Early Career Researchers 24.6.11

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Andrew Campbell

Director

Research Institute for the Environment & Livelihoods

www.cdu.edu.au/riel

Professional networks,Professional networks,collaborations and partnershipscollaborations and partnerships


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OutlineOutline

1.1. Knowledge 101Knowledge 101

2.2. Applied ResearchApplied Research

3.3. Networks, collaborations andNetworks, collaborations andpartnershipspartnerships

4.4. A public policy detourA public policy detour

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My lenses

Farming background Cavendish (Farming background Cavendish (South West Victoria)South West Victoria)

Studied ForestryStudied Forestry ((CreswickCreswick& Melbourne)& Melbourne)

VicVic GovtGovt extensionextension officer,officer, SheppartonShepparton,, BendigoBendigo&&StawellStawell

Manager, Potter FarmlandManager, Potter Farmland Plan 1984Plan 1984--8888 NationalNational LandcareLandcareFacilitator 1989Facilitator 1989--9292

PostPost--gradgrad studies (Rural Sociology & Soft Systems),studies (Rural Sociology & Soft Systems),

HollandHolland &&France 1992France 1992--9595

Senior ExecutiveSenior Executive,, AustralianAustralian Government 1995Government 1995--9999

7 years CEO of Land & Water7 years CEO of Land & Water Australia 2000Australia 2000--0606

4 years Managing Director Triple4 years Managing Director Triple HelixHelix Consulting 2007Consulting 2007--1010

Director, RIEL,Director, RIEL, CDU 2011CDU 2011 3


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Extraordinary juxtaposition of natural and cultural

heritage

Major resource management, conservation and social

issues

Science that cant be done anywhere else

Huge development pressures and opportunities

RIEL Context


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RIEL Research Themes

Natural ResourcesNatural Resources--based Livelihoodsbased Livelihoods Dr Natasha StaceyDr Natasha Stacey

Coastal and marine ecology and managementCoastal and marine ecology and management Prof Karen GibbProf Karen Gibb

Freshwater ecology and managementFreshwater ecology and management Prof Michael DouglasProf Michael Douglas

Savanna management and wildlife conservationSavanna management and wildlife conservation Prof Keith ChristianProf Keith Christian

Tropical Resource FuturesTropical Resource Futures

Dr Stefan MaierDr Stefan Maier


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Professional networks

First, work out what profession you are inFirst, work out what profession you are in Discipline?Discipline?

Career path?Career path?

Life goals?Life goals?

Its OK to have several, in parallel or in sequenceIts OK to have several, in parallel or in sequence

Think about what you want to get out of the network:Think about what you want to get out of the network:

Contacts & mentors for career advancementContacts & mentors for career advancement

Professional feedback and technical inputProfessional feedback and technical input

Access to other people with complementary skills &Access to other people with complementary skills &

resources (including their wider contact networks)resources (including their wider contact networks)

The fun of working with people you likeThe fun of working with people you like


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Applied R&D

four types of research (ABS):four types of research (ABS):

pure basic; strategic basic; applied; and developmentalpure basic; strategic basic; applied; and developmental

This talk focuses onthe lastThis talk focuses onthe last 3,3, especiallyespecially appliedapplied

Applied researchApplied research seeks to acquire new knowledgeseeks to acquire new knowledge

withwith a specific application in viewa specific application in view

We know the application contextWe know the application context

We know the intended endWe know the intended end--users & beneficiariesusers & beneficiaries

We can tease out the nature of the knowledge needWe can tease out the nature of the knowledge need

We can identify prospective

W

e can identify prospective adoptionadoption pathwayspathways7


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KnowledgeKnowledge

From a public policy perspective, there are 3From a public policy perspective, there are 3

main reasons to invest in applied research:main reasons to invest in applied research:

1.1. To help us make better decisions & policyTo help us make better decisions & policy

2.2. To underpin the innovation processTo underpin the innovation process

3.3. So that we can learn as we go alongSo that we can learn as we go along in the words of Peter Cullen:at least we should be making newat least we should be making new

mistakesmistakes


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RIEL KnowledgeRIEL Knowledge

In universities, we are in the knowledge businessIn universities, we are in the knowledge business

In RIEL, we also do some basic (discovery)In RIEL, we also do some basic (discovery)science, and we build research capacity throughscience, and we build research capacity through

HDR and ECR trainingHDR and ECR training

But a significant chunk of our portfolio is appliedBut a significant chunk of our portfolio is appliedresearch, which has implications for our inquiryresearch, which has implications for our inquiryprocesses and the way we manage knowledgeprocesses and the way we manage knowledgeassetsassets


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Knowledge 101

Knowledge happens between the ears

An individual cognitive process and highly contextual:

I only know what I know when I need to know it

Revealed in Artifacts (writing, art, formulae, products etc), Skills,

Heuristics, Experience and Natural talent(Dave Snowden)

Across quite different domains:

Including local, Indigenous, scientific, strategic(organisational)

And different sectors:

research, policy, management, planning, extension, education, monitoring

people default to known, trusted, accessible sources:

credibility, dialogue, easy access & honesty all critical

timing is crucial: knowledge is most useful when it is needed

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Collaborative Applied R&DCollaborative Applied R&D

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Efficiency in investment

Best use of limited resources

Builds critical mass

Reduces duplication

Sharing risk

Be very clear why you are

collaborating

Invest in relationships

fund the arrows

explicit accountability

watching transaction costs

Collaboration Crucial for early career researchers

Great for sorting out where, on what, and with whom to work


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DevelopingDeveloping

collaborations & partnershipscollaborations & partnerships

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Collaboration is about relationships

Relationships with end-users (and intermediaries) are critical for

adoption of R&D (and hence impact and ROI)

Relationships are:

Crucial in building critical mass and research capacity

Fundamental if collaborations are to achieve their potential for

leadership or even just small c coordination within their sector

Very important in securing and retaining resources

(funding, staff and in-kind contributions)

and they are critical for managing risk, especially when things go

awry

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Tips & Tools

100 Key Influencers list, constantly updated including rising stars, industry leaders and Ministers kitchen cabinet

Respect the no surprises rule, especially with funders

Timing is everything, and face to face is best

Breakfasts, face to face briefings (facilitated one to one), event invites

Good relationships need work - on-going

Fund the arrows, not just the boxes

Value continuity (staff turnover affects both ends) Try to share credit, celebrate wins together, keep invites flowing

Develop adoptability filters

Tailored to end user needs (involve them in design)

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Knowledge managementKnowledge management


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Identify the most influential blogs in your domain

Academic, practitioner, political or whatever

Publish, publish, publish

But not just in journals rewrite publications for blogs

Tweet and FB alerts to your piece

Be strategic with conferences

Not just who will be there, but your capacity for interaction

Look for more interactive quality time events (e.g. workshops)

Negotiate performance rewards with your supervisor17

Extending your knowledge network


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Bill Dennisons perspectiveBill Dennisons perspective

ProfessorBill Dennison, University of MarylandProfessorBill Dennison, University of Maryland

Center for Environmental ScienceCenter for Environmental Science

Sees good science as moving along a spectrumSees good science as moving along a spectrum

fromfrom DiscoveryDiscovery, through, through IntegrationIntegration intointo

ApplicationApplication

Bills Integration and Application Network isBills Integration and Application Network is

developing outstanding synthesis products anddeveloping outstanding synthesis products and

servicesservices RIEL partnerships pendingRIEL partnerships pending

Check outCheck out htt ://htt ://ian.umces.eduian.umces.edu//


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Apublic policy detour

Governments are a key audience for much CDU researchGovernments are a key audience for much CDU research

Policy instrument choice, resource allocation, planning,Policy instrument choice, resource allocation, planning,

regulation, management, incentivesregulation, management, incentives

each need tailored R&Deach need tailored R&D19


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Big picture reflections

Terry Moran, Institute of Public Administration, 15 July 2009:

Reflecting on the challenges of public sector reform:

By and large, I believe the public service gives good advice on

incremental policy improvement. Where we fall down is in long-

term, transformational thinking; the big picture stuff.We are still

more reactive than proactive; more inward than outward looking.

We are allergic to risk, sometimes infected by a culture of timidity.

The APS still generates too much policy within single departments

and agencies to address challenges that span a range of

departments and agencies We are not good at recruiting

creative thinkers.

http://www.dpmc.gov.au/media/speech_2009_07_15.cfm


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Reflections (2)

Two countervailing forces in Australian policy and politics:1. An unprecedented analytical base, comprehensive, deep, broad, led by

authoritative people with a long national view:

Garnaut report and its updates

Henry tax review

Beale biosecurity review

Hawke review of EPBC act

Drought policy review

2. A political discourse dominated by returning budget to surplus ASAP,

cutting programs to fund flood and storm rebuilding Apparent preference at all levels of government to fund high profile

emergency response & restoration after the fact, rather than invest in less

visible prevention, systemic measures & risk mitigation rampant myopia


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Three lenses of knowledge &

evidence

PoliticalJudgement:diffuse, fluid and

adversarial

ScientificResearch:

systematic approaches,quantitative and

qualitative.experimental and action-

oriented

ProfessionalPractices:

organisationalknowledge,implementation,

practicalexperience

Policy

problem

Inform andinfluence policy

response

Source: Brian Head AJPM2008, 67(1)


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The Science-Policy Interface

Contested, crowded, contextual

Stakes high, decisions urgent, facts uncertain or disputed

Science thrives on a contest of ideas

This can be problematic in public debate (e.g. climate change)

Public officials just one of many sources of advice

Ministers/governments prefer wins, credit, initiatives

over problems, conflict, confusion

Durable relationships are critical

based on mutual respect and trust

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Policy issues tend to be in the applied research

domain

Key questions revolve around

What should we do?

What policy settings or interventions will have what

impact?

Who will be affected? How? How much? When?

andW

here?

The nature of policy questions


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When scientists do enter the

political arena, they must

understand they are playing to

different rules from those used

in science and need to learn the

rules of politics and the media.

Unless they understand the

rules and tactics of policydebate it is like them walking on

to a tennis court equipped only

with golf sticks.

Professor Peter Cullen

Scientists entering policy

debates are often

ill-equipped


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The knowledgeThe knowledge--seeking behaviourseeking behaviour

ofpolicy makersofpolicy makers (after Cullen et al 2000)(after Cullen et al 2000)

Senior policy makers are timeSenior policy makers are time--poor, informationpoor, information--overloaded people,overloaded people,most of whom dont read much unless they have to;most of whom dont read much unless they have to;

Only know what they need to know when they need to know itOnly know what they need to know when they need to know it

Have a very shortHave a very short--term, reactive perspectiveterm, reactive perspective

Rarely stay long in the same jobRarely stay long in the same job deep content knowledge is raredeep content knowledge is rare

WantWant to summarise info in less than 1 page for Minister/top brassto summarise info in less than 1 page for Minister/top brass

Averse to anything too complicatedAverse to anything too complicated

DDefaultefault to trusted sources, often into trusted sources, often in--house, even when they suspecthouse, even when they suspectthose sources may be out of date or incompletethose sources may be out of date or incomplete

May have a jaundiced opinion of science, believing it is:May have a jaundiced opinion of science, believing it is:

too slow and too expensivetoo slow and too expensive

answering questions that noanswering questions that no--one has asked,one has asked, always after more $$always after more $$26


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Young professionals

Will continue to be in great demandWill continue to be in great demand

Can shape remarkable careersCan shape remarkable careers

Mobility and flexibility crucial, BUT;Mobility and flexibility crucial, BUT; Build on a solid base of skills and expertiseBuild on a solid base of skills and expertise

Understand yourself, how you relate to others,Understand yourself, how you relate to others,

how others see youhow others see you

Take time out to sharpen the saw (several times)Take time out to sharpen the saw (several times)

Cultivate mentors, patrons, exemplarsCultivate mentors, patrons, exemplars

Dont forget to have a life!Dont forget to have a life!


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Universities are in the knowledge business

Research funders increasingly expect research outputs to be

relevant, useful and used

These demands are in tension with academic reward systems

We need to complement research quality metrics with impact

measures, based on an understanding of the knowledge

needs of our clients and stakeholders, internally and externally

Good collaborative applied research requires explicit attention

to knowledge systems and processes

If we get this right, we can make a RIEL difference

Conclusions

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www.triplehelix.com.au

www.cdu.edu.au/riel

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Early Career Researchers 24.6.11