Last year was the first time I published an annual review. 2018 felt like a big year at the time, but 2019 proved to be even bigger. My word for this year was scale, reflecting my plans to extend the impact of the innovation platforms I lead at CSIRO, grow my businesses, and invest in my research and professional development (whilst expanding my family!). Key highlights of the year include:
IC Global
- Developed and launched IC Global as the overarching brand the innovation platforms: Expert Connect, Innovation Challenges marketplace and InnovationMap
- Released a free portlet for Expert Connect so anyone can showcase Australia’s research expertise on their own platform
- Launched a new feature (“FindHer”) on Expert Connect on International Women’s Day, allowing users to filter search results to find highly qualified women in any field of research (as featured in the September edition of Cosmos Magazine). FindHer won the Excellence in the Government category at the #TechDiversity Awards
- Engaged a fantastic group of IC Global Ambassadors who have been highly effective in creating greater awareness of the platform and helping us to shape its ongoing development
- Presented IC Global at the University-Industry Engagement Conference in Sydney and saw the platforms showcased on the global stage at Innovfest in Singapore
- Ramped up platform usage and started to hear about successful industry-research collaborations IC Global has generated (such as basketball legend Lauren Jackson using Expert Connect to find the right expertise for creating an athlete retirement transition program)
Business
- Completed significant upgrades to the Ethitrade platform (drawing on user feedback from the Vietnam pilot) to prepare for further scaling. In the final weeks of year we also received confirmation of stakeholder support for a substantial expansion of platform usage (along with new functionality) commencing early next year.
- Celebrated 10-years in business for Ecolour, brought on board some top talent, opened a new store in Canberra, and commenced preparations for a major marketing revamp. A personal highlight was seeing our paint used for a mural (by @mulgatheartist) in the heart of the Sydney CBD.
Professional Development & Profile
- Participated in the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Director Pipeline Program and attended many fantastic events throughout the year
- Nominated and was successfully elected to the AICD ACT Division Council
- Participated in the Pacific Connect Dialogue (“Pacific Women in Business and Digital Delivery”) run by the International Centre for Democratic Partnerships
- Facilitated an innovation workshop at the CRC Association Conference Collaborate Innovate in Adelaide
- Delivered a guest lecture for the Wisdom Learning Success Series on Cross-Sector Collaboration & Career Adaptability
- Served as a judge for the CRC Association Excellence in Innovation Awards and the Enactus Social Entrepreneurship National Conference
- Undertook an Innovation Mapping study for Nesta (gaining valuable insights into innovation globally)
- Served as a mentor for CSIRO’s ON Prime program, working with a Canberra start-up (CHELTech) who are changing the game in hydrogen technology
- Connected with Altina Drinks who are shaking up the drinking industry with their zero-proof craft cocktails (as a non-drinker, it’s inspiring to see the change in drinking habits they are creating!)
Research
- Completed my PhD Thesis Research Proposal and obtained ethics approval to commence my data gathering. My research seeks to better understand individuals who have developed cross-sector careers (concurrently operating across industry, research and government, or frequently cycling between them)
- Completed my first participant interview and lined up another for early next year (I’d love to hear from anyone actively pursuing a cross-sector career)
Personal
- Most significantly, in September 2019 my partner and I welcomed our first baby into the world. We both feel incredibly grateful to finally have such a happy, healthy and curious little boy in our lives. Whilst it is still early days, it’s fair to say that his arrival has provided significant motivation to do all we can to make a positive impact in the world and build a brighter future.