Activating and maintaining community participation in natural and cultural resources initiatives in the Murray-Darling Basin. The project goes beyond the rhetoric of participation to discover what factors activate communities and individuals to become involved in programs and voluntary initiatives for natural resource management. It assesses the effectiveness of existing communication channels and develops new models for more effective and representative participation. It combines the National M ....Activating and maintaining community participation in natural and cultural resources initiatives in the Murray-Darling Basin. The project goes beyond the rhetoric of participation to discover what factors activate communities and individuals to become involved in programs and voluntary initiatives for natural resource management. It assesses the effectiveness of existing communication channels and develops new models for more effective and representative participation. It combines the National Museum of Australia's expertise in environmental history and public communication with the imperative of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission to improve community participation in natural resource management. The potential for harnessing communications technology to facilitate new channels for participation is assessed through carefully evaluated pilot programs.Read moreRead less
Managing innovation with a policy-relevant framework to assess the social consequences of technological developments. A framework to assess the social consequences of new technologies will enable their benefits to be maximised and impacts lessened. By considering impacts during development and before release, design criteria can be broadened, appropriate management and mitigation measures implemented and appropriate regulatory conditions established. Interested parties can participate in discuss ....Managing innovation with a policy-relevant framework to assess the social consequences of technological developments. A framework to assess the social consequences of new technologies will enable their benefits to be maximised and impacts lessened. By considering impacts during development and before release, design criteria can be broadened, appropriate management and mitigation measures implemented and appropriate regulatory conditions established. Interested parties can participate in discussions about technology directions at an early stage, allowing technological development that is more democratic and less obstructed by conflict. Society benefits by having socially-appropriate and socially-acceptable technologies. Industry benefits from clearer technology development paths and a better understanding of potential social impacts of new technology.Read moreRead less
Smart Grids, Messy Society? An evaluation of the implementation of smart grids in Australia. New information technologies allow utility infrastructures to operate as smart grids, with the promise of multiple economic and environmental benefits. Utility infrastructures are largely unaltered since first installed 100 years ago, and smart grids have the potential to catalyse significant innovation. This project aims to investigate the societal drivers for, and implications of, smart grids and asses ....Smart Grids, Messy Society? An evaluation of the implementation of smart grids in Australia. New information technologies allow utility infrastructures to operate as smart grids, with the promise of multiple economic and environmental benefits. Utility infrastructures are largely unaltered since first installed 100 years ago, and smart grids have the potential to catalyse significant innovation. This project aims to investigate the societal drivers for, and implications of, smart grids and assess how these grid implementations vary from place to place. It will assess the implications of this for theory and practices of innovation and learning. This project also aims to provide new insights into the messy, complex societal reaction to smart grids in Australia; a country at the forefront of smart grid implementation.Read moreRead less