Welcome to the Oceania Regional Network
Calendar of Events
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Oceania Map. Credit: Dr. Erin Walsh
Who we are
The ITD Alliance Oceania Regional Network is a network of individuals and institutions that aim to increase connections and knowledge sharing among people engaged in inter- and transdisciplinary practice, research and education in the Oceania region and to strengthen our global voice about the unique characteristics of Oceania.
The network was co-founded in August 2024 by the ITD Alliance and NITRO-Oceania (Network of Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Research Organisations – Oceania). The ITD Alliance is grateful to NITRO-Oceania for funding the administrative support for the network. Activities to achieve the aims and expand the network are being developed by our organising team.
What we do
To increase connections and share knowledge throughout Oceania, our current activities include:
- Sponsoring seminars and other events, especially in conjunction with existing events sponsored by others
- Promoting relevant events in the region and the network via regular communication to subscribers
- Coordinating a Calendar of Events related to inter- and transdisciplinarity in the Oceania region
- Sponsoring regular, informal, virtual meetups to strengthen relationships and explore topics of interest
How you can participate
- Subscribe to the ITD Alliance Oceania Regional Network and receive communications about events and opportunities in inter- and transdisciplinarity in the Oceania region.
- Share information about the network and related events within your own networks
- Participate in sponsored meetups and seminars to gain insight, make new connections, and contribute your voice (open to all, usually online)
- Contribute relevant events to the Calendar (see below)
- Propose and help plan activities (contact us)
Join us for our inaugural seminar online on 7 November, and for an open conversation immediately afterwards, to make new connections with colleagues across the Oceania region.
7 November, Thursday, 12 noon – 1:30 pm, Sydney time
Online, free and open to the public, Register now
“On the Nature and Practice of Crossdisciplinary Integration”
Michael O’Rourke, Michigan State University
This 60-minute session will explore the essential role of integration in cross-disciplinary research, introducing an innovative input-process-output (IPO) model. Discover how this model can bridge the gap between abstract and specific discussions. Learn practical strategies for facilitating integration in complex research. Read the full abstract in our calendar.
The 60-minute seminar will be followed by a 30-minute open conversation providing an opportunity for you to meet and talk with other ITD experts across Oceania.
Organised by the ITD Alliance Oceania Regional Network in collaboration with the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney.
Calendar of Events and Opportunities
The ITD Alliance Oceania Regional Network Calendar includes events and opportunities that relate to inter- and transdisciplinary work, research, and education specifically related to the Oceania region. We hope this Calendar will provide more opportunities for connection and learning among those of us who work in the transdisicplinary space in Oceania. If you know of an event or opportunity that should be on the list, please submit your events using the Calendar Submission Form.
Click on “+” for more detail. Online meeting links (e.g., Zoom) are in Event Link field.
| Event-Opportunity Name | Contributor(s) | Type | Dates-Deadlines | Timing | Online-F2F | City-Country of Host | Description | Sponsor-Host | Details Link | Event Link | Language(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norms for Inter- and Transdisciplinary Research: Learning from Failure (Regional Keynote, in association with ITD24) | Michael O'Rourke, Michigan State University | Presentation | 2024-11-06, Wednesday | 5:30p-6:30p Sydney, AU, 7:30a-8:30a Utrecht, NL | Online, open to all | Sydney, Australia | Title: Norms for Inter- and Transdisciplinary Research: Learning from Failure. Contributors: Gabriele Bammer, Australian National University, Australia – Session Chair; Michael O’Rourke, Michigan State University, USA; Jason Prior, University of Technology Sydney, Australia;Dena Fam, University of Technology Sydney, Australia. Keywords: Learning from failure, norms and rules, experiential learning, interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, collaboration, complexity. Abstract: The academic literature is full of stories of research success, while failures are less frequently shared, even though much research is abandoned before completion. Better understanding failure can be highly valuable, particularly in complex research modes like interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity. This keynote session will explore the critical yet often overlooked topic of failure in inter- and transdisciplinary research. Drawing on insights from over 100 experts in the field who report on their failure in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research, this session maps and provides unique insight into the underlying norms and rules that explain failure. By studying these failures through the lens of norms and rules, we can identify root causes that may be overlooked and develop more resilient and aware research practices, enabling teams to anticipate and navigate potential pitfalls more effectively. Ultimately, better understanding failure is essential for turning it into a stepping stone toward more successful and impactful research outcomes. After an introduction by the session chair, the panelists will present a theoretical framework for inter- and transdisciplinary research failure, a description of the empirical study of failure in this context, and an analysis of data generated by this study in terms of norms and rules. | University of Technology Sydney: Institute for Sustainable Futures; ITD24 conference | https://utsmeet.zoom.us/j/82120651982 | English | |
| On the Nature and Practice of Crossdisciplinary Integration | Michael O'Rourke, Michigan State University | Seminar | 24-11-07, Thursday | 12 noon - 1:30 pm, Sydney; 60-minute seminar, 30-minute open conversation and networking | Online, open to all | Sydney, Australia | Title: On the Nature and Practice of Crossdisciplinary Integration; Contributor: Michael O’Rourke, Michigan State University, USA; Keywords: crossdisciplinarity, crossdisciplinary integration, input-process-output model, process, integrative pathways, integrative mechanisms, facilitation; Abstract: Crossdisciplinary research is widely regarded as necessary for addressing complex, socio-environmental challenges, and integration is widely regarded as necessary for the successful conduct of crossdisciplinary research. Although crossdisciplinary integration has been discussed since at least the 1960s across a range of contexts, including philosophy of science, organizational psychology, and interdisciplinary studies, there is little consensus about what it is or how you pursue it. Discussions of integration in the literature tend to be either very abstract or very specific – there are not a lot of examples of analysis that split the difference. Some argue that this is to be expected, since integration is highly contextual and not something that can be modelled generally, but I believe this point of view is mistaken. In this talk, I discuss developments involving an input-process-output (IPO) model of integration that demonstrate its potential to split the difference. I present an IPO-based conceptualization of integration that focuses on integrative process, highlighting the value of thinking about this in terms of integrative pathways and integrative mechanisms. I then discuss how this way of thinking about integration can be operationalized to facilitate crossdisciplinary integration in research on complex problems. | ITD Alliance Oceania Regional Network, Institute for Sustainable Futures at University of Technology Sydney | https://events.humanitix.com/inaugural-itd-alliance-oceania-regional-network-seminar-on-the-nature-and-practice-of-crossdisciplinary-integration-michael-o-rourke-michigan-state-university | English |
Suggest an event or opportunity using the Calendar Submission Form.
Items for the Calendar should be relevant to Oceania and to inter- and transdisciplinary practice, research, or education. The organising team of the ITD Alliance Oceania Regional Network reserves the right to exclude items that are out of scope.
Subscribe for news and events
Subscribe to the ITD Alliance Oceania Regional Network and receive communications about events and opportunities in inter- and transdisciplinarity in the Oceania region. Let us know if you would like to help plan and develop activities.
Organising Team
The organising team of the ITD Alliance Oceania Regional Network includes:
- Mindy Blaise (Centre for People, Place, & Planet, Australia)
- Maggie Buxton (AwhiWorld, New Zealand-Aotearoa)
- Beth Fulton (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia; President of NITRO-Oceania)
- Iain Gordon (Australian National University; Past President of NITRO-Oceania, Australia)
- Rachel Kelly (University of Tasmania, Australia)
- Giedre Kligyte (TD School, University of Technology Sydney, Australia)
- Payal Maharaj (University of Queensland, Australia, country of origin: Fiji)
- Jason Prior (Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney, Australia)
- Melissa Robson-Williams (Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, New Zealand-Aotearoa)
Contact Us
If you have questions about the ITD Alliance Oceania Regional Network, please contact Caryn Anderson, Interim Executive Secretary of the ITD Alliance at: caryn.anderson@itd-alliance.org.
Oceania Map
Thanks to Dr. Erin Walsh, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health (NCEPH) at The Australian National University (ANU) for producing the image. The countries included are taken from the online version of the United Nations publication “Standard Country or Area Codes for Statistical Use” (https://unstats.un.org/unsd/methodology/m49/; see geographic regions in the left hand side menu).