My teaching, research and consulting is in strategy, innovation and entrepreneurship with a special interest is design thinking, data science, urban planning and open innovation.  I work at the Business School of the University of Technology Sydney where I am Associate Professor and Director Entrepreneurship. I look after the MBA Entrepreneurship  and the Bachelor of Entrepreneurship (Hons) degrees. I am also the Founder of U.lab, a platform for innovation projects and research.

I have always been curious about how things work and how to make them better: taking things apart, asking lots of questions, fixing and building stuff in the family workshop. From being fascinated with function and technology, I went on to study context and behaviour to understand the role that humans have in making innovation happen. Collaborative human ingenuity is what interests me most.

I collaborate broadly and have published my work in academic journals and books. I have been granted numerous research and teaching grants as well as honours for my innovative and practice oriented approach including an Australian national recognition with the B/HERT Entrepreneurship Educator of the year award.

I provide insight into emerging trends, alternate perspectives and fresh ideas to a number of private and government organisations including the City of Sydney, Business Events Sydney, Transport for NSW,  the Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade and many others.

I always enjoy meeting people and making new connections. While I spend the most time in Sydney, I enjoy regular visits to other favourite places including Berlin, Vancouver and New York.

@be_syd

• Corporate design innovation initiatives – A case study of an ASX listed company and its innovation journey (2017-)
• Sydney School of Entrepreneurship – Academic guidance for a new statewide initiative. Development of courses in collaboration with other partner institutions (2017-2019)
• Bachelor of Entrepreneurship (Hons) – Reimagination of the Honours degree as a pan-university pathway to student entrepreneurship (2017-2019)
• Creating customer-centric organisations: The value of design artefacts – Thesis supervision and research support (2014-2019)
• Engaging SMEs in sustainable urban strategies to build their innovation capacity: comparing two cities (CBSI) – A study and exchange between Sydney and Rotterdam supported by a European Union ERSAMUS+ Mobility grant (2018-2021)
• Organisations in times of disruption: Towards a data-driven framework for sustained competitive advantage – A study of how emerging technologies like AI, blockchain and big data affect strategic decision making and organisational governance (2016-2018)
• MBA in Entrepreneurship – Development and management of an innovative and immersive study experience for budding entrepreneurs and change makers (2015-)
• Innovation and Design Thinking Mindset – A study of behaviours and attitudes that underlie human centred innovation (2015-2018)
• Social Entrepreneurship and Financing Strategy Interventions – A study of the Indo pacific start-up support system and new tools and methods to support aid and development in the region (2016-2017)
• Climate Adapted People Shelter – A design competition and smart open city innovation experiment using an open and human centered approach (2015-2016)
• CityLife UDIA – A study of urban connectivity (2016)
• Innovation Report – A study of Australian boards and executive teams (2015-2016)
• Design Leadership – A global study of design thinking mindset and leadership capabilities (2014-2017)
• Entrepreneurial work spaces – A study of co-working and creative spaces for innovation (2012-2017)
• U.lab – An innovation space and design thinking education and research program  (2011-2014)
• Groundbreaker – A study of open innovation and collaborative creativity in partnership with the Australian Design Centre (2012)
• NFC Futures – An industry enabled student project to imagine and prototype new future applications for NFC (2012)
• BikeTank – A series of 13 public workshops for urban design thinking and entrepreneurship (2011-2013)
• Soft Lines – An exhibition of serendipity in spaces of innovation and creativity (2012)
• Creative Minds – A design thinking teaching program for undergraduate students and a video case study (2011-2012)
• Skateistan – A real case teaching student project and case study of a non-for profit skateboarding school in Afghanistan (2010-2011)
• Powerhouse Museum –  A real case teaching student project and case study of a major Australian museum (2010)
• Sydney Cove Oyster Bar – A real case teaching student project and case study of am iconic Sydney restaurant (2009)
• Dynamic Innovation Capabilities – An empirical study of service innovation capabilities in Australia (2009)
• StrategyTube – A collection of 13 video case studies of leading Australian corporate strategy managers (2008)
• Modulbox – A real case teaching student project and case study of a innovative German design company (2008)
• Collaboration for New Product Development – An empirical study of new product development capabilities in strategic business alliances (2009)
• Alliance Governance & Leadership – A study of governance and leadership and their performance implications in strategic alliances (2006-2008)
• Transdisciplinary Innovation – A conceptual study of transdiscilplinnary innovation capabilities in Australia (2007)