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As a social scientist and engineer, I am passionate about promoting innovation and entrepreneurship.

With over 25 years of international work experience in engineering, strategy consulting, and academia, I am dedicated to solving social complexities with creativity and humanity.

My diverse experience ranges from researching creative collaboration and strategy to developing future work skills for governments and delivering entrepreneurship curricula. I have raised funds, chaired scholarly conferences and pitch events, evaluated new transport solutions, developed social entrepreneurship policies, and written various books and journal articels.

My goal is to shake up how we think and do things, in order to create new possibilities for the future and unexpected partnerships.

My teaching, research, and consulting are focused on strategy, innovation, and entrepreneurship, with particular interests in design thinking, data science, urban planning, and open innovation. I am currently an Associate Professor and Director of Entrepreneurship at the Business School of the University of Technology Sydney, where I oversee the Executive MBA and the Bachelor of Entrepreneurship (Hons) degrees.

From a young age, I have been fascinated with technology and enjoyed studying behavior to understand how humans play a role in innovation. I value collaborative human ingenuity and am always eager to collaborate and make new connections.

I have received numerous research and teaching grants and honours and I provide insights into emerging trends, alternate perspectives, and fresh ideas to various private and government organizations, such as the City of Sydney, the NSW and Queensland Governments, the Australian Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and many businesses and not for profit organisations.

Although I spend most of my time in Sydney, I enjoy visiting other favourite places like Berlin and Vancouver.

Theories of Strategic Innovation – Book project (2023)
Research into the impact of co-working spaces, accelerators, incubators, and startup hubs on the NSW economy (2023)
The roles of design in strategic management: A practice perspective of strategic design, Thesis supervision and research support (2020-)
Research into the development of innovation precinct performance metrics (2023)
Collaborative knowledge design: People, projects, and partnerships in a climate knowledge innovation community, Thesis supervision and research support (2019-)
Transform with Design – Book project including ten global cases studies of design-led innovation initiatives (2019-2021)
The role of curiosity as a practice in executive decision-making, Thesis supervision and research support (2018-2022)
Design innovation mindset – development of an online short course (2021)
Innovation and design thinking mindset – A study of behaviours and attitudes that underlie human-centred innovation (2015-ongoing)
Development and delivery of innovative education pedagogy for teaching entrepreneurship, European Commission (2019-2022)
Thinking, testing, solving like an entrepreneur – Development of an entrepreneurial short course for HDR students, Australian Technology Network of Universities (2020-2021)
Teaching and learning redevelopment of the Executive MBA (2019-2021)
Corporate design innovation initiatives – A case study of an ASX-listed company and its innovation journey (2017-2021)
Sydney School of Entrepreneurship – Academic guidance for a state-wide initiative. Development of entrepreneurship learning experiences (2017-2019)
Bachelor of Entrepreneurship (Hons) – Re-imagination of the Honours degree as a pan-university pathway to student entrepreneurship (2017-2019)
Creating customer-centric Organizations: The Value of design artifacts – 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-)
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 workspaces – 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 an 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 an 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 innovation capabilities in Australia (2007)

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