A reflection on industry engagement – Matt Doolan

Increasing industry engagement is highlighted as an essential part of creating impact for research and providing students real world experience to increase employability. Over the last 15 years of my career I have been engaging with industry through research, teaching, entrepreneurship and consulting. In this talk I will describe the range of different engagements, from ARC Linkage and Training Centre Grants to industry supported student projects and honours project placements. I will describe some of the different ways that I have established these partnerships and what is involved in maintaining them. The session will provide reflections on what the benefits of this engagement has been, why I find it stimulating and what makes a good partnership. The session will encourage questions and comments from the participants.

Biography

Associate Professor Matthew Doolan has led many industry based projects including process and dimensional control with Ford Australia, supply chain management with Toll Auto Logistics, and Futuris and vehicle recycling with the AutoCRC. He also led the highly acclaimed industry technology roadmapping projects which have led to the establishment of two different CRCs. In 2012 Matthew established ANU Edge to provide research based services to industry and government. Matthew has also been involved in a range of different commercial activities including work with ANU Enterprise and ANU Connect Ventures. Matthew’s work with industry has also involved industry engagement with undergraduate students through coursework and research projects. These include the honours projects with Mars and Futuris Automotive, as well as group projects working with the Canberra Innovation Network and NoWaste ACT. Currently Matt is leading the ANU contribution to the ARC Training Centre of Lightweight Automotive Structures (ATLAS), holds multiple industry funded projects in quality monitoring and recycling and is leading the ANU solar car project.