THE GRIP CHRONICLE - Monash University
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SEPTEMBER, 2018 VOL. 1
THE GRIP CHRONICLE
Mon ash Un iversity Behaviour Chan ge Graduate Research
In dustry Partn ership (GRIP) program update
Behaviour Change GRIP ABOUT THE CHRONICLE
off and running Given the number of successful PhD
candidates (18) in the program, and
Welcome to the first edition of the bi-annual Behaviour industry partners (eight in all), the
Change Graduate Research Industry Partnership (GRIP) students decided to break the
Chronicle, produced by BehaviourWorks Australia with Chronicle down into themes,
the self-proclaimed "GRIPsters". beginning with some of the
environmentally-focused behaviour
As many of the program's successful PhD candidates change projects being undertaken by
(pictured above) note, there’s a fine line between anxiety the candidates with Environment
and excitement and it’s safe to say they felt a bit of both Protection Authority and the
during the first week of the program back in March. Department of Environment, Land,
That said, there was little time for contemplation, as the Water and Planning (page 6).
first weeks of the program were a whirlwind of campus
The Behaviour Change GRIP is the
tours, introductions, events and partner visits as well as
fifth to be supported by Monash
a headlong dive into behavioural science.
University through its Graduate
Research Industry Partnership
The students went on to spend seven-weeks with their
program. We are grateful to the
industry partners, presenting situation reports at a
GRIP partners (back page) for
special symposium in July (page 4). Fast forward to
supporting the next generation of
today, and the students are now fully immersed in their
behaviour change experts.
research projects. Further updates on these will be
reported on in the next edition. www.monash.edu/graduate-research
/partnerships/grip
SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 1 GRIP Events GRIP Events Above: At the official Monash University launch. Monash University Vice-Provost, Faculty and Top left: GRIP Co-Director, Professor Felix Graduate Affairs, Professor Matthew Gillespie (also Mavondo, Faculty of Business and Economics, right) and VicHealth CEO, Jerril Rechter. Below left Monash Sustainable Development Institute Chair, (above): Professor Thwaites chats to GRIPsters Professor John Thwaites, GRIP Co-Director, Michaela Lang (middle), Melissa Hatty (middle BehaviourWorks Australia Director, Liam Smith, right), Lisa Brocker (far right) and Priscilla Weaver. GRIP orientation Above: To familiarise the GRIPsters with Monash finding 24 locations and providing evidence that University's Clayton Campus, which covers over they had been there by taking a selfie. There was 1.1 km², the GRIP management team set them a fierce competition for prizes in categories such as fun orienteering challenge. They were tasked with ‘Fastest Back’ and ‘Most Intrusive photoshoot’!
SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 1
Message from Message from Monash University Senior Industry, Alumni
BehaviourWorks Australia and Community Officer, Renata Diaz.
Director, Liam Smith
The Behaviour Change GRIP is GRIPs are an example of the
part of a community of GRIPs enterprising approach Monash
that is Monash University's University has adopted to
answer to growing connections delivering research capabilities
between research and industry. and education, and makes
Monash one of the leading
Industry partners are able to universities enabling our
gain access to exceptional students to engage with
researchers, while Monash global organisations.
researchers are able to share
knowledge and insights across We encourage GRIPs to share
disciplines within the GRIP and ideas and experiences, and look
across multiple GRIPs in the forward to building cross-
Monash community. faculty partnerships.
From the seed of an
idea conceived more than two
years ago, on 26 March this Professional Development program
year we welcomed 18 behaviour
change PhD candidates to the A key component of the During March and April,
fold. Behaviour Change GRIP is several MSDI and BWA
the professional development researchers, as well as BWA
The students, who are co- program, which has so far partner organisation
located within the Monash included a Behaviour Change representatives, talked to the
Sustainable Development Science Accelerator to GRIP students about how they
Institute's headquarters in introduce the students to could get the most out of their
Clayton and the partner offices, behavioural theory and industry placements.
bring with them significant practice.
industry experience, having This included the Environment
previously worked in areas “Because there is no Protection Authority's Dr
coursework in the GRIP PhD Stefan Kaufman (who is on
such as law, medicine,
program, we created a training secondment to BWA) and Zaida
journalism and urban planning.
component to enable the Contreras, as well as MSDI
They also have life experiences
students to successfully Sustainable Development
that make them highly Education Program expert, Dr
participate in the PhD process
empathetic to the study of and gain the technical and soft Céline Klemm and BWA
human behaviour. skills they needed to become researchers, Mark Boulet and
‘industry ready’,” explains Breanna Wright.
While the GRIP program is professional development
primarily aimed at addressing coordinator, Sarah Kneebone. The students also heard about
the partners' problems, there BWA's Researcher in Residence
are far-reaching benefits for Sarah, who recently submitted program and from behavioural
the Australian community, as her own PhD thesis while economist, Edwin Ip.
the program allows us, and our working as a BehaviourWorks
partners, to build relationships Australia (BWA) researcher, GRIPster Lisa Wheildon says
across campus and mobilise collaborated with the Monash the professional development
Monash University expertise Sustainable Development program was "intense and
around real-world problems. Institute (MSDI) and BWA rewarding" and that her fellow
teams to develop and deliver a students now feel better
stimulating syllabus that equipped to start tackling their
This is the next of generation
included practical examples of research topics.
change champions and we will
what is is like to work in situ
eagerly follow their progress.
with the partners.
GRIP Chronicle/03
SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 1
Fun facts from the GRIP Symposium
GRIP Symposium
Cold is a contributing factor The first GRIP Student Symposium was held on 19 July at the
to 6.5% of deaths in Monash Sustainable Development Institute's offices in Clayton.
Australia but only 3.9% of
deaths in Sweden. The event provided 17 of the 18 PhD candidates with an
Plastic Free July started in opportunity to practice their presentation skills in front of a
Western Australia in 2011 friendly audience while giving the partners (see back page) an
and now has participants overview of what they had learned as part of their seven-week
in more than 170 countries.
industry placements.
The first 'road' to be built in
Victoria by European settlers
At the conclusion of their placements, the students were required
was on Phillip Island (Vic)
to write a situation report and present a seven-minute summary at
two centuries ago. However,
the indigenous population the symposium on:
already had a well-
established network of trade - the partner organisation and its structure
routes guided by star maps. - the history and context of the research topic
There is evidence to suggest - work already undertaken by the organisation on the topic
that many Australian roads - ideas for the future direction of the research, and
overlap these ancient star - availability and access to data and resources.
maps.
Australia Post operates the In addition to their placements, the students also attended site
country’s largest retail visits to all of the partners' offices, so they had a better
network, with 4,379 Post understanding of the projects that their fellow GRIPsters would be
Offices. This includes 2,546 working on over the course of their PhD journey.
in rural and remote areas
and 2,880 Licensed Post
Offices, giving them four
times as many outlets as all
Australian government
agencies combined.
The EPA has been in
operation in Victoria since
1971. Established by the
Environment Protection Act
in 1970, it is the second
oldest such insitute in the
world behind the US.
Established in 1987 by the
Victorian Parliament out of
the Tobacco Act (1987), and
funded by a tax on tobacco,
VicHealth was the world’s
first Health Promotion
Foundation. It enjoys a
unique position of holding
tri-partisan political support
on its Board.
The known drivers of
violence against women are
gender inequality, rigid
gender stereotypes, and
aggression towards and
Presenting at the Student Symposium - left: Eunice Wong, top right: Fareed Kaviani,
disrespect of women.
bottom right: Wing Hsieh.
SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 1
Behavioural
Exchange
L to R: Nadia Chaves, Wing Hsieh, Cass
Guest lectures Sunstein, Kylie Lewis and Lisa Wheildon,
It's no wonder many of the Jo is a sociologist whose
research focuses on over- In late June, four GRIPsters
GRIPsters have been overheard
consumption in families and joined BehaviourWorks staff in
saying their "heads are
communities and its impact on Sydney to attend the biggest
spinning". Over the past few
the environment. dedicated behaviour change
months, they have heard from
event of the year: BX2018 - the
influential 'thinkers and doers'
5 July - Professor John Behavioural Exchange
including:
Thwaites Topic: Sustainable Conference.
10 May - Sam Hannah-Rankin Development Goals
Professor Thwaites is Chair of The conference brought 600
Topic: Innovation in the
the Monash Sustainable academics, policy-makers,
Public Sector
Development Institute, which economists and behavioural
Sam is Director of Public
includes BehaviourWorks insights enthusiasts together to
Sector Innovation for the
Australia. Formerly Deputy hear from some of the world's
Department of Premier and
Premier of Victoria, Professor leading thinkers and doers in the
Cabinet in Victoria. Sam is
Thwaites was named one of the rapidly-emerging field of
responsible for the Victorian
top 100 Global Sustainability behaviour change. The topics were
Government’s Behavioural
Leaders in 2012. as broad as neuroscience, big
Insights Unit as well as a
data, health and morality.
broader range of activities and
functions to accelerate 2 August - Liam Smith Topic:
Systemic behaviour change - Among the conference highlights
innovation across the
behaviour change and the was a stimulating session
Victorian public sector.
SDGs on"Second Generation Nudges",
Liam is Director of which was co-presented by
24 May - Peter Singer Topic:
BehaviourWorks Australia and BehaviourWorks Director, Liam
Ethics of behaviour change
one of the country's Smith.
programs (picture above)
Professor Singer is one of the leading behaviour change
experts. Other highlights included
world's leading ethical and
presentations from Martin
political philosophers, best
30 August - John Merritt, Parkinson, Secretary of the
known for his work in
former CEO of VicRoads Department of the Prime Minister
bioethics and his intellectual
Topic: How research fits into and Cabinet, and Cass Sunstein
contribution to the modern
government programs. (above), the world-renowned
animal rights movement.
American legal scholar and
Coming up in September - author who is also known as the
7 June - Jo Lindsay, Monash
Michael Daddo, Managing co-father of modern nudge.
University School of Social
Sciences Topic: Sociology and Partner of The Shannon
behaviour change Company. Topic: GRIP Chronicle/05
Communications.
SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 1
Report from the Department of Environment, Land, Water
and Planning (DELWP) PhD candidates
The DELWP GRIPsters
are tackling four
energy and environment
related challenges as part
of their PhDs: energy
transformation, energy
performance in rental DELWP GRIPsters (l to r): Dominique McCollum Coy, Kim Borg,
housing, biodiversity and Melissa Hatty and Michaela Lang
single-use plastics.
Policy forum you see on TV when there’s a free reusable bags indefinitely
bushfire or other emergencies. (for about 24 hours) until the
We were lucky enough to start Staff from all over DELWP are backlash on the backflip
our placement at DELWP in the trained to drop their day jobs resulted in a double-
same week as a department- and take up emergency roles somersault, announcing a new
wide forum on techniques for when there’s a crisis. end date of 31 August.
better policy outcomes.
The big question on everyone’s
Highlights included hearing minds now is how the
about how the traditional Project news supermarket ban is going to
owners of the Yarra River affect DELWP’s statewide
helped to craft the Yarra River A package of reforms to the
plastic bag ban, due to come
Protection Act (2017) and being Residential Tenancies Act went
into effect by the end of 2019.
introduced to Moore’s Strategic to parliament on 7 August this
Triangle as a way of thinking year. One of the most
about creating public value. newsworthy reforms is one Student symposium
Good policy requires all three that makes it easier for renters
to keep pets. Most interesting As highlighted on page 4, on 19
sides of the triangle: legitimacy
to Michaela, whose research
and support, a public value July, the day we had been
topic is improving energy
account and operational working towards during
efficiency for rental properties,
capacity. is that the proposed changes placement arrived. The Student
would allow renters to make Symposium represented
Fun DEWLP facts minor changes without both the culmination and
landlord's permission and the a celebration of everything we
1. Did you know that DELWP removal of ‘no cause’ evictions. have learned thus far with our
includes a research institute? industry partners and
Researchers in the Arthur Kim, meanwhile, has been all
BehaviourWorks.
Rylah Institute study ecology, over the plastic bags ban. As
biodiversity and how people we know, in July Woolworths
and Coles enacted bans on free Team DELWP kicked off the
interact with nature. Melissa is
lightweight bags, which were proceedings, giving the
working with ARI to better
met with a mixture of audience a big picture overview
understand how caring about
annoyance, praise and of DELWP as an organisation,
nature, and taking action to
frustration. Both supermarkets as well as the machinations of
protect nature, are connected.
responded to the annoyance by the biodiversity, energy sector
offering free reusable plastic
2. Three of the four GRIPsters ... more over ...
bags for a short time, with
work at DELWP's offices in 8 Coles going as far as to offer
Nicholson St in Melbourne. A
trip upstairs reveals the State
Control Centre. This is what
SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 1
Report from DELWP The (GRIPster) Conversation
PhD candidates
Student symposium, cont..
reform and waste teams. This
was done through a series of
insightful soundbites,
academic theories and quotes.
Despite our different individual
experiences during our DELWP
placements, we all came to a
similar conclusion: while
DELWP may be a huge
organisation, filled with
intricate workings, it is
teeming with people genuinely
working to create shared public Kim Borg is undertaking a it continues to exist for
value outcomes and a more PhD with the DELWP on hundreds of years - wreaking
sustainable Victoria. behaviour change programs havoc on the environment.
that supplement a plastic bag
Additionally, there is a lot of The damage of plastic waste
ban and whether behaviours
enthusiasm for applying a was recognised in the
behavioural science lens to that reduce the use of one
government report. But how do
DELWP sustainability kind of plastic can be used to
we initiate such a change? Kim
challenges to complement the encourage other plastic- posited some great ideas on
rigour and evidence that goes reduction behaviours. how behavioural science can
into policy and decision-
break our plastic-addiction.
making. Kim is a regular contributor to
The Conversation and recently
The Coles' plastic bag "debacle"
It is a pleasure to be penned a clever piece entitle:
collaborating with DELWP on (backdown) provided Kim with
How to break up with plastics
our individual projects and we a second bite at the cherry.
(using behavioural science).
are looking forward to a With behavioural economist,
successful ongoing Edwin Ip, Kim wrote a second
The opinion piece responded to
partnership. piece entitled: Why Coles’
the release of an inquiry by the
plastic bag backflip leaves us
Australian Government on the
worse off than before.
waste and recycling industry,
which includes a
Both stories generated plenty
recommendation that Australia
of media interest,with the
phase out petroleum-based
publicity helping to establish
single-use plastics by 2023.
Kim's academic reputation.
As Kim noted, plastic has been
The stories have also been
adopted across a range
read by tens of thousands of
of single-use ‘throw away’
Australians. At this rate, don’t
consumer products because
be surprised if you see Kim in
it’s cheap and versatile. But
the next series on the ABC's
once it enters the waste stream
War on Waste!
GRIP Chronicle/07
SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 1
Report from Environment Protection Authority (EPA) PhD
candidates
Continuing with the The GRIPsters are looking
forward to bringing different
environmental theme, our perspectives to the project
EPA GRIPsters, challenges.
Madeleine Thomas and
"As we work together with
Joel Edwards, are tasked EPA we hope to help shape
with tackling two both risk communication and
significant challenges for regulatory approaches with
What the GRIPsters find most the help of behavioural
an evolving EPA -
inspiring is the passion of EPA change," said Madeleine.
effective risk staff who they found to be both
communication and incredibly knowledgeable and
The journey so far
regulatory committed to protecting the
environment and human health.
transformation. For both Madeleine and Joel,
highlights on the GRIP
So, with Madeleine’s previous
journey so far have been the
work experience in
Fact finding environmental consulting and
behaviour change science
accelerator (page 3) and the
Joel’s in urban and regional
Joel and Madeleine seven-week placement which,
planning, they both fit in very
were surprised to find that EPA they say, "have us well placed
well.
Victoria is the second oldest as we continue working with
Environment Protection our supervisory teams".
Joel spends most of his time
Authority in the world, second
with the Policy and Regulation
only to the United States. While they are now commited
team, which is currently focused
to "hitting the books hard" in
on the Environment Protection
Back in 1971 it was a case of order to progress their
Amendment Bill 2018; a Bill Joel
the Yarra River flowing red projects, Madeleine hasn't
is paying particular attention to
one day, blue the next. wasted time hitting the
with respect to a possible future
Concerned about increased conference circuit either.
General Environmental Duty.
pollution and waste, the
community called on the After being awarded a student
Madeleine has been embedded
government to do something grant, she’ll be heading to
with the Applied Sciences
and thankfully for Victorians, Perth in September to present
Directorate and has been
EPA Victoria was established. at the Australasian College of
discussing public health risks
Toxicology and Risk
with EPA’s experts at the Centre
It has since has played an Assessment's Annual
for Applied Sciences.
important role in protecting Scientific Meeting.
our environment, for everyone.
Student Symposium It’s going to be a fantastic
The authority now has six opportunity for Madeleine to
regional offices covering the The student symposium on 19 test out her early ideas and we
entire state of Victoria, as well July (page 4) provided an can’t wait to hear about it
as locations in the CBD and, as opportunity to give attendees when she returns!
you would expect of a true some background to where EPA
science-based regulator, has come from and where it is
the Centre for Applied Sciences going, particularly with the
at Macleod. recent amendments to the
Environment Protection Act 2017.
GRIP Chronicle/08
SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 1
GRIP Social
Melissa Hatty and partner at Monash
University's Mid Winter ball.
Above and below: Christmas in July celebrations
Kim Borg wins a prize for best dressed
at the Monash Mid winter ball.
GRIP Chronicle/09
SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 1
Visit the GRIP program
page to learn more
As mentioned elsewhere, the
Behaviour Change GRIP is one of five
GRIPs in the Monash University
program.
Monash University library support
Each GRIP responds to demand by the
The Monash University Library is one of Australia's industry partners for researchers who
leading academic libraries, with more than four million are able to straddle the
items in its collection and new resources added daily to research/industry divide and apply
ensure Monash staff and students have access to the their expertise to solving real-world
latest resources for teaching and learning. problems.
Over the past few months, Monash librarians This is a very interesting program
have demonstrated their skills and knowledge by worth spending a few minutes reading
training the GRIP students on how to access databases, about, given the Behaviour Change
how to ask the right research questions, write for GRIPsters may end up collaborating
academic publications and conduct literature reviews. with some of the other students.
GRIP partners are encouraged to join the library as Visit: www.monash.edu/graduate-
members of the general public, which will give them research/partnerships/grip
access to significant resources.
Visit: www.monash.edu/library/community/visiting
Thanks to the GRIP partnersYou can also read
