Why isn't research changing the world? | Iain White | TEDxUniversity of Waikato
Professor Iain White was the final speaker, contemplating ongoing research challenges and how policy, funding, and research are intertwined, before ending with a compelling quote: "Every disaster movie begins with a scientist being ignored" Iain White has been Professor of Environmental Planning since 2013 and is currently the Assistant Vice-Chancellor Impact. Prior to this he was the Director of the Centre for Urban and Regional Ecology at the University of Manchester in the UK.He was previously the Associate Dean Research for Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Science (2020-23), a Hallsworth visiting Professor at the University of Manchester, UK (2018-2019) and is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia (2019-2022) and an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Manchester (2022-2024). In 2020 he won the University of Waikato Vice Chancellor's award for Research Excellence and in 2021 the New Zealand Planning Institute John Mawson Award of Merit. He is also the Co-Chair of the Australasian Cities Research network and was previously Chair of the Hamilton Arts Trust, which designs and organizes the successful BOON Street Art festivals. He is currently New Zealand's National Contact Point for the European Union Horizon Europe programme for 'Climate, Energy, and Mobility'.He is the author of four books. 'Environmental Planning in Context' (2015) with Palgrave and 'Water and the City' (2010) published by Routledge. His most recent books are: The Routledge Companion to Environmental Planning (2019), with Prof Simin Davoudi (University of Newcastle, UK), Prof Hilda Blanco (USC Price, US), and Richard Cowell (University of Cardiff, UK); and Why Plan? Theory for Practitioners (2019) with Prof Graham Haughton (University of Manchester, UK). He has over 50 peer reviewed articles or book chapters.He has led or co-led over 20 research projects, many of which are within multi-million dollar programmes. These awards have come from a number of sources: research councils, the European Union, government agencies, NGOs, the Asia-Pacific network and the private sector. He is currently leading teams of researchers in the National Science Challenge: Resilience to Natures Challenges ($40m, 2019-2024), Natural Hazards Commission ($450,000, 2024-2026) and also the MBIE Endeavour project 'Reducing flood inundation hazard and risk across Aotearoa-New Zealand' ($15.5m, 2020-2025).To support this approach he is also active in science communication and engagement. He is a TEDx speaker and often presents to stakeholders, chairs public debates, and has frequently been interviewed by the press, including for The Guardian, BBC TV, BBC Radio, TVNZ, Stuff, The NZ Herald, The Spinoff, Dominion Post, The New York Times, and RadioNZ. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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