The Centre for Transformative Innovation is Australia’s foremost research centre studying how ideas, inventions and social networks enhance productivity and innovation. 

We undertake high-quality, independent and impartial applied research and contribute to the development of public policy in Australia. We also analyse the performance of businesses and industries. By emphasising clarity, robustness and veracity, we aim to identify stylised facts about organisations, society and the economy.

Our research programs

Interested in studying a PhD or master’s degree?

We offer supervision to postgraduate research students in the fields of innovation and social network analysis. 

Find out more

Our research in action

Download or watch presentations from expert speakers who have been part of our public lectures, conferences, webinars and seminars. 

Skincare based on science creates jobs

A presentation delivered by Dr Jane Oppenheim in May 2020

The story of Bakers Delight

A presentation delivered by Roger and Lesley Gillespie in May 2020

The next decade for angels and start-ups

A presentation delivered by Jordan Green in February 2020

Our latest events

  • Research
    • Research Impact
    • Innovation
    • Science

    Tom Spurling Oration 2024: Science, Specialisation and the American Innovation Ecosystem

    Join Professor Ashish Arora (Duke University) in our Tom Spurling Oration 2024 as he discusses despite sustained increases in the quantity of scientific knowledge, productivity growth in advanced economies has stagnated.

    Thu 8 February
    6:00 PM to 8:30 PM
    AMDC 301 Lecture Theatre, Hawthorn campus
    Free
    Register now (Tom Spurling Oration 2024: Science, Specialisation and the American Innovation Ecosystem)
  • Research
    • Innovation
    • Research Impact

    Varieties of regional innovation systems around the world and catch up by latecomers: Analysing RIS with patent citation data and policy implications

    Join Distinguished Professor Keun Lee (Seoul National University) to discuss the varieties of regional innovation systems around the world and the catch up by latecomers, the importance of economic development in providing employment and incomes, and the policies that can address poor regional economic development.

    Mon 13 February
    12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
    AGSE301
    Free
    Learn more (Varieties of regional innovation systems around the world and catch up by latecomers: Analysing RIS with patent citation data and policy implications)
  • Research
    • Innovation
    • Research Impact

    Launch of the Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

    Celebrates the re-branding and new home of the Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, and those contributing to its new life.

    Thu 24 November
    5:45 PM to 7:45 PM
    AGSE202, Hawthorn campus
    Free
    Register now (Launch of the Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation)

Our past events

Date  Event  Speaker 
24 November 2022 Launch of the Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Dr Barry Jones
7 November 2022 Tom Spurling Oration: How different types of proximity affect the performance of innovation networks and precincts Professor Ron Boschma
10 June 2021 CTI Public Event: Commercialising Personalised Medicine Dr Alison Todd
Date  Event  Speaker  Presentation 
25 November 2020 COVID-19: The unwelcome messenger of some inconvenient economic and political truths - Can Australia create a lasting and positive economic and political legacy from COVID-19? Mr William (Bill) Scales AO Watch the video
18 November 2020 The future of work will depend on what we value Emeritus Professor Sue Richardson Watch the video
11 November 2020 Lifting the long tail: how to restore employment and find new sources of growth in the post-COVID Australia The Honourable John Brumby AO Watch the video
15 October 2020 Adoption of industry 4.0 in SME

Mond Qu, Founder and Director at United Make (UDMK)

David Kaplan, Managing Director and CEO from Sleep Corp

Brad Clark, Executive General Manager at Keech

Peter Angelico, Founder and Managing Director ABECK Group

Philip Butler, Director at Textor Technologies

Nico Adams, Director Factory of the Future, Swinburne University of Technology

Watch the video
2 September 2020 Working towards a virtual workplace 2020 and beyond Phil Ruthven Watch the video
21 May 2020  CTI Webinar: Skin care based on science creates jobs  Dr Jane Oppenheim  Watch the video
7 May 2020  CTI Webinar: The story of Bakers Delight  Roger and Lesley Gillespie  Watch the video
24 February 2020  The next decade for angels and start-ups  Jordan Green  Download
19 February 2020  Healthy competition, competitiveness challenge of Australia  Arturo Bris   
Date  Event  Speaker  Presentation 
27 November 2019 2019 Tom Spurling Oration Professor David Mowery  
(University of California Berkeley)
Watch the video
17 October 2019 The technology behind better, cheaper solar panels Professor Thorsten Trupke  
(University of New South Wales)
Download [PDF, 3.5MB]
4 July 2019 Synthetic skin cracks global market Professor Anthony Weiss (University of Sydney)  
7 May 2019 Launch of the CRISO Oral History collection Professor Tom Spurling
Professor Ian Raw
Professor Gavin Lambert 
Mr Andrew Stamme
 
26 March 2019 The power of collaboration and translating research discoveries to treatments Associate Professor Peter Czabotar, (WEHI, University of Melbourne) View the collection
4–5 February 2019 Architecture of Insight —  
A data science symposium
   
Date  Event  Speaker 
14 November 2018 2018 Tom Spurling Oration Professor Steve Borgatti
2 November 2018 Current issues in the US patent system Professor Adam Jaffe
8 August 2018 A folklore remedy for skin cancer Dr Jim Aylward
30 May 2018 Wi-Fi commercialising a big idea from Australia Dr John O’Sullivan  
Professor Terry Healy
18 April 2018 Commercialisation of defence tech Darryn Smart (Group Leader, Communications and Electronic Warfare at Defence Science and Technology Group)
Date  Event  Speaker 
4 December 2017 Secular stagnation: History and reality Professor Joel Mokyr
15 November 2017 Tom Spurling Oration: The challenges facing IP systems — researching for the future Professor Rochelle Dreyfus
12 October 2017 Changing the way we build things Professor Mike Xie
27 September 2017 25 years building a blood cancer drug Professor Andrew Wilks
16 August 2017 The economics of science Professor Paula Stephan
12 April 2017 40 years of microfluidic commercialisation Professor Erol Harvey
16 February 2017 The collaboration challenge Professor Kathryn Fagg
Date  Event  Speaker 
25 October 2016 The phenomenon of patent thickets Associate Professor Stefan Wagner
12 September 2016 Putting the plastic mirror on the road Professor Peter Murphy
25 July 2016 Outsourcing your (tech) problems Dr Alexander Gosling 
Associate Professor Kurt Seeman
4 July 2016 Observing our hearing and our pockets Dr Elaine Saunders
25 May 2016 Pitching to large organisations David Thodey
25 May 2016 The biggest game in town: An analysis of the AFL’s vilification policy Associate Professor Dean Lusher
5 May 2016 Frugal innovation for fertilising imagination Professor Anil Gupta
Date  Event  Speaker 
25 November 2015 The politics of industry policy — launch of the Centre for Transformative Innovation Professor Linda Kirstjanson  
The Honourable Ted Bailieu 
Dr Craig Emerson 
Dr Martin Parkinson 
David White
24 November 2015 The challenge of academic patenting Professor Bruno van Pottelsberghe
31 August 2015 The Trans-Pacific Partnership Dr Matthew Rimmer
10 August 2015 The economics of knowledge creation and diffusion Professor Francesco Lissoni
24 June 2015 Board diversity: Beyond political correctness

Professor Linda Kirstjanson

Mr Simon McKeon

Professor Niamh Brennan

Explore more of our centre

Contact the Centre for Transformative Innovation

There are many ways to engage with us. If your organisation is dealing with a complex problem, get in touch to discuss how we can work together to provide solutions. Call us on +61 3 9214 4861 or email cti@swinburne.edu.au.

Contact us