How we work

We deliver academic leadership and guidance, shaped by the research community, to enable enhance, and empower Melbourne's digital research capacity.

Digital Research Academic Convenorship team

The DRAC team (formerly Petascale Campus) act as facilitators across a broad portfolio. The team focus on strategic areas such as Research Data Management, Research Software Engineering, and Digital Infrastructure and Resources and provide advice and support across the areas below.

Image for Headshot of Dougie

Prof Dougie Boyle

Senior Academic Convenor, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences

View Find an Expert profile.

dboyle@unimelb.edu.au
Image for Headshot of Philip

Dr Philip Dart

Academic Convenor, Computing and Information Systems

View Find an Expert profile.

philip.dart@unimelb.edu.au
Image for Headshot of Aleks

Dr Aleks Michalewicz

Academic Convenor, Melbourne Data Analytics Platform

View Find an Expert profile.

aleksm@unimelb.edu.au
Image for Dr Alex Fournier-Level

Dr Alex Fournier-Level

Academic Convenor, Biosciences

View Find an Expert profile.

alexandre.fournier@unimelb.edu.au
Image for Headshot of Marlaina

Marlaina Read

Research Communications and Engagement Lead

View LinkedIn or personal website.

marlaina.read@unimelb.edu.au

Main functions

An artist’s illustration of artificial intelligence (AI). This image represents the concept of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). It was created by Domhnall Malone as part of the Visualising AI project launched by Google DeepMind.

Faculty Academic Convenorship

Academic consultation across the academy on university digital research initiatives and policies

  • Consultation and communication of Faculty needs regarding central digital research infrastructure and services
  • Engagement across Faculties regarding central digital research services and strategies including platforms, Research Computing Services and Scholarly Services
  • Engagement with Faculty leadership (e.g. Deans, Associate Deans of Research (CADRE) and Faculty Research Managers)
  • Support and advancement of channels to direct researchers to appropriate digital research teams and resources
  • Engagement with MCRIP Platforms including liaison with the Melbourne Data Analytics Platform (MDAP)
  • Support for digital research skills training engagement

External academic engagement (digital focus)

An academic focal point for Australian digital activities requiring University-wide response or engagement

  • Provide convening functions for UoM responses to strategic national digital consultations
  • Provide convening functions around LIEF grant submissions
  • Contribute to national schemes and initiatives via NCRIS and related schemes

Get in touch with the team

Strategic focus areas

Research Software Engineering (RSE)

Improving access, productivity, outcomes, and impact for research software engineering at the University, through a proposed RSE Central Platform that supports community building, employment security, and defined career paths.

Learn more about this priority

Digital Research Capability

We recognise there is current unevenness of service use and maturity across disciplines. To address this, we are undertaking a case study in HASS to build experience and further develop engagement strategies. We spent Q4 2022 to Q1 2023 in research and scoping, and implementing developed strategies throughout 2023.

While there is an initial focus on HASS, engagement in promoting awareness of digital infrastructure and services shall continue across all faculties in 2024.

Read more about this priority

Convenorship as part of the proposed research infrastructure governance model, digital research infrastructure and services

Embeding academic priorities in Digital Research Infrastructure and Services planning and implementation.

  • Contribute to development of research infrastructure and services roadmaps. This will refine academic convenorship activities such as those below:
    • Convene regular meetings of key staff across organisational boundaries
    • Articulate academic needs to assist in the planning of procurement and services
    • Support researcher participation in the Demand Process
    • Convene academic and other stakeholder consultation for the above areas
  • Work collaboratively to help define academic convenorship roles in the coming years.

Research Data Management (RDM)

Advance RDM policy, RDM capabilities and direction

  • Support embedding of RDM policy through Faculties and central University teams
  • Advocate for and advise on RDM service and infrastructure development and delivery
  • Assist in building a roadmap for future RDM developments to cater for emerging academic needs
  • Focus on sensitive research data and stewardship
  • Focus on secure research environments e.g. Citrix Secure Environments and faculty initiatives like MIDL and Patron

We work closely with the Research Data Management Program PC team in this area:

  • Dr Helena Lynn, Program Manager, Research Data Management
  • Dr Kimberly D’Costa, Project Officer, Research Data Management
  • Dr Hywel Stoakes, Senior Support Officer, Research Data Management

COMPLETE: University Research Infrastructure (RI) Ecosystem Roadmap

We provided academic input to the draft roadmap and convenor functions that are a part of it, working in collaboration with the Research Infrastructure team across Chancellery and the COO portfolio to advance research infrastructure coordination.

Who we work with

We work alongside platforms, service providers, Faculties, business units and research teams across the University. In particular we work closely with: