2024 has been an exciting and purposeful year for us at the ANU School of Cybernetics. We delivered the sixth year of our flagship Master of Applied Cybernetics and received a strategic grant to further develop the transdisciplinary capability of cybernetics in undergraduate learning. The Master program continues to drive innovation and expertise in the field, complemented by the far-reaching impacts of Industry-linked PhD projects.
As the end of the calendar year approaches, we wanted to invite you all to pause and rewind with us to celebrate the year that has been.
A Global Stage
This year, the ANU School of Cybernetics made a global impact. We earned Bronze at the QS Reimagine Education awards in Abu Dhabi, participated in a panel with AFRAN and Alliance Française Canberra and contributed at Summer Davos in Dalian, China.
Our school, represented by our new director Professor Katherine Daniell contributed at the Summer Davos World Economic Forum, highlighting the potential of new technologies and how responsible use of these technologies can be used to create a safer, more sustainable, and brighter future for us all.
At SXSW Sydney, Caroline Pegram launched her Residency work Womb Tunes. Professor Andrew Meares and Dr Amy McLennan presented Australian Cybernetic: A Point Through Time, selling out copies of their book. Their talk, Creativity, Cybernetics, and Computers: Insights from 1968 to 2025, could feature at SXSW London 2025 - voting is now open!
Partnering in Responsible Technology
We announced online training alongside Standards Australia to help navigate the adoption of a world-first AI Management Systems Standard and Associate Professor Maia Gould and Ellen O’Brien were featured in the launch of ANU’s Policy brief on How Governments use AI responsibly.
Illuminating Women in Cybernetics
In 2024 we worked to highlight the incredible work of some prominent Cybernetic women, including holding an Ada Lovelace day Wikipedia edit-a-thon and celebrating women throughout history who worked with cybernetics to create a better future.
Amongst this work we celebrated the decades of work from curator Dr Jasia Reichardt, and recognised her crucial contributions to the field of Cybernetics through awarding her an Honorary Doctor of Letters. Dr Jasia Reichardt is the first honorary doctorate at the ANU School of Cybernetics, marking a huge milestone for our new school.
Cybernetics Research in the World
This year, we launched the Complexity Leadership Lab, and strengthened networks at the AI and Other Scientific Fables Symposium. Professor Chris Danta FAHA was named a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities for his outstanding research contributions.
Our PhD cohort took cybernetics global. Danny Bettay explored adaptive lighting for sustainable communities. Whether presenting, workshopping, publishing or reviewing papers, our PhDs are driving our research agenda forward. Check out the world map to see where they’ve made their mark.
Amplifying First Nations Voices
In collaboration with Gabriela Ferraro and Dr Safiya Okai-Ugbaie, Professor Angie Abdilla delivered Indigenous Protocols for Artificial Intelligence (IP//AI), along with launching her Cybernetic Imagination Residency Meditation on Country at ISEA2024, Everywhen. Professor Bradley Moggridge collaborated with Professor Katherine Daniell to write a blue paper on Indigenous Water Engineering, which was launched at the World Water Forum in Bali represented by Jason Wilson and Kye Moggridge.
In Reconciliation Week we launched the work of Dr Ambelin Kwaymullina, Indigenous Futurisms and AI as part of her Cybernetic Imagination Residency. Ambelin joined us from Whadjuk Nyoongar Country and was welcomed across sky Country to Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country by Aunty Dr Matilda House for the celebrations.
Transformational Education
Our maturing Learning Experience (LX) program has grown exponentially this year! We’ve spent time teaching over 600 participants across government, industry, consultancy and start-ups. With lots of teaching confirmed over the next 3 years we’re ready to equip more people with tools to navigate complexity for safer, sustainable futures.
We welcomed our 3Ai and Cybernetic alumni/family back to the school for a professional development event and reunion enabling connection to the school and showcased their transformational experiences post study.
In its sixth year, the Master of Applied Cybernetics program delivered standout moments. Student projects impressed, Dr Safiya Okai-Ugbaje’s earned a commendation for the VC’s Award for Teaching Excellence, and Jo Clay MLA welcomed our cohort to the ACT Legislative Assembly.
A past student summed it up:
“This program exceeded my expectations. It unlocked creativity, built connections, and changed my career path. I’m ready for new opportunities.”
External Collaborations
Dr Ben Swift and Dr Jess Herrington were awarded a Google Research grant looking at the Future of Creativity: Long term Relationships with Generative AI images and Dr Hannah Feldman and Professor Katherine Daniell will lead and co-lead new projects on leadership and future governance models in the Murray-Darling Basin as a part of the OneBasin CRC.
The School of Cybernetics also contributed to the Fantastic Futures Conference 2024 which attracted international audiences from the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museum (GLAM) sector including a keynote from PhD Scholar Kathy Reid, Imaginative Restoration work with NIDA with PhD Scholar Charlotte Bradley, and a side event Traces and Places: Empowering GLAM voices to shape AI Futures workshop.
Across the Airwaves
Travelling across the radio waves, appearing on tv, and guest-starring on podcasts, our people have been showing up everywhere! From PhD Scholar Danny Bettay appearing on ABC news and radio to talk about darkening the night sky, to Associate Professor Catherine Ball speaking about future technology on the Today show, to the launch of Dr Aiden M.A. Thornton’s own complexity leadership podcast we’ve compiled 6 podcasts featuring our experts you may like to tune into over your break.
- Dr Aiden M. A. Thornton – Leadership: Navigating Complexity
- Professor Chris Danta – Sci_burst
- Jake Blight - The National Security Podcast
- Professor Angie Abdilla – Tech Mirror Podcast
- Dr Amy McLennen – BBC: The Food Programme
- Holly Hill – ABC: Soul Search
As tempting as it is to press play or even fast-forward on the year ahead, we also acknowledge the essential role that rest plays in allowing us to work hard. It’s time now to pause, rewind, and celebrate before giving everything we have to 2025.
We’ll be hitting pause as a school from 19 December returning 13 January - See you in the New Year!