(L-R) Dr Richard Savery, Department of Media, Communications, Creative Arts, Language and Literature; Dr Lucinda McRobb, Macquarie Medical School; Dr Lara Moroko, program facilitator; Professor Ray Laurence, Department of History and Archaeology; Wendy Lipworth, Department of Philosophy; Dr Dalbir Ahlawat, Department of Security Studies and Criminology

---

The finals of the Incubator’s seven-week Researchers’ IMPACT Program took place on Monday 24 October, with ten finalists pitching their research idea to a panel of industry experts.

Professor Ray Laurence from the Department of History and Archaeology received first prize for his pitch ‘Making Animated Films for High School Educators’ and secured $20,000 in seed funding to increase the impact of his research.

Dr Richard Savery from the Department of Media, Communications, Creative Arts, Language and Literature and Professor Wendy Lipworth from the Department of Philosophy were runners-up. Savery’s pitch ‘Musical Captcha’ outlined a new approach to internet security using AI-driven emotional music to improve web safety and enjoyment. Lipworth’s pitch focused on Attest, an online tool for identifying and managing conflicts of interest.

Laurence would like the Incubator’s Research IMPACT Program to become available as part of the University’s Outside Studies Program.

“It is excellent training and provides a network of friends to discuss impact and all the things we don’t want to do as researchers, including presenting to businesses.”

Laurence says he will use the seed money to collaborate with animators and pitch animated films to major content distributors. His YouTube films, A Glimpse of Teenage Life in Ancient Rome and Four Sisters in Ancient Rome, have received 21 million views, and he is currently working with the NSW Department of Education on a film for HSC Ancient History Students.

“The Researcher IMPACT Program was developed by the Office of Commercialisation and Macquarie University Incubator in 2020,” explains Melissa Ryan, Director, Incubation and Entrepreneurship. “It empowers researchers and HDR candidates with the skills and knowledge to explore the commercialisation of their ideas. It also provides practical advice on how to pitch and develop value propositions to secure funding in a competitive landscape.”

Program finalist and Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Macquarie Medical School Dr Lucinda McRobb agrees: “By completing this program, I have learnt new skills that are applicable to the commercialisation of my work and to many things I do as part of my job such as writing grant applications and delivering presentations and pitches.”

The dates for the next Macquarie Researchers’ IMPACT Program will be available soon. If you would like to know more about the program, contact Melissa Ryan melissa.ryan@mq.edu.au.