About us

We exist to design and establish new ways of working for universities that foreground collective creativity and productivity.

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Person placing display board on easel exhibition

How we work

The UNSW Innovation Hub tackles a broad variety of problems that differ in size, complexity, and subject matter. We seek out complex challenges that need a collaborative approach and can't be solved by a single discipline.

A lady wearing a VR headset at the Unconvention exhibition in the UNSW Roundhouse
Guests at the Massive Action Sydney Unconvention interacting with the Caring For  Country Leave project team's exhibit space

We affirm that universities exist for the public good by designing and facilitating new ways of working that focus the unique knowledges and resources of UNSW into tangible, and actionable, societal impact.

We bring people together to work on problem-solving, project-based initiatives that are shaped by interdisciplinary practice within inclusive teams and are driven by design-led methodologies. Through this work we collaborate across UNSW and with community, industry, and government partners to design and implement solutions that create societal impact at scale and at pace.

Engagement models

We collaborate and partner with others to solve problems through a number of different models. At the heart of all of these approaches is a commitment to authentic collaboration, an emphasis on diverse perspectives, and a commitment to innovative processes through creative practice.

Testimonials

"The Innovation Hub showcase was the absolute exemplar of all good things universities strive to achieve. There was an almost visible spark of energy in the room between researchers, creators, and industry partners, striving in partnership and purpose to solve big world issues."

Alison Avery - Director, External Engagement and Alumni Experience, UNSW

"It’s been a real privilege to partner with an organisation so passionate about creativity and growing creative talent. The events have been insightful, exciting, and incredibly well managed. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to engage with alumni, students, and practicing creatives at all levels at these events."

Vince Frost - Founder, CEO & Creative Director of Frost*collective

"Collaborating with the Innovation Hub on the UNSW Health Translation Hub project was one of those partnerships you will never forget! Their forward-thinking approach and relentless pursuit of excellence with a genuine multi-disciplinary team approach really helped transform our vision (aka the problem statement!) into a series of creative responses, shaping the evolution of what is a large, complex project."

Dr Zoe Terpening - Pro Vice Chancellor, Precincts, UNSW

"All too often, academic initiatives fail to understand real-world fundamentals. Equally, the private sector often fails to explore problems deeply, or becomes beholden to narrow interests. In my experience, what is so special about the Innovation Hub is that it combines the best of both: an understanding of rich academic research, focused on real-world impact. It truely reflects a collaborative and participatory future and deserves all our attention and support."

Kevin Finn - TheSumOf Founder & Author of
Brand Principles: How to be a 21st Century Brand

"The Innovation Hub is a unique team to partner with. The team has a fantastic combination of strategic, creative, and implementation skills, with a strong body of innovation knowledge assets and tools, and ready access to the amazing intellectual and partnership resources across UNSW… At GHD Digital, we have enjoyed a rich and mutually beneficial partnership, through which we were able to successfully deliver a high-impact, highly engaging industry engagement approach that set a new benchmark for UNSW."

Steve Lennon - GHD Digital Global Client Director (retired)

Meet the team

Collectively, we have deep expertise in design thinking, stakeholder engagement, project management and delivery, and visual communication.

Dr Carly Vickers
Dr Carly Vickers
Director
Dialog
Dr Carly Vickers
Dr Carly Vickers

Dr Carly Vickers

Director

Carly Vickers is the founding Director of the UNSW Innovation Hub. A design practitioner, researcher, and lecturer, she specialises in systems thinking, service design, and concept development with a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and visual communication. Since establishing the ADA Innovation Hub in 2021, Carly has led its evolution into a university-wide initiative aligned with UNSW’s 10-year strategy, Progress for All. She holds a PhD in Interdisciplinary Creative Practice, a Bachelor of Design (Honours), and a Bachelor of Music Studies. 

Before moving into design, Carly worked as a professional musician and conductor - an experience that shapes her approach to leading creative, cohesive teams. Passionate about design as a tool for problem-solving, she blends creativity, strategic foresight and an optimistic approach to help others navigate complexity with clarity and imagination. 

Michaela Turner Headshot
Michaela Turner
Operations Manager
Dialog
Michaela Turner Headshot
Michaela Turner Headshot

Michaela Turner

Operations Manager

Michaela is the Operations Manager of the UNSW Innovation Hub, with nearly two decades spent bringing meaningful ideas to life. With experience spanning landscape architecture, rural health, and project managing research impact and innovation initiatives, she thrives in the fascinating, messy middle where people, projects and problem-solving intersect. A calm presence (provided she’s not presenting!) in complex, multi-stakeholder project-based environments where no two days look the same, she brings broad experience, intuition and pragmatism to decision-making. She believes in creating workplaces where reciprocity and productivity are equally valued, and sees operational leadership as enabling others, building trusted relationships and fostering teams where people feel supported, have agency, and love what they do.

Rogaya Alkaff Headshot
Rogaya Alkaff
Senior Administrative Officer
Dialog
Rogaya Alkaff Headshot
Rogaya Alkaff Headshot

Rogaya Alkaff

Senior Administrative Officer

Rogaya is the Senior Administrative Officer at the UNSW Innovation Hub, where she shapes the systems and processes that keep its projects and people connected, and its events running smoothly. Her career has taken her from leading sustainability behaviour change and fresh produce marketing programs, to music PR and teaching kindy – experiences that have deepened her understanding of how people collaborate, learn and take action. With multiple qualifications in marketing, as well as in science and accounting, she brings both structure and insight to the Hub’s work, combining a strategic approach to engagement with a love of well-designed systems that make good ideas easy to deliver.

Jen Xiang Headshot
Jen Xiang
Project Manager
Dialog
Jen Xiang Headshot
Jen Xiang Headshot

Jen Xiang

Project Manager

Jen is Project Manager of the UNSW Innovation Hub with an academic background in science and environmental economics. She brings analytical rigour and a strategic, cross-disciplinary lens to her work at the Innovation Hub. Jen has managed complex projects spanning digital innovation and capacity-building in health and education, drawing on her experience across higher education, government, and the private sector. Jen is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) and is passionate about thoughtful scaffolding that makes complex ideas shareable and actionable. Powered by strong tea and even stronger curiosity, Jen is said to be approachable (so it must be true!) and amenable to meandering convos that inevitably result in 20-plus browser tabs.

Paul Matthews
Paul Matthews
Design Strategist
Dialog
Paul Matthews
Paul Matthews

Paul Matthews

Design Strategist

Paul is a Design Strategist with rigorous curiosity and over 18 years in the higher education, government, and creative sectors. With a BDA in Design from NIDA, he has a practice in performance and communication design, previously working in the UNSW Creative Practice Lab and freelance as a designer, educator, and creative producer. Bringing a dramaturgical and process-driven approach, he applies expertise in creative literacies, collective ideation, and practical distillation to enable, amplify and connect the work of others. Utilising the power of play and an ability to nerd-out on any topic, Paul fosters inclusive, life-centred processes to collaboratively develop creative solutions and contribute to the Hub’s can-do culture.

Shriya Srinagesh Headshot
Shriya Srinagesh
Design Strategist
Dialog
Shriya Srinagesh Headshot
Shriya Srinagesh Headshot

Shriya Srinagesh

Design Strategist

Shriya is a Design Strategist in the UNSW Innovation Hub. With qualifications in design strategy and innovation, and a background in architecture, she brings experience across higher education and start-ups in urban design, advertising and NGOs. A creative and data-informed thinker, she specialises in design research, systems thinking and storytelling, she is passionate about values-led work and using design to create impact. She brings a thoughtful, curious and collaborative energy to her work, supporting teams at the Innovation Hub to move from ideas to impact through strategic and human-centred design.

George Newton
George Newton
Graphic Design & Communications Officer
Dialog
George Newton
George Newton

George Newton

Graphic Design & Communications Officer

George is a Graphic Design & Comms Officer in the UNSW Innovation Hub with over 10 years creative experience. He holds a Master’s in Communication Design and has previously worked in design agencies, education and in-house as a multi-disciplinary designer and educator. George is a conceptual thinker specialising in creative design solutions that resonate with diverse audiences. He has a passion for ideas and making impact through human-centred design. In the UNSW Innovation Hub, George offers highly caffeinated creative leadership, and expertise in visualising complex information, creating clear and engaging solutions which help the team collaborate on projects to magnify its societal impact. He is also known for his (at times terrible) British humour.