NTU-CEE Distinguished Seminar Series: Professor Jennifer Whyte

Organized By

CEE Seminar Committee

Host By

Associate Professor Tiong Lee Kong, Robert

Topic

Project Leadership and Construction Innovation: International Research and Industry Transformation

About the Seminar

How can the construction sector innovate? The talk will have three parts, covering research and research-led policy engagement.

The first provides an overview of the John Grill Institute for Project Leadership at the University of Sydney, Australia, describing our work on leadership in a changing world, with a focus on project models and digital transformation, organizational dynamics of projects, and projects for sustainable and just futures; and our recent agenda on outcomes, productivity and collaboration.

The second focuses on our research on systemic innovation in construction. It will consider the motivations for and international experiences of industry transformation, for example outlining current Australian strategies on housing, and the UK’s recent 'Transforming Construction' initiative.

The third will describe a few projects in our recent and ongoing research, particularly on interface management, project success, project leadership, collaboration and making futures.

About the Speaker

Professor Jennifer Whyte is Director of the John Grill Institute for Project Leadership at the University of Sydney and is a Professor in the School of Project Management, in the Faculty of Engineering. To understand project leadership in a changing world, she leads a multidisciplinary team of researchers that combine insights from the field and the lab.

Work in the field seeks to understand the challenges for engineers and managers on major projects and work in the lab develops next generation digitally-enabled solutions. She has particular interests in design change, systems integration, future making and how digital information transforms delivery of major projects.

Her research has significant impact on transforming industry and policy, through participation in Advisory Boards, notably the main board of the UK Construction Leadership Council (2019-2021) and the Building Safely Committee (2018-2019), set up after the Grenfell Disaster.

Before joining the University of Sydney as a Professor in 2021, having previously held Professorships at Imperial College London and University of Reading, and has been a Visiting Professor at Stanford University. She is a member of the Global Infrastructure Hub Academic Advisory Committee. She is a Policy Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and retains a position at Imperial College London in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Registration

Click here for registration (Closes on 14 June 2024, 09:50 am)