From October 29-31, 2024, we hosted GETCO2’s First Retreat in the picturesque Yarra Valley, Victoria. This milestone event brought together researchers and students from our seven nodes, advisory committee members, associate investigators, and industry partners for the first time.

The retreat featured a mix of engaging research presentations, panel discussions, meetings, and workshops. One highlight was the “Intellectual Property – What Does It Mean to Researchers?” session led by solicitor and IP expert Johnathon Hall. He guided us through the complexities of Intellectual Property (IP) and patents, from idea to commercialisation, and facilitated an insightful panel discussion with our experienced researchers on protecting research innovations.

Another standout session, “Secrets to Success in Delivering a Great Academic Presentation,” was presented by Associate Professor Jingwei Hou. He shared his journey from a young, shy researcher to a confident presenter, offering valuable techniques such as effective body language, authenticity, and simplifying PowerPoint slides to keep the audience engaged.

During the retreat, we also laid the groundwork for forming an Early-/Mid-Career Researcher (EMCR) Committee to represent the voice of GETCO2 EMCRs. This committee will focus on mentoring, capacity building, and networking opportunities for our students and researchers. A dedicated working group presented suggestions for the upcoming work, including research exchange programs, an EMCR seminar series, and an online network hub.

The retreat provided ample time for our research theme and flagship group members to collaborate and refine the strategies for 2025, and for our Centre Management team to review the centre’s performance and develop the annual plan with input from our Advisory Committees, portfolios and node Directors.

Overall, the retreat laid a fantastic foundation for our collaborative efforts towards achieving our goals for 2025 and beyond.

Retreat Highlights

• Participants: 77, including:
  • 4 Advisory Committee Members
  • 8 Associate Investigators
  • 1 Casual researcher
  • 16 Chief Investigators
  • 1 Guest speaker
  • 25 PhD Students
  • 2 Partner Investigators
  • 16 Postdoctoral researchers
  • 4 Professional staff
• Activities: 33 presentations, meetings, workshops, and teambuilding activities
• Special Events:
  • 1 yoga session
  • 1 Halloween Dinner
  • countless kangaroos!