How can research infrastructure help people do more with data and show the difference their work makes?
AURIN will explore this question at eResearch Australasia 2026, with three presentations from Dr Loren Bruns Jr and Dr Masoud Rahimi, plus a collaborative Birds of a Feather discussion alongside representatives from the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) and the wider research infrastructure community for a Birds of a Feather session.
Held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the conference’s theme, “Celebrating our Past – Shaping our Future”, offers a timely setting to discuss AURIN’s next chapter. For the research community, eResearch brings together the digital tools, data, infrastructure and expertise that support collaboration and discovery.
Spending time with our community
We’re looking forward to spending time with partners and researchers, hearing about their work and exchanging ideas. This is part of AURIN’s community engagement: understanding research needs, sharing what we are learning and exploring where collaboration can help.
AURIN connects urban researchers and decision-makers with data, expertise and partners for the benefit of Australia’s cities, regions and communities. These relationships underpin our work across climate change, energy transition and demographic transformation: challenges that require place-specific evidence and connections between research, policy and practice.
Join our Wednesday presentations
On Wednesday 28 October, Dr Loren Bruns Jr and Dr Masoud Rahimi will share three perspectives on research infrastructure and its impact:
1:40–2:00 pm | Olympic 1 | AURIN Turns 16: A Coming-of-Age Story
Loren will explore AURIN’s evolution, including the Node Network and expert support that helps research partners access and work with hard-to-get data.
2:00–2:20 pm | Olympic 1 | Show and Tell: Data Storytelling as a Research Infrastructure Enablement Strategy
Masoud will draw on AURIN Data Tales to explore how worked examples help researchers recognise what data could contribute to their own questions and make findings accessible to wider audiences.
2:40–3:00 pm | Dillbabiik | From Patchwork to Pipeline: AI-Powered Impact Intelligence for National Research Infrastructure
Masoud will discuss AURIN’s approach to bringing evidence of research use and impact into a reproducible pipeline, supporting clearer reporting of the value of research infrastructure.
Continue the conversation on Thursday
Masoud will also join colleagues from the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) and across the sector for the Birds of a Feather session, “Enabling research impact: Connecting national infrastructure to institutional success”.
The discussion will explore how local support, skills and clearer pathways can help researchers make greater use of national digital research infrastructure. Join the conversation on Thursday 29 October at 11:40 am in Keith Miller.
All session times are AEDT. If you’re attending, come along and say hello. We’d love to hear what you’re working on and where data, expertise or a new connection could help.
View the conference program: https://conference.eresearch.edu.au/program/
Don’t miss out! Join us at eResearch to hear from our team of research infrastructure experts! https://conference.eresearch.edu.au/registration/