We are glad to welcome Dr Sae Chi and Gemma Beale, who will be working with AURIN as Domain Specialists. Sae will be focused on transport while Gemma will be focused on industry and innovation.
Sae is a transport economist and an early career researcher at the Planning and Transport Research Centre (PATREC). She holds a PhD in Transport Economics and a Bachelor of Engineering.
She is currently leading a project with iMOVE CRC, DoT (WA) and UWA, identifying opportunities to address transport disadvantage in Perth, as well as a Smart Transport Technology Roadmap with iMOVE CRC, RAC (WA) and UWA.
Sae has industry experience in a range of transport projects (minor to major), primarily in conducting cost benefit analyses for highways, freight railways and intersections. Notably, she has conducted the freight demand forecasting and economic assessment for the Townsville Eastern Access Rail Corridor (TEARC) Project.
She has also been awarded the University of Western Australia Aspire Award, the Young Researcher Award, the Australasian Prize (Best Student Researcher at an Australian University), the High Degree Research Student Award and the Regional Student Researcher Prize (Queensland and Northern Territory).
‘I am truly excited to join AURIN, contributing to extending digital capability in the Australian research community. I look forward to engaging with transport researchers and stakeholders through a variety of projects.’ — Sae Chi
Gemma is taking on the position of Industry and Innovation Domain Specialist with AURIN as part of her research role at the Australian Industrial Transformation Institute, Flinders University. She has a qualitative background and recently completed her PhD which explored the relationship between precarious employment, worker’s transition support programs and industry closure.
Gemma has a Bachelor of Arts with first class honours from the University of Adelaide and was recipient of the Augusta Zadow Award from SafeWork SA in 2014 and the Business and Professional Woman Prize from the University of Adelaide in 2015.
Before moving into academia, she worked in the South Australian government, arts and community sectors for almost a decade. She has written for The Conversation, The Adelaide Review and The Advertiser.
She is experienced in running workshops, public speaking, conducting interviews and building relationships, and is passionate about employment security, just employment transitions and accessible research communication and implementation.
‘I’m passionate about research communication and accessibility and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to play a role in supporting national research networks in the industry and innovation spaces.’ — Gemma Beale
We look forward to working with Sae and Gemma on a range of projects and initiatives across transport, industry and innovation.