The Housing@RMIT Network is excited to host an Early Career Researchers (ECR) and Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Symposium during Social Sciences Symposium Week at RMIT. The symposium provides housing researchers from any school or college at RMIT to present their work, connect with like-minded researchers, and spark new collaborations. 

There will also be plenty of opportunities to network with other academics, both senior and junior, as well as industry partners. Professor Wendy Stone from Swinburne University will be presenting a keynote speech. Other invited guest speakers are RMIT Housing research leaders and the Urban Futures Enabling Impact Platform Director, Professor Jago Dodson. 

The theme for this symposium is ‘Housing’, broad and inclusive. No matter which side you are approaching housing from, sustainability, affordability, policy, technology, community, design, construction, or beyond, you are warmly invited to participate. This aims to bring together researchers and industry to provide a channel for the exchange of information and transdisciplinary collaboration. 

Abstract submission guidelines: Please submit your abstract of 200-250 words to the organising committee by 14 August 2025 (extended from 7 August). Please download the abstract template here. The committee will assess the abstracts based on quality and will notify the candidates of the outcome by 22 August 2025. Postgraduate students at all stages of candidacy are welcome, as well as all early career researchers. Please email abstracts  housing@rmit.edu.au   

We are excited to offer prizes for presenters:  

Winner: $350  
1st Runner Up: $250 
2nd Runner up: $150   
Audience Choice Award: $100

Keynote Speaker

Professor Wendy Stone from Swinburne University! 

Wendy Stone is Professor of Housing and Social Policy, Director of the AHURI Swinburne Research Centre and leads HHAUS, the Housing, Homelessness and Urban Studies Research Group at Swinburne University of Technology. Wendy's research focuses on the intersection of housing, housing innovation and technology, lifecourse research and social policy. Wendy's current research around generational and gendered housing precarity and wellbeing, innovative housing solutions, housing aspirations across generations, and citizen-engaged processes of public policy formulation, is supported through ARC Discovery, Linkage and LIEF funding, AHURI National Housing Research Program research grants and industry awards including with partners Housing for the Aged Action Group, YWCA Australia, the Brian M Davis Charitable Foundation and Kids Under Cover. Wendy led the Australian Housing Scholars' symposium 2013-2020, publishes for academic and community audiences, is engaged in policy development, is a regular media contributor and supervises higher degree research students.

For further information including information for presenters and chairs/referees visit - Housing@RMIT: Higher Degree by Research and Early Career Researchers Symposium 2025 - RMIT University

This event is supported by RMIT's Urban Futures Enabling Impact Platform and is part of Social Sciences Week 2025.