Inclusive Innovation Playbook: evidence-based actions you can take to contribute to DEI

Join Dr Elise Stephenson, Deputy Director of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership (GIWL) at ANU, for a talk on the Inclusive Innovation Playbook, a practical, evidence-based resource for building a more diverse, equitable and inclusive innovation ecosystem.

The Playbook was developed by CSIRO’s ON Innovation Program in partnership with GIWL and the Wiyi Yani U Thangani Institute for First Nations Gender Justice at ANU. It draws on a review of global and national evidence, original survey and interview data, and co-design workshops. It starts with the facts about DEI, then sets out concrete actions and case studies. It takes an intersectional approach throughout and is organised by role, so there is something useful whether you are a researcher, an educator, an HDR supervisor, a team leader, or someone who shapes programs and funding decisions.

In this session, Elise will:

Share what the evidence says about barriers to inclusion in innovation
Unpack why change needs to happen at the level of systems, not just individuals
Walk through practical actions you can take from wherever you sit
Show how these ideas can be applied in your own team, program or workplace

You’ll leave with a clearer sense of your own sphere of influence and some practical next steps for contributing to DEI.

Inclusive culture is central to every part of university life, and HDR supervision is no exception. That’s why this workshop is approved as an HDR Supervision Renewal Activity.

About the speaker

Dr Elise Stephenson is Deputy Director of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at ANU, which was founded and chaired by former Prime Minister Julia Gillard. She is a multi-award-winning gender equality researcher and an Australian Research Council DECRA fellow (2025–2028), researching gender equality at the frontiers of AI, space and climate action. Elise is the author of Space XX: Gender, Power and the New Space Race and The Face of the Nation: Gendered Institutions in International Affairs.

Elise has international experience across Sweden to the United States, Hong Kong, China, Japan and ASEAN. Elise has published internationally, lead multi-scaled research and engagement projects in public diplomacy and national security, and has a deep embedded understanding of the Australian context for leadership, governance, and international affairs.

Contact the host of Inclusive Innovation Playbook

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