MCF launches in Melbourne Connect
On Thursday 28 July, Melbourne Climate Futures (MCF) launched its new space in Melbourne Connect and the MCF Academy for early career researchers and climate leaders.
The new MCF space brings together seasoned academics with early career researchers to nurture and encourage future climate leaders.
Members of the Academy and the MCF team were joined by senior researchers and leaders from across the University, including Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor James McCluskey, to celebrate the launch.
Melbourne Climate Futures Director, Professor Jacqueline Peel, outlined the need to foster an interdisciplinary group of future climate research leaders in order to build a positive future.
‘We see it as our responsibility in MCF to be nurturing that next generation and providing them with the training, networks and experience to thrive and themselves strive for a positive climate future,’ said Professor Peel.
Professor Peel went on to map the complex and multidisciplinary challenges that require solving and the need for leaders in climate science, fuel and energy systems, sustainable business and finance, policy and law, social sciences and the arts, public health, planning, design and education.
‘To make these multidisciplinary elements work together and to move towards truly interdisciplinary solutions along the journey we’ll need mechanisms to collaborate and systemic thinkers,’ she said.
'We believe Melbourne Climate Futures and the new MCF Academy has an important contribution to make here – as a platform for leveraging that expertise and as a hub for interdisciplinary training of climate doctoral students and postgraduates embedded in a wider grouping of climate researchers, scholars and practitioners.'
The MCF Academy will continue to grow and develop the work undertaken by the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute and the Climate and Energy College.
During the evening’s formalities, Associate Professor Malte Meinshausen spoke to the legacy of the Climate and Energy College and strong basis it has given its members advancing to the Academy.
MCF Deputy Director, Associate Professor Ben Neville, acted as master of ceremonies, noting the impressive sustainable qualities of Melbourne Connect, a six-star Green Star rated building.
As well as the MCF Academy, Melbourne Climate Futures will be joined in its new space by the Melbourne Energy Institute and the Climate Reality Project.
It embodies the MCF objective to bring together the depth and breadth of University of Melbourne expertise to create innovative, interdisciplinary solutions to the climate problem.