STEMiverse 0017 - Dr Steve Brodie

In this episode of STEMiverse Podcast, Peter talks with Dr Steve Brodie.

Steve has over 20 years’ experience in research and development, commercialisation and open innovation within corporate research and development laboratories (multinational and SME) and University technology transfer offices. He is a creative intrapreneur with a proven ability to recognise innovation opportunities and to create and implement solutions to go after them.

A core theme throughout Steve's career has been innovation and, in particular, how individuals and organisations can collaborate to identify innovation opportunities, develop new ideas and innovate.

Currently, Steve is the Executive Manager, Innovation at CSIRO, Australia's premier research organisation. ON is Australia's national science and technology accelerator specialising in assisting researchers from the fields of science and technology working on projects that have the potential to shape Australia's future.

In this interview, we discuss Open Collaborative and Wicked innovation, classroom-friendly ways to foster innovative thinking, Lady Bird science books, the continuum between school student and a University career as a researcher, problem-solving and much more.

This is STEMiverse Podcast episode 17.

Episode notes

[00:00] Introduction - Introducing Dr Steve Brodie
[02:06] Dr Steve talks about his background in Research and Development and as Executive Manager, Innovation at CSIRO
[05:26] Dr Steve's years in school as a student in England
[07:06] Ladybird Books
[09:16] The thread that connects the curiosity of a 10-year-old to that of a scientist/engineer
[11:00] Innovators think like children
[11:55] Curiosity: Expressed through play in childhood vs structured problem-solving in adulthood
[13:44] When curiosity becomes useful
[15:42] Combinatorial Creativity
[20:47] Online Resources on Combinatorial Creativity: The Whack Pack & Edward de Bono's (inventor of the term "Lateral Thinking") approach with random words
[22:36] Dr Steve's role at UNSW
[24:38] The Innovation Sandpit
[28:51] The meaning of the term 'Open Innovation'
[31:48] Is Open Innovation particularly suited for solving problems where collaboration is a necessary part?
[33:07] A shift from Open Innovation to Collaborative Innovation
[33:48] Collaboration is in the heart of progress and prosperity and it's even more important now as we move forward and become more technologically advanced
[37:15] Are children at school learning about collaboration?
[38:17] Should we get kids to work on big problems?
[39:23] Collaborative Innovation at a very young age
[43:29] Predicting the important characteristics or skills of a 30-year-old researcher 20 years from now: The observational side, engaging with people, being practical and getting things done
[46:07] Chinese research experiment: Quantum Internet
[46:36] Rapid Fire Questions
[46:42] Who has been the most influential in the way you think and work: Richard Feynman (YouTube Video: The Beauty of the Flower)
[48:36] Favourite books: Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!: Adventures of a Curious Character, by Richard Feynman
[49:56] Advice to Educators just starting out: The ability to give students time and freedom to think, reflect and be curious
[53:06] Dr Steve's Contact Information: Twitter: @InventorSteve