Overview

The aim of this unit is for students to create social impact by engaging with a community or industry partner to develop a project which addresses a real-world challenge. In doing so, students will examine how science can contribute to our understanding of diverse societal issues. Students will develop key skills relevant to tackling real industry and community challenges, including project planning, working with stakeholders and professional communication.

Requisites

Prerequisites
NPS20011 Societal Challenges in Science

Rule

100cp in BB-ENGSC
OR
COS10025 Technology in an Indigenous Context Project
OR
NPS10001 Introduction to E-Science
OR
NPS10003 Sustainability Challenges in Science

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Contextualise their role as a scientist within a project team and within society more broadly
  • Apply critical and creative thinking to articulate the role of science in addressing societal challenges
  • Develop a project plan incorporating an appropriate data management strategy
  • Evaluate approaches to identifying and engaging project stakeholders, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
  • Contrast approaches to communication for different purposes and audiences
  • Explain the role of ethics in professional practice and research

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Live Online
Lecture
1.00  12 weeks  12
On Campus
Class
1.00  12 weeks  12
On Campus
Workshop
2.00  12 weeks  24
Unspecified Activities 
Independent Learning
8.50  12 weeks  102
TOTAL     150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
PortfolioIndividual/Group 100% 1,2,3,4,5,6 

Content

  • Social and economic sustainability  
  • Effective scientific communication  
  • Working critically with data 
  • Stakeholder engagement  
  • Project planning  
  • Research ethics  
  • Team dynamics 
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and STEM knowledge systems 

  • Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Verbal communication
  • Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Communicating using different media
  • Graduate Attribute – Teamwork Skills: Collaboration and negotiation
  • Graduate Attribute – Teamwork Skills: Teamwork roles and processes
  • Graduate Attribute – Digital Literacies: Information literacy
  • Graduate Attribute – Digital Literacies: Technical literacy

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.