Damien Wilkins on creativity and innovation
Watch the IIML Director's presentation at the recent Leading Edge event: Creating Worlds - writing, design, science'.
A panel of Victoria staff, including the IIML's Director, Professor Damien Wilkins, led a conversation about the link between creativity and innovation as part of a Leading Edge event at the National Library on June 18.
'Creating Worlds: writing, design, science' was hosted by Victoria's Vice-Chancellor Professor Grant Guilford and featured presentations by Wilkins alongside Professor Simon Fraser from the Faculty of Architecture and Design and Professor Kate McGrath from the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences.
Wilkins discussed the cross-disciplinary nature of a recent PhD Creative Writing graduate's thesis, and subsequent novel, while acknowledging that innovation can be a high-risk activity in the field of creative writing. He also touched on hairdressing and caligraphy. Watch the presentation on YouTube.
Professor Guilford commented after the event: 'What struck me, and our audience, was the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. Of course, we need the right environment – one that is stimulating, encourages freedom of expression and gives people time to reflect – but we must also be open to ideas from outside our area of expertise. Ideas are better connected than protected – it is the coming together of new ideas that sparks new possibilities and that is at the heart of innovation.'