Biography

My academic journey began with a PhD in Machine Learning at ANU, followed by work as a Defence Research Scientist in telecommunications. Returning to ANU as an academic, I taught Signals and Systems and researched Mobile Ad Hoc Networks before taking on education leadership roles across multiple institutions - leading blended learning initiatives, digital transformation projects, and ultimately serving as Director of the ANU Centre for Learning and Teaching through the COVID-19 pivot to remote learning. I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Member of Engineers Australia. 

Working alongside researchers across disciplines showed me the power of combining different perspectives to tackle complex challenges. In 2022, I made a deliberate shift toward transdisciplinary systems work, moving first to the School of Cybernetics and then joining the Australian Centre for Energy Systems in the School of Engineering. This transition reflected my growing conviction that our most pressing challenges, from climate change to AI's social impacts, require us to understand interconnections between systems and find practical leverage points for change. 

Today my research focuses on the human and institutional dimensions of energy system transitions. I'm particularly interested in how business model misalignments create barriers to effective technology deployment-for example, how battery installer incentives that prioritize product sales over quality consumer advisory lead to suboptimal household investments and ongoing support gaps. Current projects include examining vehicle-to-grid technology tensions between mobility needs and grid services, and developing training frameworks that integrate consumer advisory competencies into technical installer education. I'm drawn to participatory research approaches that position stakeholders as co-designers rather than passive subjects, recognizing that sustainable energy transitions require both technical innovation and deep attention to the social and economic contexts in which technologies are deployed.

Interests

Kim applies systems thinking and participatory design methods to understand how distributed energy resources, business models, and institutional structures interact in Australia's decarbonization efforts. Her work bridges technical engineering, social science, and policy perspectives to identify practical pathways for accelerating energy system transformation.