Digital Frontiers Research Lab

Vision

“Bridging Gaps, Building Futures” defines our vision at the Digital Frontiers Research Lab.

We aim to facilitate partnerships between researchers, organisations, government agencies and communities to generate societal impacts and address the challenges posed by new and emerging technologies.

Mission

Facilitating

Global Innovation through collaborative industry partnerships

Forge partnerships with local and global organisations to drive digital innovation.

Empowering

Communities through evidence-based solutions

Deliver tangible solutions through rigorous, evidence-based research to address societal challenges.

Fostering

Synergy through multidisciplinary collaboration

Foster collaboration among diverse experts from different Schools and Disciplines to leverage everyone's strength.

Catalysing

Societal Impact through Business School leadership

Showcase UNSW Business School's role in driving scientific and practical impacts.

Products and projects

The Lab has specific expertise in digital strategy, system development and prototyping, accessible design, inclusive AI, and the future of work in the digital age.

The products and solutions we deliver include but are not limited to (1) a roadmap for the end-users in implementing a digital strategy, (2) a proof-of-concept such as in the form of mock-ups, wireframe and even functional platforms, (3) the formalisation and dissemination of knowledge in various forms, such as case studies.

The Lab will embark on a range of existing, upcoming, and new projects in collaboration with local and international partners, on three themes:

Theme 1: Digital governance and organising

Theme 2: Digital inclusion and accessibility

Theme 3: Digital ethics and regulations

Current projects

Funded by the Campbelltown City Council and supported by UNSW Centre for Social Impact, this project develops a framework with actionable recommendations to better understand the nuances of digital exclusion within the LGA and subsequently enhance the design of the council's online services to ensure inclusivity for all residents.

From the council:

Thank you for the update and I am thrilled the project has come to fruition and been a success. It’s wonderful to be able to partner with organisations to deliver tangible community benefit. Well done to you and the team.

- Ex-Director City Governance

I am glad to learn that it has had a much greater impact for so many.
Let’s look to continue pursuing similar collaborations in future.

- Campbelltown City Councillor
Partnered with MyWam Sdn Bhd, Iskul Sama DiLaut Omadal, and UNSW UNOVA Hub, this project investigated the digital underclass, a vulnerable population that is not only digitally excluded but also digitally invisible.

Sample products

Customer Experience Digital Uplift - Campbelltown City Council | UNSW Sydney

UNSW collaborated with the local council in bridging the digital literacy gap among residents, empowering them to engage more effectively with online e-government services.

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Our people

Founders
Research Director
Research Leads
PhD / Masters Students

Carmen Leong

Associate Professor

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Barney Tan

Professor and Head of School

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Carmen Leong

Associate Professor

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Senior Lecturer

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Giuseppe Daniele Ibello

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Thao Hoang

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Jargaldavaa (Jane) Lkhagvasuren

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Industry partners

AspireWorks Holdings Sdn Bhd, Malaysia
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Accelerator Lab, Mongolia
Campbelltown City Council, NSW Australia
Iskul Sama DiLaut Omadal, Malaysia

Research Output

How can we better design a smart activity monitoring systems to support first responders in the context of lone living

Team Member: Carmen Leong

Aging population is a global issue. Partnered with Singapore Management University, this work helps us to better understand how to support elderly individuals to maintain independence within their own homes with an IoT-based system that detects prolonged inactivity. The system was implemented at the homes of 87 elderly participants and the lessons learned are now disseminated in a top journal in Information System

IS for Good – 10 years to SDG: Where we have been and where we need to go?

Team Members: Manju Ahuja, Felix Tan, Carmen Leong

This short paper conducts a literature review to synthesize IS research. By drawing a direct link between IS research and SDGs, this paper bridges the gap between research and policy. We offer observations based on our preliminary analysis of the following aspects: SDG focus areas measurement of SDGs, IT artifacts and level of analysis, to better inform what we can do as a discipline in the next 10 years.

Lending a hand: How social media is energising natural disaster response

Team Member: Carmen Leong

When disaster strikes, communities are sharing information and offering support.

Malaysia’s Bersih movement shows social media can mobilise the masses

Team Member: Barney Tan, Felix Tan, Carmen Leong

News and activities

February, 2025

We are excited to spotlight a publication by Vivian Zhou, Jargaldavaa Lkhagvasuren, and Carmen Leong presented at the Australasian Conference on Information Systems (ACIS). Their research on renewable energy initiatives in Mongolia has also been featured by the Australian Human Rights Institute (AHRI), which recognises its positive environmental impact on society.

February, 2025

We congratulate Veronica Jiang on her education project, “Diverse Horizons: VR for Transformative Learning,” for being selected as a winner of the FT Responsible Business Education Award 2025. This project integrates VR experiences and social equality topics into a UNSW Business School marketing course, enhancing students' understanding of inclusive business practices.

October, 2024

Congratulations to Wilson Hua and Yawen Zhou for having their papers accepted at the Australasian Conference on Information Systems (ACIS) 2024. Yawen Zhou's work focuses on the behavioural changes to promote renewable energy adoption in Mongolia while Wilson Hua's research explores the crucial role of local Australian governments in advancing digital literacy. We are incredibly proud of their dedication and innovation in addressing these important global challenges!

October, 2024

We are pleased to welcome visiting PhD student Ella Gong Yu from Hunan University, China. We hope she has a fulfilling and enriching experience with us as she explores new ideas and grows both personally and professionally.

July, 2024

Congratulations to our dedicated research students, Giuseppe Daniele Ibello, Thao Hoang, Wilson Hua, and Ruxiang Zhao for their outstanding achievement in having their papers accepted at the prestigious International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS). Their innovative work—exploring serendipity in fintech, guerrilla warfare strategies in fintech, and the evolving innovation trajectories in the electric vehicle industry—represents a remarkable contribution to these fields. We are incredibly proud of their hard work and visionary thinking!

February, 2024

We are pleased to welcome Lucia Zhao Ruxiang from Hefei University of Technology. We hope she have a fulfilling and enriching experience with us as they engage in meaningful research and contribute to our community.

November, 2023

Carmen was invited by the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia to speak at a panel session “Bridging the digital divide: Inclusion and equity” at the 2023 annual symposium with other distinguished panellists Jo Barraket AM, Juliana Sutanto and Andrew Burton-Jones!

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Vision

Mission

Products and projects

Theme 1: Digital governance and organising

Theme 2: Digital inclusion and accessibility

Theme 3: Digital ethics and regulations

Current projects

Sample products

Our people

Industry partners

Research Output

How can we better design a smart activity monitoring systems to support first responders in the context of lone living

IS for Good – 10 years to SDG: Where we have been and where we need to go?

Lending a hand: How social media is energising natural disaster response

News and activities

February, 2025

February, 2025

October, 2024

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