MOD. at University of South Australia
MOD ( Adelaide, Australia) is a futuristic museum of discovery. It’s a place to be and be inspired by ideas at the intersection of science, art, and innovation.
Name of the practice nominated: Ethos Community of Practice Forums
Describe the practice, program, or project, what innovative approach is proposed, and in which core museum activities it applies:
Ethos is a Community of Practice (CoP) established in 2021 that brings together University of South Australia researchers, students, and the public to engage in meaningful dialogue about future-focused ethical issues. These conversations encompass research and technology while emphasising the broader social context, thoughtfully aligning with MOD.’s core activities of education, exhibition programs, research, and communication.
Ethos events are anchored around familiar objects—smartphones, DNA tests, plant milks—that resonate with everyday experience. Participants all sit together at long tables, mixed among the hosts, panelists and activity leaders, reflecting a flat hierarchical structure where people genuinely feel comfortable sharing ideas. While the panelists may be experts in their respective fields of study and contribute a range of perspectives, no one is an expert in the field of ethics. For example, when organic food was the theme, our panelists ranged from a wine marketing specialist, to nutritionist, to soil and agricultural research scientist.
Events open with an interactive activity serving as both an icebreaker and trust-building exercise, allowing people to connect while learning a new skill or completing a task. A short break allows for informal conversation over shared food, followed by a focused 15-minute panel discussion that establishes a foundation for deeper dialogue before participants break into small groups for discussion. The heart of each event lies in these participant-driven table conversations. This structure empowers attendees to pose questions to one another and examine their own ethical perspectives.
A rapporteur captures the evening's conversations and writes an article for the MOD. website, recording not merely the researcher panel but the full spectrum of participant dialogue. This content is shared with attendees, affirming the value of their contributions, while also reaching the broader community beyond those present. Topics have included: plant-based milks, medical waste, insect futures, and Indigenous IP.
Explain in one sentence why you think the project you nominate is outstanding and could serve as an example for the entire community of modern and contemporary art museums.
Ethos Forums exemplify how museums can leverage their unique position to create interdisciplinary communities of practice that build public trust around complex ethical issues, demonstrating a replicable model where informal dialogue between researchers and communities generates mutual insights that inform both academic development and institutional programming.
Explain why this practice or program is relevant and sustainable in creating meaningful and lasting connections with people, communities, and the museum context with a medium to long-term vision.
Ethos CoP events interpret and communicate university research, engaging audiences in relevant social issues alongside MOD.’s exhibitions. These bridge leading edge research and the public through informal evenings of activities and conversation. By establishing ongoing dialogue between academia and community, Ethos creates lasting networks that extend beyond individual events, building institutional trust and positioning MOD. as a bridge between research and society.
Forum topics emerge from public submissions, via social media engagement, conversations and interactions in galleries at MOD. Each collaboration targets specific themes, enabling researchers, practitioners, and field experts to create more engaging and wide-reaching events.
Events fulfill two goals: building community futures literacy with ethical questioning capabilities and developing researcher capacity to consider ethical implications in emerging fields where public sentiment remain unknown.
Discussions have even led to collaborations arising from the event, such as research labs connecting with hospitals to develop waste reduction projects.
What are the outcomes of the practice you are most proud of?
The dialogue fostered between the public, researchers, and students exemplifies our distinctive role as a university museum of discovery. This enables us to deliver events with robust interdisciplinary focus, sharing contemporary stories and research from across the University.
The Ethos CoP provides invaluable opportunities for emerging researchers to develop public engagement experience. Forum topics emerge organically from public submissions and gallery interactions, ensuring community-driven programming that addresses genuine public concerns.
Our approach to building trust around complex ethical issues has garnered recognition from organisations such as the United Nations Development Program, who have sought our insights.
By enhancing the capabilities of researchers, students, and the public through these conversations about relevant and timely research, we influence how emerging technologies are developed and ultimately adopted in socially appropriate ways. This positions us at the forefront of responsible innovation, ensuring research translation serves broader societal interests.
How has the nominated practice changed your methods and ways of working?
Establishing the Ethos CoP has influenced approaches to other forms of participatory engagement. Since establishing the Ethos CoP, MOD. has also established a Futures and Foresight Community of Practice to share expertise and build capacity in futures literacy for our local community.
Ethos CoP makes the most of MOD.’s unique position as an arm of external engagement for the University of South Australia.
Through the dialogues at Ethos events, we gain valuable insights into the depth and scope of public interest in relevant social issues and emerging technologies. The insights enable us to shape our future exhibitions and programs that maintain the relevance and vitality of our public engagement.
This approach forges stronger bonds with researchers while creating inclusive spaces where community members and academics can share knowledge and learn from each other, providing opportunities for increased research exposure and upskilling researchers in public communication within a safe, supportive forum.
MOD. - https://mod.org.au/
Ethos - MOD - https://mod.org.au/discover/ethos/
Ethics Archives - MOD - https://mod.org.au/discover/articles/ethics/