Leadership Matters – Networks and Urban Systems Centre (NUSC)

Meet the Member: Ibukun Joy Lawal.

On 26 November 2025 By Natasha Lawlor-Morrison In Meet the member

“Many people assume that AI adoption in higher education is mainly about technology, choosing the right tools or systems. But what often surprises people is how much the human element matters. My research shows that leadership style, trust, and the relationship between leaders and followers can make or break successful AI implementation. It’s not just about having innovative technology; it’s about whether people feel empowered, supported, and confident enough to engage with it. In many ways, the success of AI in universities depends far more on people than on the machines themselves.”

Leading the Change: How Corporate Leadership Drives Eco-Innovation

On 8 October 2025 By Natasha Lawlor-Morrison In Eco-Innovation, Environmental, Green, Innovation, Machine Learning, Research Spotlight, Sustainable Development, Systems Dynamics, Systems Thinking

Imagine a startup that creates edible packaging made from seaweed. You buy a takeaway coffee, and instead of a plastic lid, it’s sealed with a biodegradable, tasteless seaweed film (Product innovation). You can toss it in the compost—or eat it.

Now scale that up: this packaging replaces millions of plastic wrappers in supermarkets. It dissolves in water, leaves no microplastics, and is made from a fast-growing, carbon-sequestering marine plant (Process innovation). The company partners with coastal communities to harvest seaweed sustainably, creating jobs and restoring marine ecosystems (Social impact).

This is eco-innovation in action.

It’s not just clever—it’s transformative.