Story Thinking and the Real-world Applications of Sci-Fi and Fantasy Writing authored by award-winning writers A/Prof Helen Marshall, Prof Kim Wilkins, and A/Prof Lisa Bennett, explores how science fiction and fantasy writing principles can enhance research across diverse fields including government policy, technology innovation, and healthcare. The book bridges creative storytelling with practical problem-solving by introducing four key practices from speculative fiction—envisioning, engaging, inhabiting, and empathizing—and demonstrating their successful application through numerous case studies. These range from
defense innovation with world governments to developing empathy in medical education and futureproofing digital identity technologies with the UNHCR.
This innovative publication emerged directly from the rich intellectual environment of the School, where interdisciplinary collaboration has been actively fostered for years. The methodologies presented in Story Thinking were developed, refined, and tested through numerous School-based initiatives, workshops, and research projects, particularly within the WhatIF Lab. The authors’ academic journeys within the School have profoundly shaped this work, demonstrating how our institutional commitment to breaking disciplinary boundaries can produce transformative approaches that resonate far beyond academia.
Launched in February 2025, this ground-breaking work establishes new frameworks for collaborative creativity, showing how humanities approaches can be adapted to address complex real-world challenges and contribute to building a better future.
