Membership
SEI's research tackles global challenges by translating environmental research into tangible outcomes for public discourse and decision-making. With a focus on multidisciplinary collaboration, we lead in environmental humanities and social sciences, continuously evolving our research themes to address the most critical environmental issues.
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Membership at SEI
Our members are key to our success at SEI. Our members enable our impact and contribute to the unique community that defines the Institute To facilitate the delivery of SEI’s strategic goals, we think about our member offer across three different levels.
This structure helps us allocate our resources effectively and ensure that we are reflecting engagement and interest from members in pursuit of our goals.
Whether you're a University of Sydney (USyd) researcher, an external member, or in a SEI-funded position, there's a membership level designed to enhance your involvement and support your contributions to environmental research and action.
Eligibility
- University of Sydney researchers and students not funded by SEI
- External members (not USYD staff or students)
Benefits
- Receive a monthly member bulletin.
- Invitations to SEI’s bi-annual member networking events.
- Access to SEI seminar series, and researcher development workshops.
- Invitations to SEI closed events (sometimes USyd members only).
- Introductions to other SEI members upon request.
- Access to SEI funding schemes (e.g., collaborative grant scheme for USyd members only).
Eligibility
- Active members of SEI projects or research themes.
- Previous SEI Collaborative Fellows or Collaborative Project team members.
- SEI Advisory Committee members.
- Regular attendees or speakers at SEI events (e.g. seminar series, research funding workshops).
Additional Benefits
All benefits of Connected membership, plus:
- priority invites to bespoke member offerings (e.g., roundtables with visiting fellows)
- priority participation in SEI research dissemination and translation offerings (e.g. panellist/speaker roles)
- direct notification of relevant funding and media opportunities,
- introductions to USyd central services as SEI deems appropriate (e.g. communications for media and op-ed opportunities, for USyd members only), and
- access to SEI member development fund (for USyd members only, currently paused due to budget constraints).
Eligibility
- in a SEI funded position (Research Assistants, Postdoctoral Fellows, PhD Candidates, SEI Honours Research Fellows)
- current SEI Collaborative Fellows or Collaborative Project team members
- SEI Research theme leads, and
- researchers working on SEI grant applications and projects.
Additional Benefits
All benefits of Contributor membership, plus
- proactive research and event support and invitations from SEI staff
- hands-on support provided by SEI staff (pending team capacity and alignment with SEI’s strategic goals)
- hands-on research and event support provided upon request (pending team capacity and alignment with SEI’s strategic goals)
- access to the SEI office and hot desks
- invitations to SEI morning teas
- research impact and achievements highlighted in SEI annual report, and
- opportunities for mentoring and bespoke development/training.
As part of our commitment to ensuring that each member receives an appropriate level of support and engagement with the Institute our membership levels are fluid and will shift as members become more or less engaged with the activities of SEI and our strategic focus.
Please note, if you leave the University of Sydney, you will automatically become a Connected member.
SEI Seminar Series
The SEI Seminar series offers an informal space for SEI University of Sydney members to present research, test ideas and receive feedback from a diverse group of SEI’s multi-disciplinary environmental researchers. This is a space where researchers can learn about new concepts and be inspired by colleagues.
In previous sessions we have heard journal article ideas and suggested different avenues of where to take arguments or where to publish. We have been introduced to new research from projects elsewhere in the University and responded with multidisciplinary feedback.
This series was created to keep us connected while in isolation in lockdown and has proven so popular that it currently continues every three weeks. Deputy Director Prof Danielle Celermajer Chairs this series.
If you would like to attend, please get in touch with SEI via sei.events@sydney.edu.au
Member Development Series
Sydney Environment Institute runs member development seminars throughout the year where members can share projects and gain insights on planning their research. These series are aimed at building the capacity of our members to engage in multidisciplinary research and to build academic community within environmental research.
SEI Research Brainstorm Series
In 2025, SEI is running a series of informal sessions for people to share and discuss ideas for research projects that are newly launched or still in the planning and conceptualisation stage. This is a space for brainstorming project planning at the very early stages to get feedback from the SEI community on possible funding sources, additional collaborators, or other useful resources.
SEI Research Strategy Workshops – Early and Mid-Career Researchers
This series of three workshops will provide an opportunity for mid and early career researchers (MECRs) at the Sydney Environment Institute to plan and develop a research strategy for their career stage.
In 2025, we will focus on three key topics: publications, grants, and engagement/impact. We will particularly consider the challenges and opportunities in building a successful research career in interdisciplinary environmental scholarship.
These workshops are run by Prof. Thom van Dooren and will draw on the expertise of a range of other senior scholars from the SEI community. Thom van Dooren, FAHA, is Professor of Environmental Humanities and Deputy Director of the Sydney Environment Institute at the University of Sydney.
If you have any questions about these workshops, please email sei.events@sydney.edu.au.