Solving long-standing problems through marketing research: Meet Professor Sharyn Rundle-Thiele

Meet Professor Sharyn Rundle-Thiele. Sharyn’s work focuses on using marketing to create positive social, health and environmental change. Throughout her career, she has been driven by a passion for solving real-world problems and translating research into practical action that improves communities and lives. She is also a dedicated mentor to emerging researchers and champions a hands-on approach to innovation, encouraging others to act, learn and continually improve.  

What path led you to becoming a researcher?     

An invitation to receive a masters scholarship was the start of my researcher journey.  What was then called the Marketing Science Centre (now Adelaide University’s Ehrenberg Bass Institute) issued invitations to apply for Master of Marketing scholarships to eligible students. At the time I was managing a small agency and I was starting to think about what would come next as I was seeking a new challenge.  The invite landed in my mailbox at the right time.  While not as lucrative as the salary I was to give up, the scholarship provided a little support to go back to study to stretch myself.  I fell into a position that I came to love and I credit my mentors for sharing what an academic career could be.  I had found my professional home.  

 Do you have any advice for researchers just starting out?    

With the rapidly changing AI environment, choose research that is about finding solutions to long-standing problems.  We no longer need research skills that summarise, describe, explain and synthesise.  AI will soon do this for us.  Moving forward, world class researchers will find new solutions to long–standing problems.  

We recently profiled Dr Yue Xi who you supervised during her PhD. She said: ‘Sharyn often reminds us of two things when you’re trying to make change happen: first, that rejection is normal; and second, to “do it now, do it wrong, do it again, better”.’ Can you expand on these maxims and how you apply them in your own work? 

I have long believed that we learn best when we do.  I encourage people around me to lean into their fear and to simply get on with doing something.  My field is about delivering change.   

Change doesn’t happen when we analyse, discuss and stay inside our four walls. Change can only happen when people interact with the outputs of our work.

In our case, it might be a new intervention, a new product or service or it might be a new policy or paper.  

Can you tell us a bit about the projects you are currently working on?   

I am currently working on a range of projects.  The common theme across all of my projects is the application of marketing to deliver social, health or environment change.   

I have been working on two Fisheries Research and Development Corporation projects that seek to find best voluntary behaviour change practice and to apply voluntary behaviour change to encourage recreational fishers to enter their catch data in the Fishing 2.0 App.   

I have two Australian Research Council projects.  The first seeks to understand how we can encourage people living in the Redlands Coast to get involved in koala conservation efforts, and the second is working on preventing youth sexual violence and abuse in Toowoomba.   

I am working with SEQWater to identify preferences for lake use for Lake Somerset.  I am funded by the Solving Plastic Waste Cooperative Research Centre to reduce and eliminate single use plastics in Australia.   

I’m currently supervising two PhD students, Katie Barton Harvey and Lauren Stowe.  We’ve recently been out in the Gold Coast and Mount Isa looking at co-design solutions.  This work will inform future trials.  

I’m about to start a project with Queensland Rugby and Workhaven. In this project, I’ll be evaluating a domestic violence prevention pilot program being tested in ten Queensland rugby clubs.  I’m working with interns on some strategic projects.  For example, two interns are helping me to advance work aimed at understanding how to increase involvement in the sport of Paddle.  Another intern is working under my supervision performing an evaluation of Seeds 4 Strength, a program aimed at helping women gain employment in Toowoomba.  

 I have always loved variety and having a range of projects to turn my attention to means every day is different, which I love. Looking back to that first invitation that led to my studying my masters degree, I needed this level of variety in my work life.  It’s ever changing! 

Who has inspired you?  

My first inspiration came from Tony Spawton who made me realise that academia was a possibility.  Next, Professor David Corkindale who was always generous with his time and taught me so much about the academic I wanted to be.  Professor Byron Sharp created the Marketing Science Centre and in doing so taught me what was possible.  Social Marketing @ Griffith drew on Byron’s model in its own unique way. Gerard Hastings and Sandra Jones inspired me, showing me the courage that change takes. Finally, my parents who instilled work ethic and a sense that anything is possible.   

Griffith is proud to produce world-class research contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Are you thinking of pursuing a research degree?  
If you would like to find out more, check out the research study web page.