SHIFT - aligning science and storytelling to inspire a climate shift

Anirudh Tiwathia is a behavioral scientist and public policy expert advancing large-scale climate action. As Director of Behavioral Science at Rare's Entertainment Lab, he leads research on how entertainment - film, television, and social media - can shift climate attitudes, norms, and behaviors at scale. The Entertainment Lab brings these behavioral insights to Hollywood, helping writers and creators tell climate-friendly stories that reflect our changing world and inspire audiences everywhere.

Anirudh holds an MBA and PhD from the Booth School of Business, as well as an MA in Public Policy, an MA in Social Science, and a PhD in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Chicago. He previously worked at UNDP and UNICEF and consulted for tech start-ups. His work has been featured in major media outlets (Los Angeles Times, Forbes, The Guardian, NPR), international forums (Climate Week NYC, Aspen Institute, Hollywood Climate Summit), and leading academic conferences.

Libby Lester is Director of the Monash Climate Change Communication Hub and a Professor (Research) at Monash University. The Hub partners with industries and governments to investigate how critical information can be made accessible and engaging for diverse audiences, aiming to help communities and policymakers in the Australia-Asian region negotiate and make good decisions in relation to climate change and its solutions. Professor Lester has been UNESCO Chair in Communication, Environment and Heritage, and a Visiting Fellow at Oxford University's Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, and at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo. She has also worked as a journalist, reporting on social, political and environmental issues for major Australian newspapers and magazines.

Previously an award-winning filmmaker, Stephen has brought expertise in both high-end program-making and game-changing impact campaigns to his commissioning role at the ABC with great success. Stephen oversees many of the national broadcaster's biggest hits including, The Kimberley, Ningaloo Nyinggulu, Love on the Spectrum, Better Date Than Never, Southern Ocean Live, Australia's Wild Odyssey, Big Deal, Fight for Planet A, War on Waste, Big Weather, Family Court Murders and Revelation. Stephen is passionate about telling stories with real world impact and has headed up several ground-breaking shows around climate and the environment for the ABC and international broadcasters.

Anna Kaplan has worked at the intersection of screen production, distribution and social impact for two decades. Her deep expertise in impact producing was honed leading the impact campaigns for That Sugar Film and 2040, which she also co-produced. Both films were widely released and are Top 10 highest grossing Australian theatrical documentaries of all time. In 2020, Anna co-founded Regen Studios to focus on climate storytelling that activates audiences. Recent credits include Regenerating Australia, Rachel's Farm, The Oyster Gardener and Future Council. Anna is a recipient of the Natalie Miller Fellowship and a Founding Director of Sustainable Screens Australia.

Professor Kerrie Wilson commenced her role as Queensland Chief Scientist on 1 November 2023. She oversees Queensland's first Science Strategy – a comprehensive, whole-of-government framework to support the generation and translation of globally significant science, ensuring sustainable economic growth.

With a distinguished career in academia and conservation, Professor Wilson has held prominent positions at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), including Pro Vice-Chancellor (Sustainability and Research Integrity) and Executive Director of the QUT Institute for Future Environments. Her previous leadership roles include Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, Director of Conservation for The Nature Conservancy Australia, and she currently serves as a natural sciences expert on the Australian Heritage Council.

Cyle Zezo is the Founder of Reality of Change, an organization dedicated to advancing sustainability in unscripted entertainment on set and screen. In 2023, he created the ABCs of Climate Storytelling, now a widely used sustainability narrative framework, and in 2024 he collaborated with 30 major production companies and studios to develop a sustainability pledge and roadmap for the unscripted sector. In 2025, Realscreen named him to its Factual Under 40 for his leadership in advancing sustainability in the unscripted industry. Zezo has executive produced series Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Mysteries Decoded, and Recipe for Disaster, and previously served as Head of Alternative Programming at The CW Network.

James McGregor is the Founder of Blue Tribe Company and Blue Tribe Media, two ventures uniting behavioural science, innovation, and storytelling to accelerate sustainability action. A former Army Officer, CSIRO researcher and Cambridge alum, James has led world-first projects in solar technology, carbon capture, and circular economy systems – and now works at the intersection of science and entertainment. His TV shows, airing in 31 countries on networks like Channel 9, Hulu, Disney+, and Discovery, embed behavioural science frameworks into binge-worthy storytelling to inspire real-world change tackling everything from climate change to the circular economy.

Dr. William (Bill) Lilley, Chief Executive Officer joined RACE for 2030 in February 2023. Bill is a proven multi-disciplinary leader with over 25 years' experience in research, government and industry. Bill delivered CSIRO's 'Intelligent Grid' research program, which showcased the value of distributed energy for Australia. He was a principal advisor on the federal government's 'Smart Grid Smart City' initiative. Bill spent over a decade working for Aramco and the Ministry of Energy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He was instrumental in the development of a national energy strategy and led its implementation within the power and water sector.

Maree Cochrane is the Executive Director of environmental peak body Sustainable Screens Australia. With a decade in production and ten years driving systems change, she leads the industry's response to its 16.6-tonne carbon footprint per content hour and advocates for narratives that shape the future we want to inhabit - because the Australian screen industry depends on protecting the environments where our stories come to life. Maree's collaborative approach unifies and sees her foster partnerships with Netflix, SBS, BBC, Sony Entertainment, Screen Australia, and BAFTA albert. A Centre of Sustainability Leadership alumna, she now lives on Bundjalung Country.

Anthony Wright leads the Energy Performance group at CSIRO, responsible for the residential energy projects. In the last 5 years Anthony has overseen the development of energy modelling software used by 90% of new dwellings, the Australian Housing Database, development of tools for energy efficiency disclosure, development of the RapidRate artificial intelligence for the banking sector, a social science program which underpinned the Renovate or Rebuild television program, and many other projects. Prior to his current role Anthony worked in State Government and as a building designer and project manager, always with a focus on energy efficient residential design.

Chris has a background in science education, community engagement, and organisational culture. He also has considerable experience in the performing arts. He wrote and performed cabaret shows 'Pre-Coital' and 'Dante's Laboratory' and directed 'Faraday's Candle'. He has appeared on television on programs including 'Outrageous Acts of Science' (Discovery Channel) and was the science consultant for children's television series 'Wicked Science' (Network Ten). For more than 10 years Chris performed with science-inspired rock band Ologism and is a regular panellist on popular science radio program 'Einstein A Go' (3RRR). In recent years he has also had several pieces of poetry published.

Dr Danie Nilsson is a behavioural scientist at CSIRO, where she leads the organisation's research stream exploring how storytelling, mass media, and entertainment can drive behaviour change for environmental sustainability. With a strong academic background and expertise in applied social-psychology and behavioural science, she works closely with media practitioners to embed evidence-based insights into stories that deliver measurable environmental impact. Danie led the research for the award-winning TV series Renovate or Rebuild and now heads the PowerHouse project, using entertainment, backed by a behavioural science framework, to accelerate home energy retrofits across Australia. Inspired by the immense potential of film, TV, and mass media to create large-scale change, she founded the SHIFT symposium to bring storytelling and science together and amplify impact.