The Melbourne Experiment

Though enormously disruptive to much research, COVID-19 provided new opportunities and impetus for interdisciplinary collaboration. The Melbourne Experiment, an interdisciplinary project studying the effects of the pandemic response on the functions of the city, brought together dozens of research teams across Monash to examine key activities and elements of the urban environment before, during and after the shutdown, with the aim of developing new approaches for sustainable urban growth, emphasising social cohesion and environmental conservation alongside economic prosperity.