Tom Chan
Biography
Tom wrangles messy problems at the interface of law, economics and technology. In consulting and government, he provided expert advice on antitrust, policy, regulatory, digital services and long-term strategy for managing systemic transitions accelerated by technological and global developments, e.g. zero-emission/autonomous vehicles, waste/recycling infrastructure. Former Vice President of the Economic Society of Australia (Vic chapter) and recognised as the Society's 2020 Honorary Fellow for establishing in Australia a public-facing polling platform to gauge and transmit expert opinions/consensus of 50+ eminent economists on policy issues and current affairs. Tom was among the first 16 selected Master students/co-designers and 5 PhDs of ANU’s innovation institute, 3Ai, as it evolved into the School of Cybernetics (SOCY). Going beyond 3Ai’s initial focus on safely, sustainably, and responsibly scaling artificial intelligence and cyber-physical systems in the 4th Industrial Revolution, Tom continues to evolve with SOCY to develop transdisciplinary approaches to better manage complex societal transformations. Researching viable purpose-driven organisations that mobilise rating/certification schemes to imagine aspirational futures and drive systemic change towards 'greener', ‘healthier’, 'smarter' built environments. Developing new theory and praxis for how similar ‘socio-technical transition intermediaries’ can effectively, efficiently, and equitably ‘sense, shape, steer and scale’ (4S) change cybersystemically whilst remaining viable.
Sessions
Midlife Chrysalis: from ‘good Chinese boy’ and economics to Stafford Beer-aholics
From expert economic witness testifying and citing The Nature of the Firm (Coase) to courts and antitrust regulators in high-stakes litigation; to discombobulated PhD student interpreting The Brain of the Firm (Beer) to diagnose ‘System 3*s’ in green building rating organisations. I reflect on my transition from ‘a good Chinese boy’ gainfully employed as a policy/regulatory economist advising on ‘optimal pathways’, to liquefying my DNA inside an untested transdisciplinary chrysalis, to the throes of turning cybernetic and learning to accept: ‘no hay camino, se hace camino al andar.’ [there is no road; you make your own path as you walk.] Somewhere along the way—between piloting the Master of Applied Cybernetics at the Australian National University (ANU), watching my country in flames, starting a cohort based PhD programme, locking down amidst a global pandemic and drafting a research agenda for a new School of Cybernetics (SOCY)—I stumbled into Stafford Beer. The Viable System Model (VSM) is now core to my research to develop new theory and praxis on viable sociotechnical/sustainability transition intermediary organisations for transforming our buildings and cities. As the School’s de facto Chief Beer Officer (CBO), I will also celebrate some new research from fellow travellers also inspired by Stafford Beer. SOCY PhD students who have adopted and adapted the Viable System Model (VSM) to generate novel insights for how to viably manage sociotechnical systems, such as ‘smart’ street lighting infrastructure, and decision making structures of early-stage venture capital firms in the age of AI.