Ray Ison

Ray Ison Years of service 1990 - Current Type of role Trustee of the Society Previous Roles Member 1990+ President Elect 2013-14 President 2014-15 (Conference, Berlin, 2015) Trustee 2015 - current Current Post Professor Emeritus at the Open Univerity (from December 1, 2023) Degree(s) PhD in Systems Field(s) of Study Systems Science, Environmental Sciences University(ies) University of Queensland, The Open University, University of Sydney Specialization(s) Systems Thinking and Practice, Environmental Science Notable Works Pioneering research in systems practice, environmental decision-making, second-order R&D, participative ecodesign, and grassland systems eco-physiology. ORCID 0000-0001-9191-119X Notable Achievements Significant contributions to systems thinking, development of second-order R&D, involvement in the CARR project, and work on participative ecodesign. External Links [| ORCID Profile]

Ray Ison has joined ISSS around 1990.

Personal Life

Raymond L. Ison (born 3 July 1952, Bathurst, NSW, Australia) is an Australian-British cybernetician, systems scholar/scientist, and Professor of Systems at the Open University in the UK. He is currently President of the International Federation for Systems Research (IFSR). He was also Professor Systems for Sustainability at Monash University, and fellow at the Centre for Policy Development, and President of the International Society for the Systems Sciences in the year 2014-15. He is known for his work on systems praxeology within rural development, sustainable management, systemic governance and the design and enactment of learning systems.

Academia and Career

From a background in Agricultural Science (University of Sydney) including plant ecophysiology and agronomy (University of Queensland) and systems agriculture, rural development and agricultural extension (Hawkesbury & University of Sydney) Ison has established himself as a major scholar and practitioner in the field of Systems Praxeology – the science of practical action grounded in systems thinking in practice (STiP).

Ray Ison's research and scholarship spans the biophysical and social and is primarily interdisciplinary and collaborative. He has made major contributions to systemic governance, particularly in the fields of water and river catchments based on social learning realised through STiP. Many of his publications can be seen or accessed by Open Research Online.

Ray Ison, who took up the Chair in Systems at The Open University (UK) in 1994, is only the third appointee to the Open University (OU) chair in Systems since the group was established in 1971 (the inaugural chair was John Beishon, followed by Derek Pugh). From 2008 to 2015 he was also Professor Systems for Sustainability at Monash University (School of Geography and the Monash Sustainability Institute) where he established and ran the Systemic Governance Research Program which now continues within the Applied Systems Thinking in Practice (ASTiP) group at the OU.

Ray Ison has been returned in all UK Research Assessment Exercises (now Research Excellence Framework or REF) with the OU Development Studies group (there is no category for Systems). In 2021 this will be Unit of Assessment 22, Anthropology and Development Studies.

Building on his academic achievements Ison has gone on to hold major leadership roles within the international Systems and Cybernetics community. He is currently President of the International Federation for Systems Research (IFSR).

Important contributions

Ray Ison's contributions to systemic governance, particularly in the realm of river and water catchment governance, are significant and multifaceted. His work has focused on advancing the understanding and implementation of social learning mechanisms as a means to enhance governance structures and processes. By applying systemic thinking and practices, Ison has sought to address the complex challenges associated with managing water resources in a way that is both sustainable and inclusive. Here are some key aspects of his contributions:

• Systemic Governance Framework: Ison has developed and advocated for a systemic governance framework that emphasizes the importance of viewing water catchment systems as complex, adaptive systems. This approach advocates for moving beyond traditional, linear, and reductionist management strategies that often fail to account for the dynamic interactions within ecological and social systems. By adopting systemic thinking, governance can become more responsive and adaptive to changing environmental conditions and societal needs.

• Social Learning as a Governance Mechanism: Central to Ison's work is the promotion of social learning as a critical component of effective governance. Social learning, in this context, refers to the process by which stakeholders within a water catchment area collectively learn from their experiences and interactions, leading to a shared understanding of the challenges and potential solutions. This approach contrasts sharply with the prevalent linear model of learning and knowledge production, which tends to be top-down and does not adequately harness the collective wisdom and capacities of local communities and stakeholders.

• Collaborative and Participatory Approaches: Ison's work emphasizes the importance of collaborative and participatory approaches in water catchment governance. He argues that for governance to be truly effective, it must engage a broad range of stakeholders, including local communities, policy-makers, scientists, and industry representatives, in a process of co-inquiry and co-design of solutions. This engagement facilitates the emergence of innovative solutions and strengthens the capacity of communities to manage their water resources sustainably.

• Challenging the Linear Model of Knowledge Production: Ison critically examines the limitations of the traditional, linear model of knowledge production in the context of environmental governance. He argues that this model, which emphasizes the one-way transfer of knowledge from experts to practitioners or policymakers, is inadequate for addressing the complex, interconnected challenges of water catchment management. Instead, he advocates for a model of knowledge production that is iterative, inclusive, and reflective, enabling the continuous integration of new insights and learning.

Education

  * 1971-1974: Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BScAgr) at the University of Sydney.
  * 1978-1982: PhD student in the Department of Agriculture at the University of Queensland. During this period, he also worked as a Research Assistant and Tutor in Crop Sciences and Biometrics.

Early Career

   * 1965-1985: Involved with his parents' grazing property on the Central Tablelands of New South Wales.
   * 1975-1976: Soil Conservationist with the New South Wales Soil Conservation Service in Braidwood, NSW.
   * 1978-1979: Australian Asian Universities Cooperation Scheme (AAUCS) Visiting Scholar at Udayana University, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.
   * 1976-1977: Travelled and worked in South-East and South West Asia and Europe.

Academic Positions

   * 1982-1986: Lecturer in Pastures in Farming Systems at Hawkesbury Agricultural College, Richmond, NSW, Australia (now University of Western Sydney).
   * 1986-1988: Lecturer in Grassland Systems, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Sydney.
   * 1989-1993: Senior Lecturer in Grassland Systems, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Sydney. During this period, he initiated significant research in second-order R&D and participative ecodesign.
   * 1994-2008: Full-time Professor of Systems at The Open University, UK, Milton Keynes. He led the Systems Department, contributing significantly to curriculum development and the integration of systems thinking in practice.
   * 2008-2015: Professor of Systems for Sustainability at the Monash Sustainability Institute, Monash University, Australia. He established and led the Systemic Governance Research Program.
   * 2008-Present: Professor of Systems at The Open University, Milton Keynes, U.K. Initially, he was on a 0.5 fractional appointment until 2017, and then it was increased to 0.7.

Professor Ray Ison's career has been dedicated to advancing the understanding and application of systems thinking in various domains, particularly in agricultural and environmental contexts. His interdisciplinary approach and collaborative efforts have significantly impacted both academic research and practical applications in these fields.

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Selected Publications

Books

• With Straw, Ed The Hidden Power of Systems Thinking. Routledge, 2020.
• Systems Practice: How to Act in a Climate Change World. Springer Science & Business Media, 2010.
• With Russell, David. Agricultural extension and rural development: breaking out of knowledge transfer traditions. Cambridge University Press, 2007.
• With Pearson, Craig J. Agronomy of grassland systems. Cambridge University Press, 1997.

Articles

Selected articles:

• With Ray, Niels Röling, and Drennan Watson. "Challenges to science and society in the sustainable management and use of water: investigating the role of social learning." Environmental Science & Policy 10.6 (2007): pp. 499–511.
• With Collins, Kevin. "Jumping off Arnstein's ladder: social learning as a new policy paradigm for climate change adaptation." Environmental Policy and Governance 19.6 (2009): pp. 358–373.
• With Russell, David Fruits of Gregory Bateson's epistemological crisis: embodied mind-making and interactive experience in research and professional praxis. Canadian Journal of Communication, 42(3) (2017): pp. 485–514.

Links to relevant pages

ORCID Profile : https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9191-119X