Wicked Lab will be closing its doors at the end of 2023.
In 2024 The Tool for Systemic Change's source code and data configuration will be made available under an "open" license 🥂 🎉. Learn more
Founders
Wicked Lab was founded by Dr Sharon Zivkovic and Emily Humphreys in 2017. Together they have experience in leading systems change projects, capacity building, research, application development and commercialisation of social science research.
Emily has worked in, or alongside, technology start-ups her whole career. In 2006 Emily was awarded The University of Adelaide Business Initiative Graduate Scholarship to complete a Masters in Science and Technology Commercialisation. This program gave her the knowledge and practical tools to take innovations from ideas to commercial viability.
​
As CEO and Cofounder of Wicked Lab, Emily oversees the development of the Online Tool for Systemic Change, marketing, and the operational delivery of the training and mentoring programs that support the implementation of the framework and Tool.
Emily is a South Australian 40 under 40 award winner and is a recipient of Adelaide University's Business Initiative Graduate (BIG) Scholarship. She is a member of the Catalyst 2030 Australasia Chapter and scholar-practitioner working group. She holds a Masters of Science and Technology Commercialisation (University of Adelaide), Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship (University of Adelaide), and a Bachelor of Social Science (University of Adelaide).
Dr Sharon Zivkovic
CIO and cofounder
Sharon is a social entrepreneur and has worked with diverse community stakeholders on community capacity building projects for over 20 years. In 2001 Sharon received an Enterprising Woman of the Year Award in recognition of her contribution towards creating strong and enterprising communities.
Wicked Lab's model which underpins the Tool for Systemic Change’s Transition Cards was developed as part of Sharon's PhD thesis. In 2012 Sharon received the Award for Best Overall Paper at the International Social Innovation Research Conference for a paper describing this model, in 2016 she received a Fresh Scientist award for her work in addressing wicked problems using complexity science, and in 2021 she was recognised as the leading scholar in the field of Applied Complexity (Social Entrepreneurship and Wicked Problems) in the Map of the Complexity Sciences.
Sharon is responsible for the development of Wicked Lab’s education programs and the development and publication of the theoretical models that underpin Wicked Lab’s products. These include the Ecosystem Mapping feature of Wicked Lab’s Tool for Systemic Change, the Tool’s two new SDG features, and Wicked Lab’s Systemic Innovation Lab approach.
Sharon holds a PhD (University of South Australia), Graduate Certificate in Research Commercialisation (University of South Australia), Master of Entrepreneurship (University of Adelaide), Graduate Diploma of Education (University of South Australia), Vocational Graduate Certificate Education and Training for Sustainability (Swinburne University), and Bachelor of Accountancy (University of South Australia).