Professor Chris Leckie (Cyber Security)

Department of Computing and Information Systems at the University of Melbourne, Associate Director of the Oceania Cyber Security Centre, and Director of the new University of Melbourne Academic Centre of Cyber Security Excellence.

Chris Leckie is a Professor with the Department of Computing and Information Systems at the University of Melbourne, is the Associate Director of the Oceania Cyber Security Centre, and is the Director of the new University of Melbourne Academic Centre of Cyber Security Excellence. He has over two decades of research experience in artificial intelligence and data mining, having led research teams at Telstra Research Laboratories, National ICT Australia (NICTA) and the University of Melbourne.

His research on using data mining for anomaly detection, fault diagnosis, cyber-security and the life sciences has led to a range of operational systems used in industry, as well as over 200 articles published in leading international conferences and journals. His work on filtering denial-of-service attacks on the Internet resulted in a commercial product that was developed a local company and sold overseas.

John Yates QPM (Corporate Security)

Director of Security
Scentre Group and Westfield Corporation

John has recently joined Westfield (November 2013) in a newly created role as Director of Security for Scentre Group in Australia and New Zealand & Westfield Corporation in the United Kingdom, United States and the emerging markets. He also has responsibility for the corporate security requirements of the Lowy family and their private assets.

John retired from the Metropolitan Police (Scotland Yard) in November 2011 after a 30 year career. He held a number of the most senior positions in UK policing. His last role was as the UK’s most senior counter terrorism officer and as the senior advisor the Prime Minister and Home Secretary on all law enforcement related security matters. Previous roles included leading the fight against serious and organised crime in London. He also led the UK’s response to the South East Asian Tsunami for which he was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal.

In between leaving policing and joining Westfield John spent time in the Middle East advising the government of Bahrain on police reform before joining G3, the Good Governance Group, a leading international strategic advisory firm, as their Group Executive Director.

John is based in Sydney.

Benjamin Ang

Senior Fellow at the Centre of Excellence for National Security, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Benjamin Ang is a Senior Fellow at the Center of Excellence for National Security (CENS), S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He leads the Cyber and Homeland Defence Programme of CENS, a team whose research areas include international cyber norms, cyber deterrence, cyber state governance, hybrid warfare and influence operations, cybercrime, smart city cybersecurity and governance, data privacy, social media analysis, strategic communications (including Distortions, Rumours, Untruths, Misinformation, Smears), and future policing. He is the author of the textbook Criminal Procedure in Singapore, and co-author of the book Practical Guide to E-Discovery in Asia.

His prior experiences are varied, including serving as a litigation lawyer in one of Singapore’s largest firms, CIO in a multinational professional services firm, legal counsel in media and technology companies, and as a technology consultant. His current publications and commentaries on cyber policy issues can be found at https://www.rsis.edu.sg/profile/benjamin-ang/

Danny Baade

Head of Security
Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation

As a former career police officer with the Queensland Police Service, Danny has experienced a wide range of policing challenges and undertaken roles that were quite unique including Manager of the Police Disaster and Major Events Branch for the state of Queensland. Danny has a perspective on situations that has been shaped by significant events, many of which involving tragic circumstances.

After leaving the Queensland Police Service in 2013, Danny identified another unique opportunity, the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, and in August 2013 was appointed the Head of Security for the Commonwealth Games. The product of his journey is the experience gained in planning and delivering within extreme and critical environments. Danny’s presentation will provide insight into the changing environment of risk assessment and treatment.

Mike Bareja

National Network Program Manager
Australian Cyber Security Growth Network Ltd
(ACSGN)

Mike Bareja is the National Network Program Manager for AustCyber (the Australian Cyber Security Growth Network).

Prior to joining the AustCyber, Mike was an adviser on cyber security policy at the Australian Government Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Mike spearheaded Australia's classified Cyber Security Review (2015), and was a key contributor to Australia's Cyber Security Strategy (2016).

Mike also taught cyber policy at the Australian National University's National Security College, developed cyber security legislation at the Attorney-General's Department, and helped establish the threat assessment team in the Australian Signals Directorate's Cyber Security Operations Centre. Mike also wrote the Australian Government's strategic analysis of the international cyber security environment, the classified National Cyber Threat Assessment (2011).

Mike also worked in counter terrorism at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Defence Intelligence Organisation.

Professor Greg Barton

Research Professor in Global Islamic Politics, Alfred Deakin Institute, Deakin University, Deputy UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations – Asia Pacific

Greg is Research Professor in Global Islamic Politics in the Alfred Deakin Institute, Deakin University where he leads research on social inclusion and pluralism, Islam and civil society, democratisation, and countering violent extremism. He is Deputy UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations – Asia Pacific, is the co-editor of the journal Islam and Christian Muslim Relations and is a Senior Fellow with the UAE-based Hedayah Center in Abu Dhabi working on CVE.

He is one of Australia’s leading scholars of both modern Indonesia and of terrorism and CVE. From 2007 to 2015 he was the Herb Feith Professor at Monash University where he led research on radicalisation in the Global Terrorism Research Centre (GTReC).

Greg is a frequently interviewed by the Australian and international electronic and print media on Islam, Islamic and Islamist movements around the world and on Indonesia and the politics of the Muslim world.

He has written or edited seven books and published dozens of refereed articles and book chapters in this field, together with numerous essays, including Abdurrahman Wahid, Muslim Democrat, Indonesian President: a view from the inside, and Indonesia’s Struggle: Jemaah Islamiyah and the Soul of Islam.

Dr Tan Teck Boon

Research Fellow and Coordinator, Science & Technology Studies Programme
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University

Education: BSc summa cum laude (State University of New York); MSocSc (NUS); PhD (Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, NUS)

Dr. Tan Teck Boon is Research Fellow and Coordinator of the Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) in the Office of the Executive Deputy Chairman, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. His research covers smart cities governance, urban innovation and the policy implications of new and emerging science and technology such as advanced robotics, Internet-of-Things, artificial intelligence, gene-editing, data encryption, new psychoactive substances and additive manufacturing, just to name a few. Apart from the diverse implications of these novel technological developments, his research also addresses the role of the state in a tech-driven world; in particular, how the state can prepare and enhance its adaptive and innovative capacity to cope with change and uncertainty in the face of profound technological disruptions. Teck Boon received his PhD from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore (NUS). He also holds a Master of Social Science from the Department of Economics, NUS, and a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Philosophy (summa cum laude) from the State University of New York, USA. Prior to joining RSIS, Teck Boon held research positions at both the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and the Department of Economics, NUS.

Robert Cameron OAM

Assistant Secretary Crisis Management Branch
Emergency Management Australia

Rob is the Assistant Secretary, Crisis Management Branch, Emergency Management Australia, in the Australian Government’s Home Affairs Department. In this role he is responsible for the Australian Government Crisis Coordination Centre, a dedicated 24 hour facility which provides all-hazards, whole-of-government situational awareness, planning and incident management, and the National Security Hotline.

Rob's Branch develops and maintains a suite of national response plans which underpin Australian Government disaster responses including the provision of disaster assistance to states and territories.

Rob’s Branch is also responsible for the Australian Government’s interests in major event security and risk, physical security of Australian high office holders, key domestic emergency management capability development initiatives, and for international engagement on crisis management capability.

Prior to his current role Rob managed the Health Emergency Management Branch in the Australian Government Department of Health's Office of Health Protection.

Rob has a Master's Degree in Public Policy from the Australian National University, a Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management from Flinders University, and is an alumnus of the National Security College Senior Executive Service program.

Dr Damien Cheong

Research Fellow, S, Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Damien is a Research Fellow of the National Security Studies Programme (NSSP) at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Prior to this, he was Research Fellow and Coordinator of the Homeland Defence Programme at the Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS) at RSIS from 2011 – 2017.

Damien has researched and written on various topics related to homeland security, strategic communication and political violence. His current research focuses on small state security.

Areas of expertise:

• Homeland Defence
• Strategic Communication
• Security Studies
• Political Violence

Assistant Commissioner Peter Crawford, APM

Program Executive
2018 Commonwealth Games Group
Queensland Police Service

Assistant Commissioner Peter Crawford joined the Queensland Police Service in 1986. During his 30 year career he has performed a diverse range of policing roles including general duties, the Juvenile Aid Bureau, Criminal Investigation Branch, Office of the Commissioner, State Crime Operations Command, Ethical Standards Command and the Intelligence, Counter Terrorism and Major Events Command. Assistant Commissioner Crawford has also worked on secondment in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet as the Director of Crime Prevention Queensland.

As Assistant Commissioner for the Intelligence, Counter-Terrorism & Major Events Command (which includes State Intelligence, Security and Counter- Terrorism Group and the Covert and Specialist Operations Group) he restructured and reorganised these vital policing functions to enhance their operational effectiveness.

During 2013, Assistant Commissioner Crawford was appointed the Queensland Police Service Program Executive for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. In 2015, he took full-time command of the Commonwealth Games Group, which is responsible for planning and delivery of security during the event. He works closely with the GC2018 Games Organising Corporation and other key partners to deliver an integrated security operation that will ensure a safe and secure environment to host a successful Commonwealth Games in Queensland.

Assistant Commissioner Crawford has been awarded a Master of Public Policy and Administration, Bachelor of Arts (Justice Administration) and an Associate Diploma Business. He is also a graduate of the Leadership in Counter Terrorism Program and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

In 2008 he received the Australian Police Medal for distinguished service.

Mark Crosweller AFSM

Director General
Emergency Management Australia

Mark Crosweller joined the Commonwealth Government in December 2012. In his role as Director General EMA Mark is responsible for the coordination of Australia’s response to crises, including natural disasters and to terrorist or security related incidents both domestically and internationally. Mark leads and manages National Emergency Management Strategy and Policy and the National Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements as well as coordinating the delivery of protective security to Australia’s Holders of High Office, events of special significance and to the diplomatic community within Australia.

Mark brings with him 33 years of operational experience ranging from fire-fighter through to Commissioner and now Director-General, as well as 20 years in senior executive leadership and strategic management. During this period he has led major strategic reform at the National, State, Territory and Local Government levels in the areas of governance, strategy, policy, operations, and capability. He is responsible for briefing Australia’s Prime Minister and the Cabinet of the Australian Government in relation to all aspects of disaster management.

Mark currently holds a Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma and Masters of Management Degree and is currently a PhD Scholar with the University of Western Australia. His research topic is “the “ethical premise of leading people through the adversity and loss of disasters”.

Mark was awarded the Commissioner's Commendation for Service in May 1999, the National medal for distinguished service in June 2000 and the Australian Fire Service medal in June 2003.  He is the Founder and inaugural Chairperson of the Coffee4Kids Foundation, a charity established since 2006. Prior to his employment with the Service he was employed in the consulting engineering industry.

Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski

Operational Commander
2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games
Queensland Police Service

Steve Gollschewski APM is the Deputy Commissioner, Commonwealth Games with the Queensland Police Service. As head of security operations for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, he is the Strategic Commander for Games Security (Operation Sentinel) and is also head of counter-terrorism operations for Queensland. Deputy Commissioner Gollschewski is the Queensland representative on the Australia New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee and QPS champion for Inclusion and Diversity.

He has significant experience in major investigations including corruption, intelligence and in leading critical incident response including disaster management having been in operational command of the response to the Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley flood disaster in 2011. As State Disaster Coordinator over the past four years he has coordinated the overall disaster responses in Queensland including most recently Cyclone Debbie.

Steve led the review and major restructure of the QPS which was implemented on 1 July 2013 and leads the QPS Mobile Services Program which has delivered over 5,000 smart devices to frontline police, a program recognised as global leader for law enforcement.

Steve is a graduate of the AFP Management of Serious Crime Program, a graduate of and visiting fellow at the Australian Institute of Police Management, has completed post graduate studies in leadership through Charles Sturt University and Harvard University and recently completed the ANZSOG China Reciprocal Program.

Wendy Graham

Director of Resilience and Recovery
NSW Office of Emergency Management

Wendy has over 25 years of experience in emergency management and social services, working in government and community organisations and is currently the Director of Resilience and Recovery in the NSW Office of Emergency Management.

Wendy has provided strategic leadership and whole of government recovery coordination in numerous disaster events over the last 13 years. Major events include the “Pasha Bulka” Storms 2007, Warrumbungle and Blue Mountains Bushfires 2013, Lindt Cafe Siege 2014, NSW Western Fires 2017, Northern Rivers Flooding Ex Cyclone Debbie 2017 and Tathra Bushfire 2018.

Previously the Director of Resilience and Planning in the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services, Wendy led the development of disaster resilience policy and strategy in NSW and established the NSW Community Resilience Innovation Program, a grants program designed to promote local grass roots community disaster resilience projects.

Wendy is a Winston Churchill Fellow (2011) and researched disaster recovery programs and community resilience in the United Kingdom, USA, Canada and New Zealand. These learnings continue to inform Wendy’s practice and she brings an in-depth knowledge and passion to working with disaster affected communities.

Syed Ata Hasnain

Lt. General (retired) - India

One of India’s most decorated military leaders and a second generation officer from the Indian Army, Lt Gen Hasnain retired after serving 40 years. He served in Sri Lanka with the International Peacekeeping Force (IPKF), in Punjab during the heyday of militancy, the North East India militancy, and had seven tenures of duty in Jammu & Kashmir including the Siachen Glacier.

He also served with the United Nations forces in Mozambique and Rwanda in 1994-95 during the turbulent years. Among his most prestigious and challenging assignments in the rank of Lt Gen was his appointment as GOC 15 Corps in Kashmir where he initiated a slew of innovative measures in 2010-12 to turn around the situation. His doctrine of balancing what he called soft and hard power and efforts to reach out to the Kashmiri people, while conducting kinetic operations against the terrorists, succeeded in stabilising the proxy internal conflict.

Professor Bruce Hoffman

Director, Center for Security Studies; and Director, Security Studies Program, Georgetown University

Bruce Hoffman has been studying terrorism and insurgency for over four decades. He is a tenured professor in Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service where he directs security studies. Hoffman is also visiting Professor of Terrorism Studies at St Andrews University, Scotland. He previously held the Corporate Chair in Counterterrorism and Counterinsurgency at the RAND Corporation.

Hoffman was appointed by the U.S. Congress as a commissioner on the 9/11 Review Commission and has been Scholar-in-Residence for Counterterrorism at the Central Intelligence Agency; adviser on counterterrorism, Coalition Provisional Authority, Baghdad, Iraq; and, adviser on counterinsurgency, Multi-National Forces-Iraq Headquarters, Baghdad, Iraq. Hoffman’s books include The Evolution of the Global Terrorist Threat (2014); Anonymous Soldiers (2015); and, Inside Terrorism (3rd edition, 2017).

John Kendall

Director Border and National Security Program,
Unisys Global Public Sector

John Kendall is the Global Director of the Unisys Border and National Security Program.

Currently based in Australia, John has overall responsibility for Unisys border and national security initiatives around the globe. This includes R&D, sales, consulting and delivery activities.

With a thirty-five year career at Unisys, the last ten of those in Australia, John has worked with public sector clients in the USA, Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America and the South Pacific.

His particular area of focus has been the national security sector, helping public sector organisations leverage innovative technologies such as biometrics and real time analytics to provide secure and cost effective services to their citizens and business communities. This includes having personally worked on large scale biometric and national security projects in the US, Australia, Malaysia, Philippines, South Africa and elsewhere.

As a Subject Matter Expert in the application of identification and biometrics, John has developed deep first hand insight into how organisations can leverage these technologies to achieve both improved efficiency and greater security in the area of border and national security.

John is regularly quoted in the media providing commentary on border security, national security, and cyber security issues as well consumer attitudes toward various security measures. Read his blog posts here: blogs.unisys.com/author/john-kendall/.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Information and Computer Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a MBA in Management Science from Virginia Tech. He is an IEEE Certified Biometrics Professional and a member of the Biometrics Institute Privacy Committee.

Glenn Keys, AO

CEO Aspen Medical, Canberra

Glenn Keys is the co-founder and co-Executive Chairman of Canberra-based Aspen Medical, one of the world’s leading providers of outsourced healthcare solutions.

Prior to building and leading businesses in the private sector, Glenn had a distinguished career in the Australian Defence Force (ADF). His service saw him undertake a range of tasks from training to test flying and engineering to logistics support for Army aircraft.

In 2003, Glenn founded Aspen Medical with his long-time friend, Dr Andrew Walker. A decade on and Aspen Medical has a team of over 2,000 and operates across Australasia, the Pacific Rim, the Middle East, Africa, the USA and the UK. Today the company has customers in the Government, Defence, Mining, Oil and Gas and Humanitarian sectors. This multi award-winning company most recently received the 2016 International Project Management Association Gold Medal for Ebola Response in West Africa. Both Glenn and Andrew are the 2016 EY Entrepreneurs of the Year for Australia.

A passionate advocate of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Glenn has placed social responsibility and community involvement at the heart of Aspen Medical’s culture. A percentage of the company’s profits are allocated to the Aspen Foundation, which was established in 2009 and today is dedicated to the eradication of the eye disease Trachoma and scabies in remote Indigenous communities in Australia.

On a personal note, Glenn is a graduate of the University of New South Wales and the International Test Pilots School in the UK. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Project Management, a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of Engineers Australia. Glenn also sits on a number of Boards in the healthcare sector, disability sector and social businesses. In 2013 Glenn was appointed to the Board of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) the independent statutory agency whose role is to implement the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). In November 2014, Glenn was awarded the 2015 ACT Australian of the Year and represented the ACT at the National Australia Day Awards in January 2015. He is an active Board Member of the National Capital Authority and was appointed Chair of the Canberra Business Chamber in February 2015.

Glenn is the founder and Chair of Project Independence, a housing initiative for people with intellectual disabilities, which was officially launched in Canberra in February 2015.

In 2017, for distinguished service to the community of the ACT, through contributions to disability, business and commerce and as an advocate for corporate social responsibility, Glenn received an AO in the general division in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Glenn’s passion for innovation, guaranteed outcomes, superior customer service and inspired leadership make him a regular speaker at conferences both at home and overseas.

Sophie Lewis

Senior Lecturer
School of PEMS, ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes
UNSW Canberra

Sophie Lewis is a DECRA Fellow and Senior Lecturer in the Fenner School of Environment and Society and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science. Her research focuses on climate change and variability, including understanding the causes of extreme climate events in Australia. Her work demonstrates the severity of weather and climate extremes projected for Australia in the future.

Alastair MacGibbon

Deputy Secretary 
National Cyber Coordinator 
Department of Home Affairs

Alastair MacGibbon leads the implementation of the Government’s Cyber Security Strategy, transforming Australia’s cyber security landscape to realise the economic and social benefits of a cyber resilient nation.

As the Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Cyber Security, MacGibbon drives the creation and strengthening of partnerships between Australian Governments, private sector, non-governmental organisations and academia to deliver national cyber security capacity and capability.

Prior to taking up his appointment as the Special Adviser MacGibbon was Australia's first eSafety Commissioner. Before that he worked for 15 years as an Agent with the Australian Federal Police, including as founding Director of the Australian High Tech Crime Centre. Along with private sector roles such as Senior Director of Trust, Safety and Customer Support at eBay, MacGibbon was a Director of the Centre for Internet Safety at the University of Canberra.

Grant McKechnie

General Manager
Cyber Security Operations
Telstra

Telstra's General Manager of Cyber Security Operations and Threat Defence, Grant McKechnie, will headline the CIVSEC 2018 Cyber Security Careers Forum on May 1, offering delegates his experience and views gained through nearly two decades in the cyber security industry in a presentation on the theme of Diversity Of Thought In Cyber Security.

Grant has worked in a number of multi-national organisations around the globe, primarily in roles that build capacity and develop talent.  His breadth of experience includes banking, oil and gas, technology innovation and two of Australia's largest telecommunications companies, bringing a fresh approach to how cyber security can be done.

Most recently he has joined the ranks of Telstra where he is charged with the rejuvenation of the Cyber Security Operations function. His role as General Manager Cyber Security operations and Threat Defence has seen a rapid uplift in Telstra’s internal operational cyber functions.

Grant's professional philosophy considers that learning opportunities are present in every situation, creating an environment of professional growth and development.

Commander David McLean

Manager Cybercrime Operations within the Australian Federal Police Organised Crime and Cyber Portfolio

Commander David McLean is currently performing the role of Manager Cybercrime Operations within the Australian Federal Police Organised Crime and Cyber portfolio. In that capacity Commander McLean is responsible for the investigation of significant criminal acts which may compromise computer systems relied upon by the Australian critical infrastructure community or information systems of national and international significance.

Commander McLean until recently was also responsible for Child Protection Operations and the targeting of offenders using the internet to facilitate the sexual exploitation of children or who travel offshore and commit sexual offences against them.

Previous senior executive roles occupied by Commander McLean include Manager Professional Standards responsible for internal investigations and maintenance of the AFP integrity framework; Deputy Chief Police Officer, ACT Policing, the AFP’s community policing arm; and Chief of Staff, responsible for the coordination of information, administrative and support services provided to the Commissioner and AFP Executive.

From 2004 to 2007, Commander McLean was stationed in Washington DC where he served as the AFP Senior Liaison Officer responsible for cooperation with the United States and Canada on policing issues.

Commander McLean is a graduate of the AFP Management of Serious Crime Program, the AFP International Senior Command Program and the Australian Institute of Police Management. He holds a Bachelor of Business and a Graduate Diploma of Executive Leadership.

Professor Rory Medcalf

Head of the National Security College
Australian National University

Professor Rory Medcalf has been Head of the National Security College at the Australian National University since January 2015. He has led the expansion of the College into policy engagement as well as education, executive development and research. His professional background involves more than two decades of experience across diplomacy, intelligence analysis, think tanks and journalism, including a formative role as Director of the International Security Program at the Lowy Institute.

In government, Professor Medcalf worked as a senior strategic analyst with the Office of National Assessments, Canberra’s peak intelligence analysis agency. He was also an Australian diplomat, with wide experience including a posting to New Delhi, a secondment to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, truce monitoring after the civil conflict in Bougainville and policy development on Asian security institutions. He has contributed to three landmark reports on nuclear arms control: the 1996 Canberra Commission, 1999 Tokyo Forum and 2009 International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament. His earlier work in journalism was commended in Australia’s leading media awards, the Walkleys.

Professor Medcalf has been prominent in developing Australia’s relations with India. He has been Associate Director of the Australia-India Institute and Senior Research Fellow in Indian Strategic Affairs at the University of New South Wales. He is the founding convener and co-chair of the Australia-India Policy Forum, an influential informal dialogue between the two countries. He has been recognised as a thought leader internationally for his work on the Indo-Pacific concept of the Asian maritime strategic environment.

Professor Medcalf was a member of the expert panel providing independent advice on the Australian Government’s 2016 Defence White Paper. His research areas include Australia’s security challenges, the further development of an Indo-Pacific concept of the Asian strategic environment, China-India relations, and prospects for maritime and nuclear stability in Indo-Pacific Asia, on which he has led projects funded by the MacArthur Foundation. He is currently chief investigator in a major two-year research project funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, examining the risks to nuclear stability from new submarine-detection technologies.

Professor Medcalf is a member of the editorial boards of Asia Policy and the Australian Journal of International Affairs. He is a Non-resident Senior Fellow in Foreign Policy with the Brookings Institution in Washington DC and retains affiliations as a Non-resident Fellow with the Lowy Institute for International Policy and the Seapower Centre of the Royal Australian Navy.

Leonie Mack

Human Security, Major Event Security and Disaster Management/Response

Leonie's career with the federal government spanned 30+ years (over half as a senior executive service officer), and seven different agencies in both the Australian and New Zealand public sectors.

Leonie participated in policy, program and operational delivery roles.

Leonie has worked in a wide variety of areas including Transport and Infrastructure, Veterans' Affairs, Primary Industries and Energy, Education and national security within the federal Attorney-General's portfolio.

During her tenure in the national security arena Leonie:

• Led coordination of protective security arrangements for the APEC year of meetings including responsibility for the protective security arrangements surrounding the 21 leaders in Sydney;
• Led the National Review of Security Policy (carriage of weapons by foreign security personnel) prior to the APEC year commencing;
• Designed and implemented the Australian Government’s Continuity of Executive Government arrangements;
• Led protective security for Australian Holders of High Office, the Diplomatic Community within Australia, the Official Establishments and visiting Heads of State or Government;
• Led the provision of the national counter-terrorism arrangements for special events both within Australia and internationally (Gallipoli and Bali Commemorations, G20 Melbourne 2007, Melbourne Commonwealth Games);
• Led the delivery of coordinated protective security arrangements for foreign dignitaries including US Vice President Cheney, US Secretary of State Rice, Presidents and Prime Ministers of China, Russia, Pakistan, Israel and the UK and for Her Majesty the Queen;
• Reviewed security arrangements at Gallipoli, in Turkey and led a bilateral (Australia/NZ) team that produced a ten-year strategic plan for delivery of services. Worked with the Turkish government to strategically influence relationships for different approaches to the delivery of security arrangements;
• Developed and maintained a strong network with State and Territory police, premiers’ organisations and intelligence agencies, and
• Was a member of the Australian Government Counter Terrorism Committee.

Professor Seumas Miller

Australian Graduate School of Policing and Security at Charles Sturt University (Canberra)
Department of Values, Technology and Innovation at Delft University of Technology (The Hague)
Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford

Professor Seumas Miller holds research appointments in applied philosophy at Charles Sturt University, Delft University of Technology and the University of Oxford.

He is the author or co-author of twenty books and over 200 academic articles. His recent books include Shooting to Kill: The Ethics of Police and Military Use of Lethal Force (Oxford University Press, 2016) and Institutional Corruption: A Study in Applied Philosophy (Cambridge University Press, 2017).

He is currently the Principal Investigator on a European Research Council Advanced Grant on the ethics of counter-terrorism www.counterterrorismethics.com

Ben Millington

Chief Superintendent
NSW Rural Fire Service

Ben Millington is recognised as an emergency management specialist and has over 15 years’ experience in the sector.

Ben joined the NSW Police Force in 2000 and over the years performed general duties, licensing and youth liaison in Sutherland, Bankstown, Enngonia, Bourke, Manly and The Rocks.

Between January 2006 and October 2011, Ben performed in the role of Staff Officer to the State Emergency Operations Controller holding the rank of Senior Sergeant. In this role, he was responsible for the provision of executive support, technical advice, operational co-ordination, and policy development. He established and managed the NSW Police Force Emergency Management Unit during this time which oversaw corporate emergency management and business continuity activities.

Ben oversaw the refurbishment of the State Emergency Operations Centre and facilitated the drafting/review of various doctrine on behalf of the State Emergency Management Committee. These included the State Heat Wave Sub Plan, State Major Structural Collapse Plan and Emergency Operations Centre Guidelines. Furthermore, he conducted several reviews on behalf of the State Rescue Board and was Chair, Vertical Rescue Working Group.

During this time, Ben was involved in significant emergency responses including the 2007 Hunter/Central Coast Storms, 2008 Equine Influenza Outbreak and coordinated NSW support to the 2011 Queensland Floods. He was also deployed to Victoria during the 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires and New Zealand during the 2011 Christchurch Earthquake. Ben also assisted with emergency management planning for significant events held in NSW such as the 2007 APEC Leaders Week and 2008 World Youth Day.

Ben joined the NSW Rural Fire Service in September 2011 as the Manager – Emergency Management Co-ordination holding the rank of Superintendent. In this role, he is responsible for emergency management planning and operations, inter-agency liaison and agreements, fire investigations/arson, hazard management and capability development.

In July 2012, Ben was awarded the prestigious Churchill Fellowship to study mass evacuations and supporting arrangements following significant natural disasters. Ben travelled to New Zealand, Japan, United States of America and Canada over seven weeks in 2013 where he met with Government officials and emergency management experts in this field. He has since co-authored the Evacuation Management Guidelines, Major Evacuation Centre Guidelines and State Mass Care Guidelines all of which have been endorsed by the State Emergency Management Committee.

He was also selected as a national Emergency Management Assistance Team member in September 2012, established by Emergency Management Australia. He assisted with evacuation planning at the Queensland State Disaster Co-ordination Centre during January 2013 following ex Tropical Cyclone Oswald.

During his time at the NSW Rural Fire Service, Ben has been deployed as the Interstate Liaison Officer to Victoria, South Australia, Western Australian and Tasmania. He was deployed to the Northern Territory in February 2015 where he led the establishment of temporary accommodation for 400 residents on Elcho Islands following Tropical Cyclone Lam.

In July 2015, the NSW Government announced a trial of Large/Very Large Air Tankers (LAT/VLAT) in order to determine their suitability for fire-fighting operations across the State. In addition to his substantive role, Ben performed the role of Project Manager for some 12 months and led the deployment of 2 aircraft and over 20 personnel to Indonesia in October 2015. The deployment, agreed to by the Indonesian and Australian Governments, was to assist with significant fire activity burning in Palembang, Sumatra.

This international deployment inspired Ben to seek further work with the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade where he is currently performing the role of Pacific Region Disaster Management Specialist. Ben commenced in this role in September 2016 and is based in Suva, Fiji working closely with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) to strengthen regional capacity and co-ordination of disaster preparedness, response and policy actions in co-operation with various Pacific countries.

Adam Neale

Asia Pacific Director
Sales Manager
CyberGym

Adam Neale is the Asia Pacific Director and Sales Manager for CyberGym. CyberGym is a global leader of cybersecurity state-of-the-art defense solutions that assist critical Infrastructure, Government, large enterprise and utilities organizations to protect against diverse cyber threats.

Prior to taking up the role with CyberGym in 2017, Adam Neale has worked in senior roles with many of the largest IT and Security vendors, including Cisco, Citrix, Quest Software and Novell. Major projects include major Security and Identity Management projects with Dept of Defence, Victorian Government, Telstra, St George Bank, Western Power, Griffith University, and a number of area Health Services.

CyberGym is a joint venture of Israel Electric Corporation, a 7.7 billion USD company, which faces countless cyber-attacks on a daily basis, and Cyber Control, Israel’s leading cyber security consultancy established by ex- NISA operatives and security experts. We’ve developed an unmatched training and technologies arena, and we offer a wide range of complementary bespoke services led by our in-house elite security experts.

Owen Pierce

AustCyber Program Manager, National Research and Education

Owen Pierce is the National Research and Education Program Manager at AustCyber. He is also the national chair of the TAFECyber Strategy Group and PwC Skills for Australia ICT Industry Reference Committee member.

Prior to joining the AustCyber, Owen was Manager for International Partnerships at the Australian National University (ANU). He came to the ANU from RMIT University in Melbourne where he held a variety of positions in Global Performance and Strategy and International Relations.

Owen is passionate about workforce development and is committed to applying his skills, knowledge and experience to ensuring that Australia's future workforce develops the cyber security literacy and specialist skills to thrive in the digital age.

Owen holds a Master in International Relations from the University of Melbourne and a Bachelor in International Studies from Deakin University.

Dr Kumar Ramakrishna

Associate Professor and Head of Policy Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Associate Professor Kumar Ramakrishna is Head of Policy Studies, as well as Coordinator of the National Security Studies Programme at S, Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. A graduate of the National University of Singapore he was awarded his Masters in Defence Studies from the University of New South wales and secured his PhD in History from the University of London in 1999. Dr Kumar Ramakrishna's research interests include history of strategic thought; and counter-terrorism with a focus on radicalisation.

Dr Ramakrishna was an Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Special Visitor in March 2003, and an International Visitor for the Australian Attorney-General's Department in 2012. In 2008 he was appointed as a Senior Advisor to the Trusted Information Network on Extremism and Transnational Crime in Southeast Asia and Australia. In July 2015 he served as an member of the External Reference Group for the United Nations Secretary-General's draft Plan of Action for Preventing Violent Extremism. Dr Ramakrishna has published widely on the topic of counter-terrorism; his 2009 book, Radical Pathways: Understanding Muslim Radicalization in Indonesia was named one of the top 150 books on terrorism and counter-terrorism by the journal Perspectives on Terrorism in May 2012.

Franky Saegerman

Head of Digital Insights for NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division

Franky Saegerman is the Head of Digital Insights for NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division. He provides strategic assessment and advice regarding the performance and impact of NATO’s digital communications channels and products. He is the developer of the social media assessment grid based on the 4A principle (measuring for Awareness, Appreciation, Action and Advocacy) which allows for a more effective assessment of the impact of social media for non-commercial organisations.  As an early adopter of social media analysis and social media listening he is continuously improving current social media analysis techniques leading to valuable and actionable insights.

Franky started working at NATO’s Office of Information and Press in 1995. As the Head of the Distribution Unit he gradually shifted NATO’s external communication from a traditional paper based dissemination to a fully electronic dissemination and more recently through social media.

From 2012 to 2015 he was Head of NATO’s Social Media Team working together with external consultants and contractors to put NATO on the Social Media map and find trending and innovative ways to raise awareness for NATO on social media.

Dr Vanessa Teague

Crypotographer
Department of Computing and Information Systems
The University of Melbourne

Dr Vanessa Teague is a cryptographer in the Department of Computing and Information Systems at at The University of Melbourne. She did her Bachelor's Degree at The University of Melbourne and her Ph.D. in cryptography and game theory at Stanford University. Her research interests are in applied cryptography and online privacy, with interests in electronic voting and other questions relevant to public policy.

She was a major contributor to the Victorian Electoral Commission's end-to-end verifiable electronic voting project, the first of its kind to run at a state level anywhere in the world. She recently co-discovered serious security vulnerabilities in the NSW iVote Internet voting system. Her research team has been very active in the analysis of privacy implications of open data and record linkage. Relevant work includes a demonstration that an open MBS-PBS dataset allowed re-identification of doctors and patients. She has also worked with ABS on the analysis and design of privacy-preserving linkage processes and with Transport NSW and the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner on the analysis and design of data privacy techniques.

Levi West

Director of Terrorism Studies
Charles Sturt University

Levi West is Director of Terrorism Studies at Charles Sturt University, and a PhD scholar with the International Relations department at the ANU. His primary research interests relate to the intersection of technology with terrorism specifically, but also with other forms of non-state violence. He has lectured extensively to law enforcement, intelligence, and military audiences both domestically and internationally, including at the Naval War College in the United States, the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation, the National Security College at ANU, and at the Australian Command and Staff College. Levi is a sought after speaker on terrorism and other national security issues. He currently manages the Masters of Terrorism and Security Studies program at the Australian Graduate School of Policing and Security, at Charles Sturt University’s Canberra campus and delivers professional development training and consulting to a broad range of government agencies and private sector clients. You can follow him on Twitter @levijwest
 
His research interests include:

• Terrorism and insurgency
• Diversity and evolution of violent non-State actors
• Use of technology by non-State actors
• Transnational crime and illicit finance
• State responses to non-State violence

Duncan Anderson

Department of Home Affairs

Duncan is the Director, Identity Security Policy with the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs.  He leads a team responsible for providing strategic policy advice to the Minister for Home Affairs on identity security, identity crime and related issues, focusing on the implementation of Australia’s National Identity Security Strategy.

This Strategy provides the framework for collaborative national action to promote the security and integrity of the systems that are relied upon by governments, the private sector and the broader community to manage and protect Australians’ identities. Key initiatives under the Strategy include the National Identity Proofing Guidelines, the national Document Verification Service and biometric Face Matching Services being implemented through an intergovernmental agreement reached between the heads of all Australian governments in October 2017.

Prior to his current role, Duncan held a range of positions within the AttorneyGeneral’s Department (between 2009 and 2017) and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (between 2003 and 2009) leading policy teams responsible for advising on a range of national security, law enforcement and related issues. Prior to joining the Australian Public Service in 2003, Duncan spent around six years in the NSW public service in various law enforcement policy development roles.

Dr Sarah Benson

Chief Forensic Scientist
Australian Federal Police

Dr Sarah Benson is currently employed as the Australian Federal Police (AFP) Chief Forensic Scientist. In this role Sarah leads and manages the AFP Forensics function providing operational support leadership across the entire range of AFP’s domestic and international policing responsibilities and provides high-level strategic and operational advice to the AFP Executive and external working groups and committees. Sarah recently led the development and implementation of structural reform across the Forensics portfolio, repositioning AFP Forensics to be more operationally responsive and effective in the changing and complex law enforcement environment.

Sarah joined the AFP in 2000 upon graduation from the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Chemistry – Forensic Science (Honours). Sarah has over seventeen years of operational experience in support of community, national and international policing. Sarah’s experience has been drawn locally in support of ACT Policing and AFP national operations including illegal importations and counter terrorism disruption operations. Sarah has undertaken deployments to countries in South East Asia to assist local authorities with scene and laboratory examinations, and performed the Forensics-DVI Commander role in The Netherlands and Ukraine in support of the MH17 disaster (2014).

Sarah performed the Capability Advisor role to the Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee (ANZCTC) Forensic Support Capability between 2014-2016, ensuring best practice forensic science in support of CT operations; high level advice to government and national policy development. Prior to this, Sarah drove the establishment of the Australian Forensic Explosives Chemist Network (2007) and played a key role as the ANZCTC Forensic Assistant Capability Advisor (2009-2013) in the development of the National Guide for Forensic Support to Multi-Jurisdictional Counter Terrorism Operations and the development of the first ANZCTC Forensic Coordinators course, both in 2011.

A secondment to DSTO in 2012 as a Science and Technology Program Manager in the National Security Science and Technology Centre afforded Sarah the opportunity to coordinate and facilitate programs to address Whole of Government science and technology requirements in support of national security.

Sarah was awarded a PhD in 2009 for her thesis on the application of isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) for the forensic analysis of explosives. Sarah has authored a number of peer-reviewed publications across a range of forensic capabilities and technologies and received awards for these.

In September 2015, Sarah was awarded the Bravery Award at the 2015 Excellence in Policing Awards acknowledging bravery required to improve policing for all members of the community. The award recognised her international expertise used in numerous priority operations and contribution to enhanced forensic science capabilities in Australia and overseas.

Dr Richard Davis

Chief Technology Officer National Security
Australian National Security Science and Technology Centre (NSSTC)

Dr Davis has a BSc and MSc in Psychology and a PhD in Human Computer Interaction.

Prior to becoming Chief Technology Officer National Security, Dr Davis held a number of senior roles within DST, including acting Chief of Joint Operations and Analysis Division and Research Leader of Strategic Capability Analysis. As Research Leader, Dr Davis was responsible for the provision of strategic advice to shape Defence and national security policy, strategy and capability, through horizon scanning and technology foresight; strategic context, risks and mitigation approaches, and future whole-of-force design.

His previous roles include Director General, Science Strategy & Policy; and Assistant Secretary, National Security Science and Technology (NSST) Branch within the Office of National Security in the Department of the Prime Minister & Cabinet.

Richard’s career started as a Defence consultant in the UK where he worked for a number of years before moving to what was then the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (now DST Group) in 1991. He has spent much of his working life in the areas of command and control systems; and whole-of-force capabilities, such as future concepts of operation and military experimentation, networked warfare, systems of systems and modelling and simulation.

Mr Joseph (Jay) Martin

Director of Research and Development Partnerships, S&T Directorate
US Department of Homeland Security

Jay Martin currently serves as the Director of the Research & Development Partnerships Group, within the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The R&D Partnerships Group brings technology from all sectors – government, industry, academia and from around the world into DHS to better protect the homeland and support the Homeland Security Enterprise (HSE). As the Director, Mr. Martin provides leadership and strategic policy guidance for the Office of University Programs, Office of National Laboratories, International Cooperative Programs Office, and Public-Private Partnerships. Mr. Martin actively oversees the five DHS laboratories supporting the department’s R&D needs in explosive detection, chemical and biological security research, agricultural bio-defense, and First Responder technology evaluation. As the Executive Agreement Director for the International Cooperative Programs Office, Mr. Martin guides international engagements and R&D programs through 13 active bilateral agreements with Science and Technology agencies around the world. Mr. Martin provides the strategic direction for the Directorate’s interagency coordination within the U.S. government. In this role, he seeks to leverage homeland security related research and oversees the execution of new cooperative agreements that address mission needs. His portfolio also includes industry outreach and engagement, leveraging private sector innovation and investments for multiple Science and Technology Directorate programs.

Before leading the R&D Partnerships Group, Mr. Martin served as the Acting Director to the First Responders Group (FRG) at S&T. FRG helps provide first responders at all levels—state, local, federal, tribal and territorial—with better technology for protecting the homeland. Mr. Martin focused on developing tools and technology for several evolving areas: communications technology, responder safety, information sharing and radiological/nuclear response, and recovery capabilities. He also oversaw FRG’s international engagements to develop partnerships and share technologies with response agencies and technology developers in other countries.

Mr. Martin has also served in other positions and capacities within the Department. He began his DHS career in the Office of Health Affairs (OHA), working for the Chief Medical Officer of DHS, where he had responsibility for the development and implementation of medical standards, guidelines and requirements for occupational and operational medical services, supporting the DHS workforce and those within its care and custody.

Prior to joining DHS in 2007, Mr. Martin worked for the Annapolis Fire Department, Annapolis, Maryland. He worked as a firefighter/paramedic, code enforcement official, fire prevention officer, and public information officer, retiring as a Captain in 2007 to come to DHS. Mr. Martin graduated from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, earning first a Bachelor’s degree in 2000, and then a Master’s degree in Emergency Health Services in 2002. He has an extensive background in first responder training and education, most notably with the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute and the National Fire Academy within the U.S. Fire Administration.

Mr. Martin is currently a first responder with the Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department. He resides in Calvert County, Maryland with his wife Kelly and 6 children.

Professor Craig Valli

Research Director
ECU Security Research Institute

Craig’s diverse career has evolved from working within the secondary education sector to his currently position as the Director of ECU’s Security Research Institute and Fellow of the Australian Computer Society.

His area of expertise is cyber security, an area that has rapidly developed in both importance and relevance over the last 20 years as we become increasingly dependent on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to run our economies and many facets of everyday life.

Craig has worked in the ICT education and research sector his entire life. Initially within the secondary sector teaching ICT across a period of 12 years. In addition to this in 1995 Craig was part owner and director of one of Perth’s first Internet Service providers (Global Data Access). Focusing on a new direction in his career he re-entered postgraduate study in 1999 at ECU, completed a Masters of Management Information Systems (Deans List) in 2000 and then started his Doctorate. Shortly thereafter hejoined ECU’s School of Management Information Systems as Lecturer (Computer Security) and in 2007 became Head of the School of Computer and Information Science which in 2009 became the School of Computer and Security Science. That same year Craig became a Professor of Digital Forensics and ECU was recognized by the Australian Computer Society as being a Centre of Expertise in Security. In 2012 Craig became Director of the ECU Security Research Institute (ECU SRI).

Given his extensive experience in the IT industry, Craig regularly consults with industry and government, focusing on securing networks and critical infrastructures, detection of network borne threats, forensic analysis of cyber security incidents, network security and digital forensics.

He has an active research profile with in excess of 100 publications to his name.

Dr Alex Zelinsky

Chief Defence Scientist
Department of Defence

Dr Alex Zelinsky was appointed Chief Defence Scientist and head of the Defence Science and Technology (DST) Group (then DSTO) in March 2012.

Dr Alex Zelinsky is Australia’s Chief Defence Scientist. His scientific career includes working as a computer scientist, a systems engineer and a roboticist. His career spans innovation, science and technology, research and development, commercial start-ups and education. As Chief Defence Scientist since March 2012, he leads the Defence Science and Technology program within the Department of Defence.

Prior to joining Defence, Dr Zelinsky was Group Executive for Information Sciences at the CSIRO. Dr Zelinsky was Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Seeing Machines, a high-technology company developing computer vision systems. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a start-up from the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia, where Dr Zelinsky was Professor of Systems Engineering.

Dr Zelinsky has received numerous awards and recognition of his work. In 2017, he was appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO) in the 2017 Queen’s Birthday honours.  He has been included in Engineers Australia’s list of the 100 most influential engineers since 2009 and in 2015, Engineers Australia awarded him the prestigious M A Sargent Medal. In 2013, he was awarded the Pearcey Medal, the ICT industry’s premier prize for lifetime achievement. In 2003, 2004 and 2005, the World Economic Forum selected Dr Zelinsky as a Technology Pioneer. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, the Institute of Engineers Australia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Academic qualifications

Dr Zelinsky has been awarded a:

• Bachelor of Mathematical Sciences (Honours), University of Wollongong
• Doctor of Philosophy, University of Wollongong
• Graduate Diploma, Australian Institute of Company Directors
• Completed Advanced Management Program, Harvard University
• Honorary Doctor of Science, University of Wollongong
  

Achievements

Dr Zelinsky's contributions to science have been recognised by numerous science and industry awards including:

• Australian Engineering Excellence Awards, 1999 and 2001
• Business-Higher Education Round Table Award, 2001
• Australian Information Industries Award (iAward), 2002 and 2006
• Australian Eureka Science Prize, 2002
• US R&D magazine Top 100 Award, 2002
• ATSE Clunies-Ross National Science & Technology Award, 2005
• Professional Engineer of the Year (Sydney Division), 2009
• IEEE Inaba Technical Award for Innovation Leading to Production, 2010
• Warren Centre, Innovation Hero Award, 2012
• Pearcey Foundation, Pearcey Medal for lifetime achievement in ICT sector, 2013
• Engineers Australia M A Sargent Medal, 2015

Dr Zelinsky has been elected as a:

• Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE)
• Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (FIEEE)
• Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia (FIEAust)
• Fellow of Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD)

The World Economic Forum named Dr Zelinsky a Technology Pioneer in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Professor-Bob-Williamson

Research School of Computer Science
Australian National University and Data61

Bob Williamson obtained a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Queensland in 1990. He joined the Australian National University as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Systems Engineering in 1990 and held a series of appointments before becoming a professor and head of the Computer Sciences Laboratory in the Research School of Information Sciences and Engineering for several years.

He is now a professor in the Research School of Computer Science. From 2003 to early 2006 Professor Williamson was the Director of NICTA’s Canberra Research Laboratory. From 2006 to 2010 he served as NICTA’s Scientific Director. From 2011-2015 he led NICTA's Machine Learning group.

He served as interim CEO of NICTA from May to August 2015. From September 2015 to October 2016 he served as director of the Analytics program at Data61. From September 2015 to September 2017 he served as Chief Scientist and Deputy Director of Data61.

He is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Sciences and the Australian Mathematical Society. He recently led the creation of a report on Technology and Australia's Future.

His scientific research interests are in machine learning. See his Google Scholar Profile or his ANU home page for more details and links to papers.

Mark A. Williamson

Director General, Defence Research and Development Canada - Centre for Security Science
Government of Canada

Mark A. Williamson is Director General of Defence Research and Development Canada’s Centre for Security Science, which operates in partnership with Public Safety Canada. DRDC CSS is responsible for leading the Canadian Safety and Security Program on behalf of the Government of Canada, a program whose mission is to strengthen Canada’s ability to anticipate, prevent/mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters, serious accidents, crime and terrorism through the convergence of science and technology (S&T) with policy, operations and intelligence.

Mark has performed and managed S&T activities across the academic, industry and government sectors for over 20 years.  He began his government career as a petroleum geoscience research scientist with Natural Resources Canada.  Throughout the 90’s he coordinated and led several multidisciplinary academic, industry and government initiatives that evaluated and assessed petroleum potential in Canada’s frontier basins.  

In 2006, Mark was appointed Director of Chemical, Biological, Radiological-Nuclear and Explosives Research and Technology Initiative at DRDC CSS where he was responsible for making strategic investments in CBRNE related S&T.  This involved efforts to harness existing intellectual capacity across Canada’s federal science based departments and in creating linkages with industry and academia.  Subsequently he assumed the role of DG for DRDC CSS with responsibility for the Canadian Safety and Security Program. This program is designed to develop and sustain frameworks for collaboration as a basis for investments in S&T innovations. The goal is to enhance Canada’s preparedness and response and recovery capabilities from both natural and terror related events as well as for the provision of credible and timely advice to safety and security decision makers.

Dr Linzi Wilson-Wilde OAM

Director National Institute of Forensic Science
Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency

Dr Linzi Wilson-Wilde OAM is the Director of the National Institute of Forensic Science Australia New Zealand. Linzi obtained her PhD at the University of Canberra in species identification of Diprotodontia for wildlife crime investigations.

Linzi has over 20 years’ experience in forensic science, having worked for Victoria Police, New South Wales Police and the Australian Federal Police. During this time Linzi was involved in legislative reform, policy development, the investigation of a number of high-profile murder cases, cold case reviews and the highly publicised mass DNA screen in the town of Wee Waa, NSW. Linzi coordinated the DNA analysis of all samples involved in the disaster victim identification and criminal investigation of the Bali Bombing in October 2002.

Recently Linzi has been involved in the development of forensic specific Australian and International Standards and is the current Chair of ISO TC272 – Forensic Sciences. Linzi is a member of the International Forensic Strategic Alliance and represents them on the International Criminal Court Office of the Prosecutor Scientific Advisory Board. Linzi has received a Medal in the Order of Australia for her work and was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2014.