Speakers

Hon. Scott Morrison served as the 30th Prime Minister of Australia from 2018 to 2022,
As Prime Minister, Mr Morrison successfully led Australia through the global COVID 19 pandemic.

Under Mr Morrison’s leadership Australia had the third lowest COVID fatality rate in the OECD
while Australia’s economy outperformed all G7 and almost all OECD economies, making it one of
the most effective public health and economic responses in the world.

As Prime Minister, Mr Morrison was the architect and founder of the AUKUS trilateral defence
agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. He was a founding member
of the Quad leaders dialogue with Indian PM Modi, Japanese PMs Suga and Kishida and United
States President Biden. As PM, Mr Morrison also completed numerous other diplomatic, trade and
defence agreements, including the first post Brexit free trade agreement with the UK, the first ever
bilateral defence forces reciprocal access agreement with Japan and the first ever comprehensive
strategic partnership agreement with ASEAN.

Domestically, Mr Morrison steered the Australian economy to its lowest unemployment rate in almost
50 years, balancing the federal budget before the pandemic hit and returning it to a structural surplus.

He ensured Australia remained one of only nine countries in the world to maintain a AAA credit
rating from all major international credit rating agencies.

Prior to becoming Prime Minister, Mr Morrison served as a Cabinet Minister for five years, including
three years as Federal Treasurer (2015-2018) as well as Minister for Immigration and Border
Protection, where he designed and implemented Australia’s highly successful border protection
policy, Operation Sovereign Borders. Mr Morrison served on both the National Security Committee
of Cabinet and the Cabinet Expenditure Review (Budget) Committee for eight years, and as the
Member for the electorate of Cook in the Australian House of Representatives from 2007 to 2024.

As Prime Minister, Mr Morrison was awarded the honour of Chief Commander of the United States
Legion of Merit by President Trump, The Jerusalem Prize by the World Zionist Council and the
inaugural Grotius Prize for International Relations from UK Policy Exchange.

Mr Morrison is now non executive Vice Chairman of US geo-political advisory firm, American
Global Strategies, non executive Chairman of Space Centre Australia and Principal of his own
Australian based consulting firm, Triginta Advisory. He also serves on several global strategic
advisory boards in the private sector as well as the International Democracy Union, the Center for a
New American Security and the Hudson Institute China Center.

Mr Morrison holds a Bachelor of Applied Science with Honours in Economic Geography from the
University of New South Wales, in Sydney, where he graduated in 1990. In 2024 Mr Morrison’s
Christian memoir, Plans for Your Good, was published by Harper Collins. Mr Morrison is married to
Jenny, they have two teenage daughters and live in Sydney, Australia.

Eric Philips is an Australian polar explorer, adventurer, guide and private astronaut, renowned for his pioneering expeditions across Earth’s most extreme environments.

Eric has led numerous self-supported ski expeditions across major icecaps, including those in Greenland, Ellesmere Island, Iceland, Svalbard, Patagonia, and Antarctica. Notably, he became the first Australian, alongside companion Jon Muir, to ski to both the North and South Poles, locations he has since trekked to more than 20 times. In 1998–99, he completed a 1,425 km ski expedition from McMurdo Station to the South Pole via the untrodden Shackleton Glacier, one of four new rotes he has pioneered to the Earth’s most southerly point.

In 1999, Eric founded Icetrek Expeditions and Equipment, a company specialising in polar guiding and equipment design. He also co-founded the International Polar Guides Association (IPGA) and co-created the Polar Expeditions Classification Scheme (PECS).

In April 2025, at age 62, Eric participated in the Fram2 mission - the first human spaceflight to orbit over the Poles. Launched from Cape Canaveral aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, the mission completed 55 orbits over 3.6 days at an altitude of approximately 430 km. He became the first Australian to fly to orbit under the Australian flag and the fourth Australian in space.

Enrico has led the Australian Space Agency since January 2021. Since his commencement, Enrico has proudly led a diverse team of space agents that have achieved a number of major milestones.
Under his leadership the Agency has reached an agreement with NASA for an Australian designed, built and operated rover to be included in a future mission to the Moon, secured the first launch permits and launch facility licenses under the Australian Space (Launches and Returns) Act, and seen the first commercial spaceflights from Australia.
Before joining the Agency, Enrico spent 14 years in various roles at Virgin Galactic, including establishing and leading a vertically integrated aerospace manufacturing and testing operation for Mach 3, crewed commercial spaceships. From there Enrico was part of the team that launched the New York Stock Exchange listed public company and was appointed Chief Operating Officer.
A Perth native, Enrico graduated from the University of Western Australia with a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering and Bachelor of Science in Physics and Applied Mathematics. He also studied at the International Space University in Strasbourg.

James Palmer MEM, CompIEAust, EngExecFounder, Space Centre Australia
As the founder of Space Centre Australia, James has over 20 years’ experience as a Chartered Engineering Executive Leader.
James began his career as a submariner in the Royal Australian Navy. During this time, he gained extensive experience in engineering vehicles to withstand hostile conditions, both deep underwater and in space.

As CEO and Owner of Space Centre Australia, James specialises in project management, engineering, environmental science, land management, andof course, space systems. James’ educational achievements include a Master of Philosophy from the Queensland University of Technology, a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Australia, and a Master of Engineering Management from Southern Cross University.

Naoko Sugita has more than 25 years of experience in the space sector. She has led numerous projects in fostering innovation with the private sector and strategic research for the executives. Currently, at JAXA, she is serving as the Japan lead for trilateral Earth Observing Dashboard with NASA and ESA, to make information from satellites available to decision-makers and the public. She is also promoting public-private-academia partnerships through the Consortium for Satellite Earth Observation (CONSEO), with more than 300 member companies and specialists.

Mr. Ronald ‘Ron’ Caton is the Space Security and International Partnerships Mission Area Lead, Air Force Research Laboratory(AFRL). He leads engagements with international allies and partners toward development of cooperative partnerships and works with the Department of Defense space security cooperation enterprise to develop strategies and priorities addressing the S&T needs of the US Space Force (USSF).

Mr. Caton joined the Geospace Environment Division, AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate in 2009 where he led the Radio Frequency (RF) Spectrum Operations Technical Team from 2020-2022. He served as the Directorate’s Senior International Focal Point (SIFP) from 2017-2022.

Mr. Caton has published more than 100 papers and reports in national and international journals and conference proceedings including one of the “Top 20 Most Downloaded Articles” in Radio Science from 2017-2019. He is a member of the International Union of Radio Scientists (URSI) and a subject matter on ionospheric impacts on RF signals and warfighter systems.

Growing up in 1980s USA, Katie fell in love with Space as a small child and has been working in the domain since 2021 (if you can dream it, you CAN do it – Space needs everyone!) after COVID upturned her successful Fashion Photography business and deposited her in the Australian Public Service. Katie’s career has also included time as an Executive Support Guru, Recruiter and Retail whiz in the early days. Currently working in the Australian Space Agency’s International Partnerships team, Katie has also worked in Civil Space Policy and National Missions.

A passionate advocate for Women, Diversity and Inclusion in STE(A)M, and a personal supporter of events and organisations which encourage all to consider a career in STE(A)M, Katie also has a particular interest in First Nations connections to Sky and Country and appreciates the sharing of learning and experiences.

Katie cares deeply about being a champion for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, not only in her workplace but also through external activities, and takes great pride in leading by example, consideration and intent.

Easily recognised by her warm smile, colourful outfits and Space themed accessories – Katie’s unique conversation starters have helped build genuine connections with her ever-growing network of peers who support the belief that we should seek to lift others as we ourselves rise.
Katie is an alumni of Melbourne Business School’s “Women’s Leadership Program”, is a Masters level member of the Australian Human Resources Institute, member of the Women in Aviation/Aerospace Australia organisation and an inaugural committee member of the Australian Space Diversity Alliance. She is currently completing her PSMP through QUT. She participates as a mentor in programs which focus on supporting young women in the Space arena.

In her downtime, Katie can be found keeping her hand in Photography (both Film and Digital), working on Vintage Sportscars and getting the living room “just right” (for the thousandth time, much to her cats’ displeasure).

Major General Novak graduated from the Royal Military College Duntroon in 1995 to the Royal Australian Corps of Signals. Early in his career he filled a range of regimental and staff appointments with highlights including Squadron Commander and Operations Officer at the 3rd Combat Signal Regiment, Staff Officer Grade 1 for battlefield digitisation at Army Headquarters, and Commanding Officer of the 1st Combat Signal Regiment.

Post his Regimental command, Major General Novak spent two years seconded to the Office of National Intelligence as a strategic analyst. In this role, he prepared reports covering a range of issues relevant to Australia’s strategic security interests for the Prime Minister, other Government Ministers, and senior Departmental officials. After this secondment, Major General Novak returned to Army Headquarters as Military Assistant to the Chief of Army.

Major General Novak was promoted to Colonel in December 2016 and posted to the United States as the Australian Liaison Officer to United States Strategic Command. Representing Australia’s Defence interests with United States Strategic Command, Major General Novak gained unique insights on strategic deterrence, space as an operational domain, and integrated global operations. He was awarded a United States Legion of Merit for his contributions to these important components of the Australia – United States military to military relationship.

Upon return to Australia in 2019, Major General Novak served as Chief of Staff to the Chief of the Defence Force. This appointment remains a career highlight for Major General Novak as he worked closely with Defence’s most senior leaders and was constantly exposed to the highest level workings of the Department. He was promoted to Brigadier in January 2020 and appointed Commander Defence Strategic Communications in the Chief Information Officer Group, responsible for delivering strategic communications to deployed ADF elements and Defence establishments domestically, regionally and globally.

In December 2021, Major General Novak was appointed Commander of the Australian Army’s 6th Brigade where he led some of Defence’s most capable intelligence, surveillance, electronic warfare, cyber, battlespace control, and force-level engineering units. He was promoted to Major General in October 2023 and assumed his current appointment as Commander Defence Space Command in December 2023.

Operationally, Major General Novak has deployed to Bougainville, Afghanistan, the broader Middle East Area of Operations, and twice to East Timor. Through these deployments, he has served regionally and globally in coalition settings, commanded deployed forces at sub- unit and unit level, and experienced contingency operations as well as scheduled force rotations.

Major General Novak holds a Masters of Science in Information Technology and a Masters of Arts in Strategy and Policy. He held the appointment of Head of Corps for Army’s Royal Australian Corps of Signals from January 2020 to December 2023 and was awarded Member of the Order of Australia in 2023 Australia Day Honours for exceptional service in ADF command and liaison appointments.

Steven Freeland is Emeritus Professor of International Law at Western Sydney University, where he was previously the Dean of the School of Law, and Professorial Fellow at Bond University. He also holds Visiting or Adjunct positions at various other Universities/Institutes in Copenhagen, Vienna, Toulouse, Hong Kong, Montreal, Kuala Lumpur, Vancouver, Mumbai and London. Prior to becoming an academic, he had a 20-year career as an international commercial lawyer and an investment banker. He is a government-appointed Member of the Australian Space Agency Advisory Board and has been an advisor to the Australian, New Zealand, Norwegian and several other Governments on issues relating to national space legislative frameworks and policy. He has represented the Australian Government at Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) meetings and, in June 2021, was appointed by UNCOPUOS as Vice-Chair of a 5-year Working Group addressing issues related to the exploration, exploitation and utilisation of space resources. He has also been a Visiting Professional within the Appeals Chamber at the International Criminal Court, and a Special Advisor to the Danish Foreign Ministry in matters related to the International Criminal Court. He is a co-Principal of specialised space law firm Azimuth Advisory and is also a Director of the International Institute of Space Law, a Member of the Space Law Committee of the International Law Association and a Member of the Space Law and War Crimes Committees of the International Bar Association. In addition to co-Editing the Annotated Leading Cases of International Criminal Tribunals book series, he also sits on the Editorial Board / Advisory Board of several internationally recognised academic journals.

Dr Rebecca Allen is the Co-Director of the Space Technology and Industry Institute at Swinburne University of Technology. She completed her PhD in Astrophysics at Swinburne where she used information from powerful telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope to study the evolution and growth of galaxies going back to when the Universe was barely a billion years old. Now, Dr Allen applies her scientific expertise to help support Australia's growing space industry. To this end, she supports the translation of cutting-edge research in areas such as microgravity experimentation and Earth observation to build climate change resilient communities and support innovations for Earth. When she’s not studying space or sending things there, she’s inspiring and empowering future space leaders by communicating the wonders of the Universe and creating immersive, hands-on learning experiences.

Dr Catherine Grace is the Acting General Manager, Space Capability at the Australian Space Agency, leading national efforts to shape and deliver Australia’s civil space capability, technology priorities and programs.
She provides whole‑of‑government strategic guidance on capability development, international civil space engagement, and space‑enabled technologies that deliver national, economic and societal benefit.

A medical doctor and International Space University graduate, Catherine brings a rare multidisciplinary perspective across space, defence and disruptive technologies. She is known for connecting strategy to execution, linking policy, capability and technology with real‑world outcomes. Catherine a sought‑after voice on building resilient capability, strengthening international collaboration, and shaping the future impact of space‑enabled services

Lloyd Damp is CEO of Southern Launch and is at the forefront of the space industry in Australia. He founded Southern Launch in 2017 and the company conducted the first commercial space launch from Australian soil in 2020 and Australia’s first commercial space return in 2025.
Today, Southern Launch employs 30 people and operates two licensed space launch and return facilities in Koonibba and Whalers Way on the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia. These multi-user space launch facilities have been used by domestic and international customers with the Koonibba Test Range hosting the launch of the first high-powered rocket under Australian legislation.
Lloyd leads a team dedicated to developing world-class space launch and return facilities in South Australia and providing bespoke solutions for customers. Lloyd’s vision is to build a connected space industry centred around domestic launch and return capabilities to establish Australia as the next global space hub.
Prior to starting Southern Launch, Lloyd spent over 12 years working for the Australian Government specialising in complex program design and delivery. While there Lloyd also played a small part in helping Australia undertake regular rocket launches into space from Woomera.

Dr Sara Webb is an astrophysicist at the Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology, and Course Director of Swinburne Astronomy Online. Her research focuses on time-domain astronomy and the detection of satellites and space debris in large astronomical surveys, helping bridge astrophysics with space situational awareness. She leads Australia’s longest-running International Space Station experimentation program, with more than six research payloads flown to the ISS, enabling students to design and conduct real microgravity experiments in space.
A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Dr Webb is a sought-after speaker and expert voice on space science, regularly contributing to international media and public discussions on astronomy, the future of space exploration, and the growing intersection between space research and industry.

Professor Alan Duffy is the Pro-Vice Chancellor of Flagship Initiatives at Swinburne University of Technology, bringing together diverse research teams with industry and government stakeholders to undertake transformative programmes in Flagship sectors of hydrogen, renewable technologies, AI, space and aerospace, MedTech and health innovation.

He was the inaugural Director of the Space Technology and Industry Institute at Swinburne, finding ways to use space and AI to help companies and communities on Earth. His research background in computational astrophysics saw Alan model universes on supercomputers to understand how galaxies like our Milky Way form within vast clouds of dark matter.

He is trying to find this dark matter as a Chief Investigator in the $35M ARC CoE for Dark Matter Particle Physics and SABRE, the world’s first dark matter detector in the Southern Hemisphere, at the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory at the bottom of an active gold mine in Victoria.

Alan is also the cofounder and CEO of mDetect, a spin-off company from his dark matter research, that uses particles from space to scan through rock for mineral exploration, identification of structural weaknesses in tailings dams, and subsidence/air gaps below critical infrastructure.

When not exploring simulated universes, he attempts to explain the science of this one to the public on TV as a regular on Ten’s The Project and The Today Show, as well as radio and print.

Alan has spoken at hundreds of events, some particularly unusual opportunities include speaking at TEDxSydney in the Sydney Opera House, a Science-Improv night at the Adelaide Fringe, a nation- wide tour with BBC Worldwide/RiAus show The Science of Doctor Who Live and even a Planetarium production on Dark Matter called Dark (now shown in 148 planetariums across 25 countries in 6 languages).

His other writing pursuits include his own column in Australia’s most popular science magazine, Cosmos.

He was named one of Men’s Style Magazine’s Men of Influence, WA Sunday Time Magazine’s Best and Brightest as well as a winner in the National Eureka Award for Promoting Understanding of Australian Science Research, Victorian State Tall Poppy Award for Science and CommBank’s Australian of the Day.

In his spare time, you can find Alan speaking around the country at various conferences and corporate events. He is in high demand for his simple explanations of complex scientific theories.

David is the Regional Director Australia New Zealand for Lockheed Martin Space, representing the space portfolio of capabilities and services in the region. Prior to joining Lockheed Martin, David was the Chief Executive Officer of the Space Environment Research Centre (SERC), and also held leadership roles in the Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA) for more than a decade, culminating in his tenure as Chair of the SIAA during 2020. With over 25 years of experience in the space, communications and defence sectors David has spent a significant portion of his career specialising in satellite communications and has held senior positions with several commercial satellite communications operators, including Intelsat and PanAmSat. David’s previous roles encompassed sales management, business development, customer service engineering, space systems design and spacecraft and launch vehicle acquisition.

Earlier in his career David was an electronics engineering officer in the Royal Australian Air Force responsible for engineering management of Defence communications systems with his final posting focused on military satellite communications systems. David holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree (Communications Engineering), a Graduate Diploma in Business Management and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance. David is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Kate is a corporate lawyer specialising in managing regulatory risk and complex contracting. Kate specialises in supporting participants in highly regulated industries, including telecommunications, infrastructure and financial services. Kate is experienced in working with incumbent operators and new market entrants, and supports Government agencies as well as corporates.

Kate loves advising on the application of regulatory schemes and on the development of new laws and novel transactions. Kate has a particular focus on the Radiocommunications Act and the Telecommunications Act, and related regulatory schemes, which is what originally drew her into the space sector.

Annabel is an international corporate and technology lawyer with over 20 years’ experience in Australia, the UK and Asia. At the heart of what she does is solve problems and execute complex transactions. She specialises in commercial transactions and projects involving technology, data and intellectual property, including in the space sector.

She is passionate about innovation in business and government and the role reliable and clear legal advice plays in achieving project outcomes. She is actively involved in the Canberra Innovation Network and the KWM Digital Economy Team. Her key areas of focus include business domestic capability, opportunities for Australia in our region, and helping clients adopt technology solutions for higher value scale.

A highly accomplished scale-up C-Level Executive, and Advisor, who has a consistent track record of creating commercial and financial strategies that transform businesses, drive growth and accelerate commercial and operational success. With extensive experience across the technology, digital, deep tech, electronics, audio, sporting, media, and banking sectors, Matt is a leader in business transformations that increase revenue, optimise structure, streamline operations and increase productivity. Matt also brings strong experience in financial leadership and management, with a proven ability to oversee financial strategy, revenue and profitability, transactional management, compliance and reporting.

Craig Ingram is a physicist and project leader based in Australia, specialising in the development of advanced optical instrumentation and Earth observation technologies. He played a pivotal role in the CyanoSense project, leading the design and deployment of Australia's first domestically developed hyperspectral imaging payload in space, aimed at monitoring inland water quality and detecting harmful algal blooms. Craig's current work at CSIRO includes innovative telescope design for Earth observation satellites, integrating cutting-edge optical systems and rapid prototyping methodologies to enhance environmental monitoring from satellites, drones, and airborne platforms. He is dedicated to advancing satellite remote sensing capabilities and promoting Australian leadership in space-based Earth observation.

Ian Manchester received the B.E. (Hons 1) and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of New South Wales, Australia, in 2002 and 2006, respectively. He has held research positions at Umea University, Sweden, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. In 2012 he joined the faculty at the University of Sydney, where he is currently Professor of Mechatronic Engineering, Director of the Australian Centre for Robotics (ACFR) and Director of the Australian Robotic Inspection and Asset Management Hub (ARIAM). His research interests include optimization and learning methods for nonlinear system analysis, identification, and control, with applications in robotics and biomedical engineering. He is an Associate Editor for IEEE Control Systems Letters and has previously served as an Associate Editor for IEEE Robotics & Automation Letters.

Dr Rodrigo Praino is Professor of Politics and Public Policy and Director of the Jeff Bleich Centre for Democracy and Disruptive Technologies at Flinders University.
He holds a PhD in Political Science and has received several prestigious fellowships, scholarships and awards, including a Fulbright Scholarship. In 2018 he became the first political scientist to win a Tall Poppy Science Award for excellence is scientific research and communication.
Professor Praino is an expert in decision-making and political behaviour, conducting research on elections, voting, and how voters make decisions in a context of low-information. His publications in this area cover a wide range of issues, including the effect of political scandals and corruption, the political behaviour of young voters, the political representation of women, and the role of candidate physical appearance.
Professor Praino is also engaged in research on space politics and space policy. He is particularly interested in understanding and analysing the importance of space assets for defence, economic development, international relations, and decision-making. He is a co-author of Power, State and Space: Conceptualizing, Measuring and Comparing Space Actors (Springer, 2023).
Professor Praino's research has been published by top peer-reviewed academic journals in the Social Sciences, and has attracted funding from various sources, including the Australian Research Council, SmartSat CRC, Defence, the Australian Space Agency, and UNICEF.

Lisa is CEO and Founder of Indo-Pacific Space, an advisory and consulting practice focused on accelerating the growth of the Indo-Pacific’s emerging space industry. She is also Strategic Advisor, Indo-Pacific, and Bid Director for IAC 2029 Houston for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

Lisa Vitaris was appointed to the Board of Engineers Australia in October 2021. She is Chair of the Member and Stakeholder Committee and a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.

She serves on the Advisory Board of Monolith LLC, which develops mission management programs to support emerging space nations, and is an Honorary Board Director for Space4Climate, a global initiative helping millions of school students understand the critical role of space in addressing climate change.

Lisa is a globally recognised voice in the space sector, having presented at the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) in Vienna, at COP30 in Brazil, and at leading international forums spanning space, health, mining, and technology.

Previously, Lisa served as Interim CEO of the Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA) and Director of IAC 2025 Sydney, which attracted more than 7,400 delegates and 19,500 public attendees, delivering approximately AUD $42 million in economic impact to New South Wales.

Her executive career spans high-growth and listed organisations across space, technology, telecommunications, financial services, automotive, and tourism. She has held senior leadership roles including Chief Marketing Officer, working with brands such as amaysim (Optus), Tyro, CMC Markets, Hyundai, Tourism Tasmania, Volvo, and LG.

In addition to her work in space, Lisa is Founder and Director of 10 Pieces, a sustainability initiative focused on environmental action and behaviour change, reflecting her commitment to climate and responsible innovation.

Lisa is an Engineering Executive (EngExec) and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD). She holds a Master of Business (International Marketing) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA).

Matt has spent the last decade working in aerospace and defence industries, both in Australia and Japan.

Matt leads the development and implementation of innovative space engineering and science programs in collaboration with iLAuNCH partners – the Australian National University (ANU) and the University of South Australia (UniSA). As an Associate Professor at UniSQ, Matt will contribute to the University’s mission of advancing knowledge, fostering collaboration, and shaping the future of space exploration.

Before iLAuNCH, Matt was Space Technology Assistant Director at Australian Space Agency and prior to that, working internationally at the University of Tokyo (UTokyo) as an Assistant Professor in the Graduate School of Engineering. Matt’s research focused on space transportation, propulsion and energy systems. Matt also taught at the Institute for Innovation in International Engineering Education, where he facilitated joint satellite design student projects between UTokyo and Australian universities.

Dr. Marie Le Pellec is the Space Sustainability Coordinator within the Strategy department at the European Space Agency. She leads the development of the Agency’s space sustainability strategy, that aims to amplify the impact of sustainability related activities led across ESA, on Earth, in Earth’s orbit, on the Moon and deep space. With 15 years of experience in sustainability strategy, her international career spans the French space agency (CNES) and the Australian Space Agency. Her expertise spans ecodesign and sustainable procurement, space debris mitigation, and responsible lunar exploration. Marie is committed to turning sustainability vision into practical reality, through technology development and strategic tools.

Revd. Dr Nikki Coleman is Australia’s leading Space Ethicist. She recently retired from the Royal Australian Air Force where she was the Senior Chaplain Ethicist, and the Australian Space Agency, where she was the lead on the Australian Space Ethics Program.
Nikki has taught military ethics and bioethics at UNSW Canberra, the Australian National University, and Yale University Summer School. She is a visiting fellow at UNSW Canberra, the Australian National University, and the Case Western Reserve University Inamori Centre for Ethics and Leadership. Nikki has published research in the areas of space ethics (including on the problem of terrorism in space), military ethics and bioethics.

Nikki is currently a Senior Research Fellow with the Australian Centre for Space Governance where she is leading a team to creat the first International Space Ethics Framework to assist space operators in assessing the ethical risk of their operations.

Nikki’s assistance dog is called Skye and comes from Defence Community Dogs, who provide trained assistance dogs to veterans with PTSD.

Iver Cairns has over 30 years of experience in space physics, small satellite, and space weather research, with over 400 written and published refereed papers. His primary contributions relate to the growth and saturation of plasma waves, the generation of radio emission in association with shocks, and associated space weather. He is a Co-Investigator on NASA's STEREO mission and on NASA's two SMEX missions, PUNCH and TRACERS, launched in 2025. In Australia he led the 2010-2019 Decadal Plan for Australian Space Science. Since then he has worked to "put runs on the board" to convince Governments to invest in the space sector. He led the INSPIRE-2 CubeSat project, which launched in May 2017 and re-entered still working in November 2018. For 2017 – 2025, but continuing now as a research collaboration, Prof. Cairns led CUAVA (the ARC Training Centre for CubeSats, UAVs, and Their Applications), training people, solving research problems, and working on commercial outcomes for its industry, academic, and governmental partners. CUAVA’s 1st CubeSat, CUAVA-1, was deployed from the International Space Station in October 2021. He also leads the Waratah Seed project, Australia’s 1st ride-share satellite. His satellites CUAVA-2 and Waratah Seed-1 launched in August 2024 and are both operating successfully in space.

Greta Stephensen is a proud Indigenous Aerospace Engineer and first-generation university graduate whose pathway into STEM has been shaped by ambition, resilience and a deep commitment to representation. Growing up rurally, Greta developed an early fascination with space and engineering, yet had limited visibility of Indigenous professionals in STEM. Without established networks or role models in aerospace, she navigated her academic journey largely independently, determined to pursue a career in space and advanced technology.

She completed dual honours degrees in Engineering and Mathematics at the University of Queensland, majoring in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and is now studying a Masters of Space Engineering at UNSW. During her studies, Greta built strong technical foundations across electronics, avionics, systems engineering and computational modelling, positioning herself at the intersection of hardware and high-level aerospace systems.

Greta now works on national-scale defence and space programs, contributing to the design and delivery of complex, field-ready systems. Her work spans multidisciplinary engineering environments where precision, safety and innovation are critical. She is particularly passionate about advancing Australia’s sovereign space capability and strengthening Indigenous representation within high-technology industries.

A long-standing participant and supporter of CSIRO’s Young Indigenous Women’s STEM Academy, Greta has maintained a close relationship with CSIRO for over a decade. She credits the STEM Academy with strengthening her leadership capacity, expanding her professional network, and reinforcing her commitment to uplifting other Indigenous women in STEM.

Beyond her technical role, Greta actively contributes to leadership and advocacy initiatives. She serves as Secretary of BAE Systems’ First Nations & Allies network and engages in youth outreach, public speaking and industry collaboration to encourage the next generation of Indigenous engineers and scientists. This year she has been awarded an Elevate Scholarship through the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and is also in their Future Leaders program in the International Strategy Group. Through her work, Greta is committed not only to advancing aerospace innovation, but to ensuring that Indigenous women see themselves reflected in the future of STEM.

Lauren specialises in the intersection between law and technology. She is a Senior Associate at Mallesons and has significant experience advising clients in relation to telecommunications and radiocommunications regulation, including in relation to the establishment and operation of low earth orbit satellite telecommunication systems and satellite-based air traffic control communications and navigation. She also regularly advises on privacy, cybersecurity, AI, data governance, telecommunications, procurement and general commercial contracting.

Mel French is the Director of Operations for L3Harris Australia, comprised of operations across 14 facilities and employing over 550 highly skilled aerospace and defense professionals.

In this role, Mr. French responsible for integrating L3Harris functional and program operations in the Australia/New Zealand region. Prior to accepting the director of operations role, Mr. French led international business development and strategy efforts for the $1.4 billion Maritime sector within L3Harris. The Maritime sector includes market-leading capabilities including: sensors, power, unmanned and services. Prior L3Harris roles include interim business development leadership positions for maritime sensors division and maritime sensors.

Before joining L3 in October 2014 as KEO’s Vice President of Business Development and Strategy, Mr. French served in a number of business development and strategy roles at Telephonics Corporation $500M Airborne Radar and Integrated Communications Company on Long Island, New York culminating in the company's largest backlog in history. At Telephonics he led establishment of Mahindra Telephonics Integrated Systems, a pioneering aerospace and defense electronics joint venture with Mahindra Defence Systems in India and served on its inaugural board. Mr. French first joined Telephonics in 2007 and was responsible for the business development across the company's Airborne Radar and Integrated Communications Company. Mr. French began his career at Kaman Aerospace where he led the Helicopter Division’s new business acquisition, government relations, marketing communication and media relations efforts worldwide. He was responsible for all marketing and business development activities for the SH-2G Seasprite, K-MAX and Unmanned K-MAX (CQ-24A) programs. Mr. French came to this role after an eight-year assignment for Kaman in Southeast Asia, where he promoted Kaman’s helicopter products in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines and Brunei, from offices in Malaysia. Mr. French is a licensed professional engineer, initially attached to the flight test engineering team, and progressing through positions of increased responsibility scope in engineering, program management and business development. Of note, Mr. French served as program engineering team leader for Kaman’s non-acoustic mine countermeasures and ASW sensor development efforts named MAGIC LANTERN, including operational deployment for Operation Desert Storm.

Mr. French hold an MBA International Finance from the University of Hartford and a BS Aerospace Engineering from Penn State University.

Anne Connor serves as Senior Manager, Business Development for Spectral Systems at L3Harris Space and Mission Systems.

As lead for the Spectral Solutions weather business area, Ms. Connor is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive strategy in support of key business objectives and long-term growth targets. The weather portfolio for L3Harris encompasses the full range of weather mission services, space remote sensing instruments and enterprise ground processing systems for U.S. government and international customers. She is also a primary catalyst in shaping L3Harris’ approach to the growing global weather enterprise.

Ms. Connor is recognized as an expert in the U.S. national space-based weather enterprise with a broad background in strategy, business development, policy and government affairs. Previous industry leadership positions include Space Council Chair for the Aerospace Industries Association, Board member of the Maryland Space Business Roundtable, Membership Chair of the National Space Club, and advisory board member for the Resources of the Future VALUABLES Consortium.

Ms. Connor has a Master of Arts degree in International Commerce and Policy from George Mason University and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Idaho.

Marco Surace is a Chartered Professional Engineer with over 20 years of multidisciplinary engineering experience leading high-stakes, mission-critical technology portfolios. As Chief Engineer of APD Space, he specializes in the engineering management, quality assurance, and innovation Management of complex, high-reliability systems.

Marco brings a unique, systems-engineering mindset to the aerospace and space sectors, combining deep expertise in complex electrical/electronic infrastructure with the operational discipline required in critical infrastructure. A proven executive leader, he has successfully managed large, cross-functional engineering teams across electrical, electronic, and cyber disciplines to deliver robust technology frameworks for emerging sectors.

Dr. Victoria Krivova is a Space Systems Engineer at APD Space with expertise in space mission analysis and design, complex systems development, and engineering management of space projects. Having a long history of operating between academia and industry, she brings scientific rigor, engineering discipline, and commercial awareness to work at the intersection of research, engineering, and business functions.

Victoria has a multidisciplinary background, with a BSc in Mathematics and Physics, an MSc in Space Systems Engineering, and a PhD in Management Engineering of Space Programmes. Prior to joining APD Space, she was engaged in the Italian space industry, contributing to the development of a next-gen in-space servicing vehicle and the production optimisation of a novel modular satellite platform.

Professor and Discipline Lead in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at RMIT University, Melbourne. He is also Research Cluster Lead for Electrical & Electronic Engineering and Deputy Director of the Centre for Opto-electronic Materials and Sensors. With more than 22 years of experience across industry and academia, he previously held senior industry R&D roles managing satellite and telecommunications programs exceeding AUD 120 million. His research spans satellite communications, radar and spectrum sensing, RF localisation, machine learning, and spaceborne sensing systems. His translational work includes interference mitigation for spaceborne synthetic aperture radar, Doppler-based localisation, and RF authentication and anti-spoofing across major industry and government-funded research projects totalling more than AUD 15 million, including major collaborations with the European Space Agency and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). He has authored more than 170 peer-reviewed publications and received recognitions including the Australian Space Industry Academic of the Year Award in 2024, an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship in 2024, and appointment as an IEEE AESS Distinguished Lecturer for 2025–2027.

Professor Simon Ellingsen is an astrophysicist who received his PhD from the University of Tasmania in 1996 and has been in senior academic leadership roles for the last seven years. Simon is the Executive Director of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), a joint venture between Curtin University, the University of Western Australia which receives funding from the Western Australian State Government). The two core objectives for ICRAR are to undertake world class astrophysics research and to translate and implement those research findings for the benefit of the community. He has a particular interest in both the cultural and practical aspects of how to most effectively improve the translation of fundamental research knowledge and techniques into broader applications.

Simon spent over a decade developing capability for the University of Tasmania’s ground-station and space domain awareness infrastructure and building a skilled team which has supported numerous high-profile international spacecraft launches and early operations, particularly with SpaceX and Boeing. He led the construction and subsequent utilization of the UTas 7.3m ground station, funded through an Australian Space Agency Space Infrastructure grant, which is now providing vital data downlink services to Australian companies and providing science data downlink services for a range of missions.

Tom Goerke BE(Hons) GAICD FIEAust CPEng EngExec NER is Engineers Australia’s National President and Board Chair. He became a Fellow in 2021 and joined the Board in 2023.

An electronics engineering graduate from Curtin University, Tom runs an advisory firm specialising in technology and innovation, advising boards on digital transformation. His career spans roles in London with Inmarsat, ICO Global Communications and Cisco UK, co-founding a Singapore startup, and later leading Cisco’s innovation centre program across Australia and New Zealand in partnership with universities, industry and government.

Tom holds multiple communications patents, is an Adjunct Professor at Curtin University, and is passionate about technology, skills development and using digital solutions to accelerate decarbonisation and the transition to net zero.