Australian Government chief scientist Dr Cathy Foley and chief Defence scientist Professor Tanya Monro have joined the Innovation Papers [Live] program for a special lunchtime discussion about science, industry development and the role of procurement as an engine for growth.
The nation’s two most senior scientists will take the stage during The Innovation Papers networking lunch at the National Gallery in Canberra on Thursday.
Dr Foley commenced her appointment as Australia’s ninth chief scientist in January last year, after 14 years at the CSIRO – including the last four year as the science agency’s chief scientist.
A physicist by training with a PhD from Macquarie, Dr Foley and her team’s research in sensor technologies was translated into a hugely LANDTEM sensor system that was ultimately use to discover mineral deposits deep underground – and valued at billions of dollars.
Professor Tanya Monro was appointed to the chief Defence scientist role in 2019 after spending four years as vice-president and deputy vice-chancellor (research) at the University of South Australia.
Professor Monro holds a PhD in physics from the University of Sydney and is a specialist in photonics, having earlier in her career spent nine years as a Professor of Photonics at the University of Adelaide, the final 5 years as director of the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing.
The two scientists will take part in a moderated discussion – with Dr Foley on stage at the National Library and Professor Monro via video link from Perth – about entrepreneurial opportunities for Australian deep tech science ventures.
The conversation will include a discussion about what effective collaboration looks like between global technology players and Australian researchers, as well as strategies for attracting world leading research and commercial partners to Australia.
The discussion will include a look at the role of the big primes in Australia’s innovation ecosystem, and how quickly emerging technologies can lifted from the laboratory bench and plugged into industry.
Procurement is a big part of the national conversation right now, and the role of government as not just an early investor, but as an early customer is something that will take some cultural as well as practical changes.
The two top scientists will like also address technology readiness levels and strategies to fast track Australian companies moving through the readiness levels to serve global markets.
You can reserve your ticket to The Innovation Papers [Live] networking lunch at The National Gallery in Canberra by clicking here.
