Who we are

We Are A Gateway To Australia’s Defence Science Capability

With a deep network across Australia’s science and technology landscape, we help build defence science research networks, facilitate collaborations and assemble multi-disciplinary teams including scientists, engineers, and researchers from industry and the academic community.

Our Organisation

The Defence Science Institute (DSI) was established in 2011 within the University of Melbourne and is funded jointly by the State Government of Victoria, the Commonwealth Government’s Defence Science and Technology (DST) Group and our university members.

Our multi-disciplinary team comprises senior professionals from industry, government and academic backgrounds.

DSI Team

A/Professor Toby Murray 
DIRECTOR
Callum Wright
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Craig Butler
INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT 
Charlotte Morris
ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT
Annette McLeod
CONTRACTS AND BUSINESS ANALYSIS
Ansonne Yap
ADMINISTRATOR

DSI Board Members

Dr Tony Lindsay (Acting Chair)
DIRECTOR OF LOCKHEED MARTIN ADVANCED SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES, AUSTRALIA
Dr Teresa Tufano
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DEFENCE, AVIATION AND AEROSPACE,  DEPARTMENT OF JOBS, SKILLS, INDUSTRY AND REGIONS
A/Prof Robert Hunjet
PROGRAM LEADER – AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE SCIENCE AND UNIVERSITIES NETWORK, SCIENCE STRATEGIC PLANNING AND ENGAGEMENT, DEFENCE SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY GROUP (DSTG)
Ms Laura Anderson
CHAIRMAN, SVI GLOBAL PTY.
Mr Miles Partridge 
DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING, TECTONICA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD.
Professor Alastair Sloan
PRO VICE-CHANCELLOR, (RESEARCH COLLABORATION), THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE
Professor Calum Drummond AO
DEPUTY VICE  CHANCELLOR AND VICE PRESIDENT RESEARCH AND INNOVATION, RMIT UNIVERSITY
Mr Ben Vivekanandan
SENIOR DIRECTOR, GOVERNMENT AND PRECINCTS, MONASH UNIVERSITY

DSI Liaison Managers

Dr John Besida 
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION, RMIT UNIVERSITY
Ms Zara Hammon
MANAGER, SPACE INDUSTRY HUB AND SMARTSAT CRC VICTORIA NODE

defence&aerospace@rmit.edu.au

Dr Navid Mohajer 
RESEARCH FELLOW, MECHANICAL DESIGN STEMS DEAKIN UNIVERSITY
Dr James Mullins
DIRECTOR, DEFENCE AND SECURITY, PARTNERSHIPS/STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

james.mullins@deakin.edu.au

Mr Quin Chang
DIRECTOR,  ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT, OFFICE OF THE DVC RESEARCH AND INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT, LA TROBE UNIVERSITY

defence@latrobe.edu.au

Ms Jessica Ware
 STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP COORDINATOR. ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT, LA TROBE UNIVERSITY
 

defence@latrobe.edu.au

Ms Natalie Emmerson
SENIOR MANAGER  GOVERNMENT RELATIONS,  OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY VICE-MONASH INDUSTRY COUNCIL. CHANCELLOR AND VICE PRESIDENT (ENTERPRISE), MONASH UNIVERSITY
A/Prof Shona Halson
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN THE SCHOOL OF BEHAVIOURAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SPRINT, AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
Dr Ashleigh Homer
RESEARCH CENTRE MANAGER, SPORT PERFORMANCE, RECOVERY, INJURY & NEW TECHNOLOGIES (SPRINT) RESEARCH CENTRE, AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY 
Professor Len Sciacca 
ENTERPRISE PROFESSOR, DEFENCE TECHNOLOGIES, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

defence-technologies@unimelb.edu.au

Ms Winky Chiu
BUSINESS SUPPORT COORDINAGTOR, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE
A/Prof Sean Müller
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF SPORT AND EXERCISE SCIENCE, FEDERATION UNIVERSITY OF AUSTRALIA 
Ms Genevieve Reid
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, INDUSTRY RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT, INNOVATION AND ENTERPRISE, SWINBURNE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNIOLOGY
Mr Liam Eldon
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, DEFENCE & AEROSPACE, SWINBURNE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNIOLOGY
Mr Philip Roe
PROGRAM DIRECTOR, DEFENCE ENGAGEMENT, SWINBURNE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNIOLOGY
Mr Simon Stack
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS, SWINBURNE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
Dr Megan Dean 
PROJECT MANAGER (RESEARCH) , DEFENCE & MARITIME INNOVATION & DESIGN PRECINCT (DMIDP), UNIVERSITY OF TASMANIA
Prof Rezaul Begg
PROFESSOR AND RESEARCHER, INSTITUTE HEALTH AND SPORT, VICTORIA UNIVERSITY

VU.defence@vu.edu.au

Dr Bree Nicholas
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, RESEARCH STRATEGY, POLICY & INFRASTRUCTURE, RESEARCH SERVICES, VICTORIA UNIVERSITY