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

Professor Adrian Pearce
DIRECTOR

A/Prof Claire Davis
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

A/Prof Toby Murray
DEPUTY DIRECTOR

Craig Butler
INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT

Charlotte Morris
GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT

Annette McLeod
CONTRACTS AND BUSINESS ANALYSIS

Ansonne Yap
ADMINISTRATOR

Sebastian Douglass
MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS
DSI Board Members

Mr John O’Callaghan (Chair)
VICTORIA DEFENCE INDUSTRY ADVOCATE, STATE GOVERNMENT OF VICTORIA

Mr Unni Menon
ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CAPTURE TEAMS JOBS, INNOVATION AND BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF JOBS, PRECINCTS AND REGIONS


Dr. Maria Athanassenas
ACTING PROGRAM LEADER, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY COORDINATION, SCIENCE EBGAGEMENT & IMPACT DIVISION, DEFENCE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY GROUP

Professor Liz Sonenberg
PROFESSOR AND PRO VICE-CHANCELLOER DIGITAL & DATA, THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

Ms Laura Anderson
CHAIRMAN, SVI GLOBAL PTY LTD.

Mr Miles Partridge
DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING, TECTONICA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD.

Dr Tony Lindsay
DIRECTOR OF LOCKHEED MARTIN STELARLAB, LOCKHEED MARTIN AUSTRALIA

Professor Callum Drummond AO
DEPUTY VICE CHANCELLOR AND VICE PRESIDENT RESEARCH AND INNOVATION, RMIT UNIVERSITY

Dr Joanna Donagan
DIRECTOR, GLOBAL INNITIATIVES, OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR (GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT) MONASH UNIVERSITY



DSI Liaison Managers

Dr Navid Mohajer
RESEARCH FELLOW, MECHANICAL DESIGN STEMS DEAKIN UNIVERSITY


Dr John Besida
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION, RMIT UNIVERSITY


Ms Rosy Calabro
CENTRE COORDINATOR, SIR LAWRENCE WACKETT CENTRE
rosy.calabro@rmit.edu.au


A/Prof Daniel Lai
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING
VU.defence@vu.edu.au


Mr Quin Chang
DIRECTOR OF ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT, LA TROBE UNIVERSITY
defence@latrobe.edu.au


Mr James Davern
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, DIGITAL INNOVATION, DEFENCE AND SPACE, SWINBURNE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY


Ms Zara Hamon
PARTNERSHIPS AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR AND VICE PRESIDENT (ENTERPRISE), MONASH UNIVERSITY


A/Prof Shona Sciacca
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN THE SCHOOL OF BEHAVIOURAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SPRINT, AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY


Ms Frances Taylor
RESEARCH CENTRE MANAGER, SPORT PERFORMANCE, RECOVERY, INJURY & NEW TECHNOLOGIES (SPRINT) RESEARCH CENTRE, AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY


Prof Len Sciacca
ENTERPRISE PROFESSOR, DEFENCE TECHNOLOGIES, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE
defence-technologies@unimelb.edu.au

Mr Aaron Ingram
DEFENCE MARITIME PROGRAM MANAGER, AUSTRALIAN MARITIME COLLEGE, COLLEGE OF SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING, UNIVERSITY OF TASMANIA


A/Prof Sean Müller
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF SPORT AND EXERCISE SCIENCE, FEDERATION UNIVERSITY OF AUSTRALIA
