Australian Space Agency Advisory Board

The Australian Space Agency Advisory Board is non-statutory, independent and skills-based.

The board:

• provides advice to the Head of the Agency
• reviews and advises the strategic direction and performance of the Agency
• supports the agency to achieve its purpose
• is not a decision-making body and has no governing legislation

Chair

Dr Megan Clark AC

State: Victoria

Current Positions:

• Director, Rio Tinto
• Director, CSL Limited

Expertise:

• Inaugural Head of the Australian Space Agency 2018 to 2020.
• Former positions: Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Director at NM Rothschild and Sons (Australia), Vice President Technology and subsequently Vice President Health, Safety and Environment at BHP Billiton.

Qualifications:

• BSc Geology from the University of Western Australia
• PhD Economic Geology from Queen’s University, Canada
• Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
• Fellow of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
• Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
• Appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2014 for eminent service to scientific research and development.

Members

Professor Steven Freeland

State: New South Wales

Current Position: Dean and Professor of International Law, Western Sydney University

Expertise:

• Extensive national and international experience in space law, representing the Australian Government at the UN and advising the Australian and New Zealand governments on space regulation.
• Editorial board member of several space-related journals, author of over 300 publications on international and space law.
• Former positions: Director of the International Institute of Space Law in Paris, faculty member of the London Institute of Space Policy and Law, member of the International Law Association’s Space Law Committee.
• Read Professor Steven Freeland’s full biography on LinkedIn

Qualifications:

• PhD in International Law, Maastricht University
• Master of Laws, University of New South Wales (UNSW)
• Bachelor of Law and Commerce, Bachelor of Industrial Relations, UNSW
• Marie Curie Fellow in 2013

Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith

States: Tasmania and New South Wales

Current Positions:

• Australian Government Ambassador, Women in STEM
• Professor of Practice in Science Communication, UNSW
• Research Group Leader, CSIRO’s Australia Telescope National Facilities Science Program

Expertise:

• Award-winning astrophysicist and science communicator.
• Over 15 years conducting fundamental astrophysics research at universities and institutes around the world.
• Past presenter of the ABC television show Stargazing Live.
• Read Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith’s full biography on LinkedIn

Qualifications:

• PhD in Radio Astronomy, University of Manchester
• Master (Hons) of Physics in Astronomy and Astrophysics

Professor Peter Klinken AC

State: Western Australia

Current Position: Chief Scientist of Western Australia

Expertise:

• Leading medical research scientist advancing the understanding of genes in leukaemia, cancer and anaemia.
• Research achievements include discovery of a gene that supresses the growth of tumours.
• Worked as a researcher at the US National Institutes of Health in Washington and Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne.
• Read Professor Peter Klinken’s full biography on LinkedIn

Qualification: PhD in Biochemistry, The University of Western Australia

Dr Chris Pigram AM

State: Australian Capital Territory

Current Positions:

• Member, CSIRO Deep Earth Imaging Advisory Panel
• Chair, AuScope Limited
• Chair, Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mines
• Chair, MinEx Cooperative Research Centre

Expertise:

• Chief Executive Officer with a long history in the environmental services industry.
• Formerly Director of the National Computation Infrastructure, Australia’s largest research supercomputer, and CEO of Geoscience Australia.
• Read Dr Chris Pigram’s full biography on LinkedIn

Qualifications

• PhD in Geoscience, Australian National University
• Bachelor (Hons) in Geology and Earth Sciences, UNSW
• Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors

Mr Frank Robert

State: Victoria

Current Position: Associated Vice President, AT Kearney

Expertise:

• Contributed to NASA planetary missions and leading-edge commercial spacecraft.
• Leads space practice for Australia, specialising in telecommunications, satellites and technology strategy.
• Has conducted research and authored a white paper on optimising the economic impact of the Australian Space Agency.
• Read Frank Robert’s full biography on LinkedIn

Qualifications:

• Master of Business Administration, Cornell University
• Graduate work in Radio Astrophysics and Planetary Sciences
• Bachelor of Arts, Major in Economics and Minor in Astronomy, Amherst College

Air Vice-Marshal Catherine Roberts AM, CSC

State: ACT

Current Position: Head Aerospace Systems Division, Royal Australian Airforce

Expertise:

• Former positions: Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
• Organisation (CSIRO), Director at NM Rothschild and Sons (Australia), Vice President Technology and subsequently Vice President Health, Safety and Environment at BHP Billiton.
• Former positions: Head Aerospace Systems Division, Director General Aerospace Combat Systems Department of Defence, Director General New Air Combat Capability, Defence Materiel Organisation.
• Read Air Vice-Marshal Catherine Roberts' full biography on LinkedIn

Qualifications:

• BEng Aeronautical Engineering, RMIT University
• Masters, Management and Defence Studies, University of Canberra
• International Relations, Royal College of Defence Studies London
• Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for exceptional service in the fields of aerospace acquisition and sustainment.

Professor Margaret Sheil AO

State: Queensland

Current Positions:

• Vice-Chancellor and President, Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
• Member, CSIRO Science Industry Endowment Fund

Expertise:

• Former positions: Director, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Research Council, senior roles at QUT, Melbourne University, and the University of Wollongong.
• Awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2017 for distinguished service to science and higher education.
• Read Professor Margaret Sheil’s full biography on LinkedIn

Qualifications:

• PhD in Chemistry, UNSW
• Bachelor of Science, UNSW

Alfred ‘Al’ Wassel

State: International (Florida, USA)

Current Position: Freelance space operations consultant.

Expertise:

• 1980-2001, Member of US Air Force
• 2014-2020, Vice-President at Millennium Engineering and Integration. Responsible for executing contracts in space operations, including working with NASA and the U.S. Dept. of Defence
• 13 years as a senior Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) representative, executing Commercial Space Launch Act legislative responsibilities on US Federal launch sites
• Represented the FAA on the U.S. National Aerospace Technician Advisory Council.

Qualification: Masters in Business Management, Cambridge University.

Terms of Reference

Australian Space Agency Advisory Board Terms of Reference [2.69MB PDF] [627KB DOCX]

Read more

• See the Agency’s executive
• Read about the Agency’s governance and activities

Contact us

• General enquiries, email enquiries@space.gov.au
• Media enquiries, email media@space.gov.au
• Phone +61 2 6276 1166