Australian Space Agency Advisory Group

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

The group:

• 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

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

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

Dr Andrew Thomas AO

State: South Australia (and International)

Current Position: Advisor to the SA Government on space

Expertise:

• An aerospace engineer and former NASA astronaut.
• Part of the crew for STS-77, STS-89 (docked with Mir Space Station), STS-102 (ISS) and STS-114 (the return to flight mission following the Columbia accident).
• Involved in Engineers Australia and a well-recognised supporter of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Qualification: PhD in Mechanical Engineering, University of Adelaide

Terms of Reference

Australian Space Agency Advisory Group 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