Event schedule

Prof. Michael Milford , School of Electrical Engineering & Robotics, Faculty of Engineering, QUT

Michael Milford, FTSE, conducts interdisciplinary research at the intersection of robotics, neuroscience, and computer vision, and specializes in areas like autonomous vehicles and robot navigation. He currently holds appointments as Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow, Director of the QUT Centre for Robotics, QUT Professor, Microsoft Research Faculty Fellow, and Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering.

He has led or co-led projects totalling more than 56 million dollars in research and industry funding, receiving over 18,000 citations, and his work has culminated in numerous accolades, including six best paper awards (and ten finalists), the ATSE Batterham Medal, and a joint outright Queensland Young Tall Poppy award. In 2013, he was made a Microsoft Research Faculty Fellow, one of only three Australians ever to receive this recognition. From 2022 – 2027 he is leading a large research team combining bio-inspired and computer science-based approaches to provide a ubiquitous alternative to GPS that does not rely on satellites. Michael is also an educational entrepreneur: as founder of Math Thrills, he has produced engaging STEM education materials distributed to over 35 countries for more than 20 years.

As a keen mentor, Michael works with individuals and groups, both locally at the individual, institute or university level across Australia, but also globally through his Hacking Academia initiative: he won the 2025 Outstanding Mentor of Researchers Eureka Prize.

Celise Gibson Wadjigan woman, Discipline Lead (Creative Industries), QUT College, QUT

Celise Gibson is a proud Wadjigan woman (Batjamalh language group), artist and researcher. Her practice brings together cultural heritage, archives and storytelling to trace connections between memory, materiality and Indigenous knowledge systems. She is currently undertaking a PhD examining Aboriginal sovereignty and its enactment through artmaking, advancing the argument that creative practice itself constitutes a sovereign act. Using an Indigenist, arts-based methodology grounded in Wadjigan practices, her research centres sovereignty as something lived and enacted through relational, creative and accountable practice.

Natasha Kitano Language and Learning Educator, Graduate Research Education & Development (GRE+D), QUT

Higher education specialist and doctoral researcher with over 20 years’ experience in teaching, researcher development, and academic support. A national and international leader in HDR wellbeing, mentoring, and supervision pedagogy. Passionate about building inclusive, connected research cultures and enhancing supervisory practice.

Chair of international mentoring and researcher development communities, including Mentoring for Researcher Developers - M4RD and Network for Researcher Developers - NeRDs, with strong global engagement and impact.

Belinda Howard (Panellist) PhD Candidate, QUT

Belinda Howard is a PhD Researcher in School of Education at Queensland University of Technology whose study examines the existence of career development policy in Australian secondary schools. She teaches Indigenous education and career development theory, policy, and practice , drawing on both research expertise and extensive professional experience. Affiliated with the QUT Centre for Inclusive Education and a member of the Career Development Association of Australia, she also writes Candidly Academic, a blog blending reflexive commentary with practical insights from her doctoral work. With more than 15 years’ experience across mainstream and alternative education settings, Belinda has supported schools to design and implement whole‑school approaches to career development, driven by a commitment to equity, disengaged learners, and improving young people’s transitions. Across her research, teaching, writing, and professional practice, she works to strengthen how career development is understood within education systems and to contribute to meaningful policy and practice reform.

Prof. Kieran Tranter (Panellist) Chair of Law, Technology and Future (School of Law), QUT

Kieran is the Chair of Law, Technology and Future at the School of Law, QUT. Kieran's research focuses on bringing together law, technology and the humanities to imagine and work towards better futures. He is founding general editor of Law, Technology and Humans. Kieran is particularly focused on supporting the next generation of researchers. The future needs their creativity and originality. He has supervised to completion 24 PhDs and is chair of the Council of Australian Law Deans thesis award committee.

Dr Ruari Elkington (Panellist) Chief Investigator (Digital Media Research Centre); Senior Lecturer in Creative Industries (Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice Faculty), QUT

Ruari Elkington is a Chief Investigator with QUT’s Digital Media Research Centre and publishes in the field of screen distribution, screen studies and education. Dr Elkington’s industry engagement and academic research is driven by questions around how screen content connects with discrete audiences in markets increasingly under pressure through creative and commercial tensions. His screen industry experience centred on the acquisition, marketing and distribution of documentary, feature film and innovative digital content to theatrical and online audiences and his scholarship remains driven by questions of how screen content connects with discrete audiences in spaces increasingly under pressure from creative and commercial tensions. Alongside Dr Tess Van Hemert, he co-leads the ‘Resilient Screens’ research project within the Transfroming Media INdustries program of the DMRC. Over the last three years ‘Resilient Screens’ has collaborated on funded audience research with peak bodies in Australian film distribution and exhibition (NACO/CAA, ICA, MPDAA) and produced several industry reports for film festivals (BIFF) and major independent exhibition chains (Palace Cinemas). He is currently a Senior Lecturer in Creative Industries at the Queensland University of Technology’s Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice Faculty

Dr Kalyan Tadepalli (Panellist) Orthopaedic Surgeon; PhD Candidate, QUT

Kalyan is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon with 15 years of clinical experience. He also holds a Master's degree in Data Science and an MBA in Operations Management. As a QUTPRA scholarship recipient, he is a full-time PhD student researching explainable predictive modelling of kidney outcomes in critical care.

Dr Sumudu Hewage (Panellist) , QUT

Dr Sumudu Hewage (Hey-va-gey) is a researcher–educator at Queensland University of Technology who completed her PhD in 2025. Her work spans implementation science, health services research, and public health teaching, with roles at the Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation (AusHSI), the QUT School of Medicine, and the School of Public Health. Drawing on both her doctoral experience and current academic role, she brings a dual perspective as a recent HDR graduate and an early career academic to the discussion.

Drawing on her own HDR journey, Sumudu is particularly interested in the evolving relationship between students and supervisors across candidature, including taking an active role in research, navigating expectations and uncertainty. As an international graduate, she also brings insights into cultural expectations and norms that may shape the HDR journey for students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

She is passionate about fostering psychologically safe and supportive research environments where students feel empowered and grow into independent researchers.

Yi-Chin Toh (Panellist) Director, Research Training (Faculty of Engineering), QUT

Professor Yi-Chin Toh is a bioenegineer, who is developing new ways to study human diseases and test medicines without relying on animal models. Her research creates miniature versions of human organs in the laboratory. These living “human avatar” systems are built from human cells and bioengineered devices that recreate key features of the body. Importantly, they are designed not only to mimic human biology, but also to be manufacturable, scalable and suitable for routine use.

She is Director of the ARC Training Centre for Microphysiological System Technology, a national research centre working to position Australia as a leader in next-generation, human-relevant testing. She is also currently the Director, Research Training at QUT Faculty of Engineering and serves on the ARC College of Experts.

Amanda Miotto Science Leader, Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation

With 18 years in the science and research technologies space, Amanda began her journey with a love of science before discovering the joy of programming. From leading data science upskilling programs to driving research infrastructure projects and everything in between, she is dedicated to empowering and accelerating research and scientific advancements.

Richelle Wight , CSIRO

Richelle Wight is an Innovation Program Advisor at CSIRO, where she leads the ON Prime Program, helping researchers and technologists explore pathways to translate their innovations into real-world impact. Through ON Prime, she works closely with research teams from universities, CSIRO and publicly funded research organisations, guiding them through customer discovery, market validation and the early stages of commercialisation.

With a strong background in innovation and entrepreneurship, Richelle supports researchers to step beyond the lab - connecting them with industry, investors and the broader innovation ecosystem. Her work focuses on building the capability and confidence of research teams to test assumptions, understand market needs and shape technologies that can solve meaningful problems for industry and society.

At CSIRO's ON Program, Richelle plays a key role in strengthening Australia’s research translation pipeline, helping bridge the gap between world-class research and real-world application.

Halimat Atanda , UQ

Halimat is a final-year PhD student at the Mater Research Institute-University of Queensland. Her research focuses on developing software and pipelines to analyse cancer genomes obtained from a new DNA sequencing technology. She primarily uses Python to write analysis scripts and occasionally BaSH. She is also a science writer who has authored several simplified research articles to make biomedical research accessible to a wider audience.

Fang (Jane) Li , QUT

Fang Li is a Master of Education student at the Queensland University of Technology.

Her interests include education philosophy, digital learning, and the emerging relationship between human thinking and artificial intelligence.

She is currently developing an experimental writing project exploring how dialogue between humans and AI can support idea generation, reflective thinking, and knowledge creation.

Betsy Alpert Research Data Scientist, RAPID Community Data Lab, UQ

Elizabeth Alpert (Betsy) is a Research Data Scientist at UQ with the RAPID-CDL project (Reusable and Accessible Public Interest Documents, part of the ARDC Community Data Lab). She is a backend software developer by background and now works in research infrastructure for digital humanities. Ask Betsy about Python, open source software, data modelling, databases, technical writing, and what latest weirdness she has been reading about in the Australian federal Hansard!

Dr Eve Ansell Data Scientist (HASS), QCIF

Dr Sam Hames Research Fellow, UQ

Dr. Sam Hames is a research fellow in computational humanities with UQ's School of Languages and Cultures and works on the Language Data Commons of Australia research infrastructure project. He is co-lead on the Reusable and Accessible Public Interest Documents Project, part of the ARDC Community Data Lab (RAPID-CDL). Sam's PhD was on machine learning for medical imaging analysis, and he has an extensive background as a data-focused software developer supporting social media and web researchers. His primary research focus is to understand how computation can enable qualitative and interpretive inquiry across the humanities and social sciences.

Dr Roy Barkan Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Varroa Neurotransmitter Receptor Biology,School of Health, UniSC

Dr Roy Barkan is a Research Fellow at the University of the Sunshine Coast specialising in genomics and bioinformatics. His research applies multi-omics approaches to address complex biological questions, with a focus on genome assembly, comparative genomics, and transcriptomics. Roy is passionate about molecular biology, genetics and bioinformatics.

Dr Madeline Taylor Senior Lecturer, QUT

Dr Madeline Taylor is a Senior Lecturer in Fashion, based in the School of Design. Her qualitative thematic research examines fashion consumption behaviour change and costume practice. She has recently published her first book with Routledge, Costumers at Work: Collaborative Creativity, Emotional Labour and Technical Skill in Costume Making, which was based on her PhD from University of Melbourne. She is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow, Chair of ScenoLab Australia, and Books Editor for Studies in Costume and Performance.

Dr Moji Ghadimi Head of Applied AI and Quantum Algorithms, QCIF

Dr Moji Ghadimi is Head of Applied AI and Quantum Algorithms at QCIF. He has worked across academia, government, and industry on large-scale data science, AI, and computational research projects. His current work focuses on applied AI systems, scientific workflows, and accelerating research through intelligent automation.

Anthony Truskinger Technical Lead, RS Engineer, Open EcoAcoustics

Anthony Truskinger is a research software engineer and Technical Lead at Open EcoAcoustics, an ARDC Planet Research Data Commons project. He leads the development of open infrastructure and standards for ecoacoustic data and research software, enabling reproducible and scalable research. His work focuses on building software systems and data pipelines for analysing large environmental audio datasets for biodiversity monitoring.

He completed his PhD at QUT in 2015, focusing on ecoacoustics. His work sits at the intersection of software engineering, data-intensive science, and ecology, with contributions to platforms and open-source tools used to process and interpret large acoustic datasets. His publications cover bioacoustic event detection, annotation systems, and large-scale environmental monitoring workflows.

Dr Philip Eichinski Senior Software Engineer, QUT

Dr. Phil Eichinski is a software developer and data scientist who has spent over ten years in the field of ecoacoustics. He specialises in bridging the gap between technology and ecology by helping researchers develop and run AI models for acoustic monitoring.

Shauna Fjaagesund Adjunct Appointee, UniSC

Shauna Fjaagesund is an industry-based researcher associated with the University of the Sunshine Coast and the University of Queensland. She concentrates on creating sustainable community and corporate health and well being models, with a focus on governance and stakeholder partnerships.

Dr Florin Oprescu Associate Professor in Health Promotion (School of Health, Public Health), UniSC

Health promotion and education scholar specialized in mixed methods research - qualitative and quantitative. Passionate about educational development, teaching and learning, health education, health communication and capacity building. Advocate for translation of scientific evidence into practice and of good practice into evidence.

Associate Professor Florin Oprescu was awarded a PhD in Public Health (Community and Behavioural Health) from the University of Iowa in 2009. This is in addition to other formal degrees including Master of Business Administration, Master of Public Health and Medical Doctor.

Dimanthinie De Silva PhD Candidate, QUT

Dimanthinie Laleen De Silva is an academic in Higher Education for Information Technology. She is a mentor and supervisor to students and is currently completing her PhD at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Her research focuses on teaching, learning, and pedagogical practice in higher education, with an emphasis on preparing adaptable and industry-ready IT graduates.

Nicholas Dendle Research Engineer, QUT

Nicholas is an operations research specialist, currently working with the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program's Pilot Deployments Program, to help the Great Barrier Reef survive marine heatwaves. This followed a PhD on discrete-event simulation techniques for reducing waste in open-pit mining. The contrast continues to surprise others who aren't yet familiar with Nicholas' pursuit of answering the useful questions rather than the easy ones.

Dr Alireza Y. Bavil Research Fellow, Griffith University

Dr. Alireza Bavil’s areas of expertise include orthopaedic biomechanics, computational modelling, and surgical planning for bone implant systems. Since commencing his PhD at Griffith University, he has developed a highly translational research program focused on patient specific digital twins, neuromusculoskeletal modelling, and finite element analysis for orthopaedic applications. His work bridges clinical insight with advanced biomechanical simulation, with the aim of improving personalised surgical planning for complex procedures such as proximal femoral osteotomies and bone anchored prostheses.

His multidisciplinary approach spans the development of EMG informed neuromusculoskeletal models, high fidelity finite element models using Abaqus, and automated pipelines for digital twin generation. This body of work has led to several high impact publications and has been recognised with multiple awards, including the Excellence in Research Thesis award for his PhD.

In addition to his academic research, Dr. Bavil is strongly committed to translating biomechanical modelling into clinically relevant tools. In his current role as a Research Fellow at Griffith University, he contributes to NHMRC and US DoD funded projects that integrate mechano-acoustic measurements, kinetic analysis, and computational modelling into next generation socket design, bone anchored implant assessment, and orthopaedic surgical workflows.

Kaitlin Moat Postdoctoral Researcher, UQ

Kaitlin is a postdoctoral researcher working at UQ. During her time in research, she has had to communicate the same data to a wide variety of audiences, from industry partners at Boeing to senior academics at international conferences. Learning how to present the story of your data well is a skill Kaitlin has developed, and hopes to share with you in this workshop.

Sharron Stapleton Library Research Specialist, Griffith University

Sharron Stapleton is a Research Library Specialist at Griffith Library with over 30 years of experience in information management. She trains and advises researchers on data sourcing, preparation, visualization and publishing, and is a certified Data Carpentry instructor. A strong advocate for open research, Sharron regularly contributes as a trainer at ResBaz.

Kylie Burgess Librarian (Researcher Services), Griffith University

Kylie Burgess is an experienced Academic Librarian based in the Researcher Services team at Griffth Library. She has enjoyed a varied career having worked across a range of teaching and learning and research support roles. Kylie is passionate about Open Research and enjoys supporting researchers in achieving their goals.

Robert Fleet Senior Data Scientist, QUT Digital Observatory

Robert Fleet is a Senior Data Scientist and Developer at the QUT Digital Observatory, where he designs innovative platforms and tools to analyse complex human data. With a diverse technical background, Robert has previously served as an eResearch Analyst and as the Technical Lead for a drone surveillance project. His current research focuses on the intersection of behavioural data and digital environments, specifically utilising Massive Multiplayer Online (MMO) game data. By examining these virtual ecosystems, Robert investigates the organisational structures of criminal groups, leveraging gaming metrics to uncover patterns of illicit collaboration. He combines advanced data science with software development to transform raw digital traces into actionable insights.

Dr Simon Musgrave , LDaCA / Monash University

Simon Musgrave is Research Support and Training lead for the Language Data Commons of Australia project at The University of Queensland and an Adjunct Research Fellow in the School of Languages, Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics, Monash University. Amongst other research interests, he has been interested throughout his career in the use of technology for linguistic research.

Dr Sam Hames Research Fellow, UQ

Dr. Sam Hames is a research fellow in computational humanities with UQ's School of Languages and Cultures and works on the Language Data Commons of Australia research infrastructure project. He is co-lead on the Reusable and Accessible Public Interest Documents Project, part of the ARDC Community Data Lab (RAPID-CDL). Sam's PhD was on machine learning for medical imaging analysis, and he has an extensive background as a data-focused software developer supporting social media and web researchers. His primary research focus is to understand how computation can enable qualitative and interpretive inquiry across the humanities and social sciences.

Rani McLennan Copyright Information Officer, QUT

Rani McLennan is the Copyright Information Officer at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). She has over a decade of experience in public, school, and academic libraries. Her interests include the communication of complex information through text and visuals and openly licensed image collections.

Cameron Rutter University Copyright Officer, QUT

Cameron Rutter is a Creative Practitioner, Information Professional and Librarian with over fifteen years' experience working in academic libraries. He is currently the University Copyright Officer at Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

Dr Sam Hames Research Fellow, UQ

Dr. Sam Hames is a research fellow in computational humanities with UQ's School of Languages and Cultures and works on the Language Data Commons of Australia research infrastructure project. He is co-lead on the Reusable and Accessible Public Interest Documents Project, part of the ARDC Community Data Lab (RAPID-CDL). Sam's PhD was on machine learning for medical imaging analysis, and he has an extensive background as a data-focused software developer supporting social media and web researchers. His primary research focus is to understand how computation can enable qualitative and interpretive inquiry across the humanities and social sciences.

Dr Rafael Couto Senior eResearch Analyst, Griffith University

Rafael Couto is a Senior eResearch Analyst at Griffith University. With a PhD in Theoretical Chemistry from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden, and several years of post-doctoral experience, Rafael brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. They have extensive expertise in teaching, software development, data analysis, high-performance computing (HPC), and programming in Python, C, and Bash. Currently, Rafael focuses on supporting researchers with IT, data management, and training needs.

Anjusree Karnavar PhD Candidate, Griffith University

Anjusree is a Doctoral Researcher at Griffith University, focusing on Computer Vision, Image Restoration, and Deep Learning. Her research develops advanced deep learning and generative AI methods, including diffusion models and Vision Transformers, to restore and enhance degraded visual data for more reliable vision-based systems.Alongside her PhD, she holds a Master of Technology (by Research) in Computer Science and Engineering from Kerala University, India, where she published research in computer vision at national and international conferences. She brings over six years of professional experience across academia and industry. She has worked as an IT Support Officer at Migrant and Refugee Settlement Services (MARSS), Canberra, where she supported IT systems, user training, and technical operations. Prior to that, she spent six years as an Assistant Professor in Computer Science, contributing to teaching, mentoring, and research supervision. She is passionate about applying computer vision and AI to real-world problems, particularly in image understanding, restoration, and generative modeling. She is currently open to opportunities in Computer Vision, Machine Learning, and AI roles in industry and research.

Dr Robert Clemens Skills Development Lead at Planet Research Data Commons, ARDC

An ecologist with experience in ornithology and spatial modelling, Rob identifies skills gaps, formulates skills strategies and co-designs skills-related resources, so that the data and analytics delivered through the ARDC Planet Research Data Commons can be used to their full potential by earth and environmental science researchers.

Cameron West PhD Candidate, UQ

Cameron is a technology trainer for UQ library and PhD student in atomic physics. He regularly runs Python training and consultations for researchers at the university, and uses the language in the computational aspects of his research (along with C++), which involves performing atomic structure calculations for exotic systems and interactions.

Salinda Weerasinghe PhD Candidate, QUT

I am a PhD student at QUT and a researcher committed to enhancing societal well-being by fostering collaboration between organisations and consumers to address their challenges. My research has been recognised at both national and international levels, earning me prestigious awards such as the Presidential Research Award, Emerald Literati Award, University Excellence Research Award, Vice Chancellor Research Award, and Faculty Excellence Research Award within a relatively short period of my academic career. My findings have been published in esteemed journals, including the Journal of Knowledge Management, Knowledge and Innovation, International Journal of Education Management, Industry and Higher Education, and Quality Assurance in Education.

Dr Sam Hames Research Fellow, UQ

Dr. Sam Hames is a research fellow in computational humanities with UQ's School of Languages and Cultures and works on the Language Data Commons of Australia research infrastructure project. He is co-lead on the Reusable and Accessible Public Interest Documents Project, part of the ARDC Community Data Lab (RAPID-CDL). Sam's PhD was on machine learning for medical imaging analysis, and he has an extensive background as a data-focused software developer supporting social media and web researchers. His primary research focus is to understand how computation can enable qualitative and interpretive inquiry across the humanities and social sciences.

Robert Fleet Senior Data Scientist, QUT Digital Observatory

Robert Fleet is a Senior Data Scientist and Developer at the QUT Digital Observatory, where he designs innovative platforms and tools to analyse complex human data. With a diverse technical background, Robert has previously served as an eResearch Analyst and as the Technical Lead for a drone surveillance project. His current research focuses on the intersection of behavioural data and digital environments, specifically utilising Massive Multiplayer Online (MMO) game data. By examining these virtual ecosystems, Robert investigates the organisational structures of criminal groups, leveraging gaming metrics to uncover patterns of illicit collaboration. He combines advanced data science with software development to transform raw digital traces into actionable insights.

Dr Zachary Amir Principal Data Scientist, TERN / UQ

Zachary Amir is a Principal Data Scientist working for TERN to develop the Wildlife Observatory of Australia (WildObs). Zachary's particular focus is on developing the WildObs database, a large standardized collection of camera trapping observations, deployments, and media that is accessible to researchers and biodiversity data aggregators. Zachary completed his PhD at UQ in 2024, having worked across the lifecycle of camera-trapping data, from fieldwork to research publications.

Dr Jesse Sharp Postdoctoral Fellow, QUT

Dr Jesse Sharp is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the School of Mathematical Sciences at QUT, and co-leads the Environment, Agriculture & Natural Systems theme at the QUT Centre for Data Science. His research sits at the intersection of mathematical modelling, data science and statistics, applied to industry based projects in ecology and agriculture. In shaping this session, Jesse draws on a breadth of experience spanning his research activities, his lecturing in data visualisation at QUT, and his earlier work as an economist at Deloitte.

Cheri Joy Liaison Librarian, UniSC

Cheri has been working in academic libraries since 2009 and is UniSC ORCID Health Check expert.

Yuri Banens PhD Candidate, Griffith University

Yuri Banens is a PhD candidate in law focusing on the right to repair. He has previously worked for Griffith Library in the digital research space.

Dr Robert Clemens Skills Development Lead at Planet Research Data Commons, ARDC

An ecologist with experience in ornithology and spatial modelling, Rob identifies skills gaps, formulates skills strategies and co-designs skills-related resources, so that the data and analytics delivered through the ARDC Planet Research Data Commons can be used to their full potential by earth and environmental science researchers.

Aleksandra Olechnowicz , QUT

Aleksandra Olechnowicz is the eGrad School Online Module Coordinator within the Graduate Research Education Development team at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). She leads the design and delivery of digital and professional capability modules for HDR students and researchers across Australia and internationally.

Her work focuses on digital research skills, ethical AI use, research communication, and accessible online research training. She coordinates the annual eGrad School Global Conference and collaborates with national and international partners to enhance researcher development.

Aleksandra is passionate about practical, accessible AI literacy that empowers researchers to work smarter — without compromising research integrity.

Murray Lane , QUT

Murray Lane is a Senior lecturer and Learning Designer within Graduate Research Education Development team at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). He is a research development and digital innovation specialist with extensive experience supporting researchers and research students across disciplines. His work focuses on strengthening digital capability, improving research practices, and enhancing engagement through technology-enabled learning environments.

Murray has contributed to the design and delivery of research training initiatives that empower HDR students and early career researchers to improve their research skills and digital research practices. His interests include applications of AI in research contexts, research communication, and practical strategies that improve productivity while maintaining research integrity.

He is passionate about making digital tools accessible, practical, and meaningful for researchers at all stages of their careers.

Dimitri Josephine PhD Candidate, QUT

Dimitri Josephine is a Creative Technologist and Virtual Production pioneer in Southeast Asia, specialising in real-time visual storytelling using Unreal Engine. She is the first Unreal Engine Authorized Instructor in Indonesia and among the first in Southeast Asia focused on virtual production.

She is also recognised as the first Virtual Art Director in the region, bridging cinematic direction, spatial design, and real-time technology to redefine immersive storytelling workflows.

With over 80 industry projects across commercials, music videos, film, television, and immersive experiences, Dimitri has played a key role in shaping virtual production practices in Southeast Asia. She is a Women in Games Ambassador, Women in Tech Ambassador, and currently leads the Unreal Engine Indonesian chapter. She was also recognised as part of the 100 Women Creators in Asia for her work in UEFN development.

She is currently pursuing a PhD in Creative Arts at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), focusing on real-time technologies and creative practice research.

Cameron West PhD Candidate, UQ

Cameron is a technology trainer for UQ library and PhD student in atomic physics. He regularly runs Python training and consultations for researchers at the university, and uses the language in the computational aspects of his research (along with C++), which involves performing atomic structure calculations for exotic systems and interactions.

Dr Futoon Abushaqra Researcher, Australian Internet Observatory

Futoon Abu Shaqra is a researcher at the Australian Internet Observatory, specialising in digital Data Download Packages (DDPs) and their application in studying digital platforms and online behaviour. Her work focuses on supporting more consistent, accessible, and scalable use of user-generated data for research on digital platforms by developing frameworks for DDPs, including taxonomy and schema repositories to systematically describe and standardise platform data structures. Futoon holds a PhD in Computer Science from RMIT University, Australia, where she developed deep learning methodologies for sequence data modelling. Her broader research spans AI, machine learning, temporal data analytics, emotion recognition, audio analysis, and natural language processing.

Dan Tran Software Developer, Australian Internet Observatory

Dan Tran is a Software Developer at the Australian Internet Observatory (AIO), based at the University of Queensland. Specialising in full-stack web application development, Dan leverages his expertise in TypeScript, Java, and Python to build robust tools that empower large-scale data analysis and research. He primarily works on the AIO Platform, a web-based tool dedicated to collecting and analysing participant data donations to help drive impactful insights.

Amanda Pearson Discipline Librarian, Griffith University Library

Amanda Pearson is a Discipline Librarian with Researcher Services at Griffith University Library, specialising in advanced literature searching and systematic‑style review methodologies. She supports researchers in navigating AI‑enabled discovery tools, optimising researcher profiles, interpreting research metrics responsibly, and engaging with contemporary scholarly publishing practices.

Before joining Griffith University, Amanda held roles at the University of Queensland, James Cook University, and the Herston Medical Library, building deep expertise across clinical and research‑intensive environments. She is a committed advocate for Open Research and Responsible Research Assessment, and is passionate about empowering researchers to strengthen their information literacy and research impact.

Sharron Stapleton Library Research Specialist, Griffith University

Sharron Stapleton is a Research Library Specialist at Griffith Library with over 30 years of experience in information management. She trains and advises researchers on data sourcing, preparation, visualization and publishing, and is a certified Data Carpentry instructor. A strong advocate for open research, Sharron regularly contributes as a trainer at ResBaz.

Dr Lachlan McKinnie eResearch Analyst, UniSC

I'm Dr Lachlan McKinnie, (acting) eResearch Analyst at UniSC and an early career researcher with a background in bioinformatics and molecular biology. I'm a skilled coder in Python and R and have a passion for open science and in skills sharing.

Dr Sara Hutchinson Student Success Adviser, UniSC

Dr Sara Hutchinson works at UniSC as a Student Success and Learning adviser and has a background in written communication. She taught into Creative writing and English at the university before taking up the professional role where she specialises in HDR support including running Academic Writing Month and one-on-one writing sessions.

Dr Abbe Winter Writing Coach & Researcher, QUT

Dr Abbe Winter (SFHEA) is a results-driven writing wellbeing specialist, collaborative mentor, and independent researcher, skilled in the analysis of words and data for user needs. Abbe is a researcher trainer, leader, and mentor, with over 20 years’ experience in quality assurance, and change and project management. While her PhD focused on what helps workers in higher education cope with large-scale organisational change, and she was part of the small team that created and developed the concept of academagogy (the scholarly leadership of learning), her more recent research has focussed upon professional identity, developing writing skills, and reflective practice.

Jillian Blacker HDR Client Services Manager (Client Support), QUT

Jill Blacker is an innovative administrative manager with over 15 years’ experience in the higher education sector working across many different areas including action research projects focused on the widening participation agenda. She has extensive experience providing support to researchers, supervisors, and academic leaders on all aspects of higher degree research; and has a proven track record of resolving complex cases to ensure mutually agreeable outcomes. She is a confident mentor and coach and has been drawn to learning about mental health practices and strategies to provide support to researchers and supervisors. Building relationships and working collaboratively and creatively is a key component of her professional practice. She is a Fellow of Advance HE.

Amy Webster Senior Disability Adviser, QUT

Amy Webster is a Senior Disability Adviser committed to fostering inclusive pedagogy. She brings experience from roles in disability education and sport in the UK, including coordinating training and development at the National Autistic Society. In Australia, Amy has worked at the Queensland Human Rights Commission, developing and delivering training to ensure anti-discrimination and human rights legislation is understood and applied in practice. She champions neuroaffirming practices that are embedded, not added.

Dr Min Zhao Senior Research Fellow, UniSC

Dr Min Zhao is a Senior Lecturer at UniSC, School of Science, Technology and Engineering, specialising in bioinformatics and genomics. He graduated from Peking University in 2009 with a PhD and subsequently undertook a Postdoctoral Research Fellow position at Vanderbilt University, USA, where he focused on the analysis and integration of high-throughput genomic, transcriptome, and literature data in complex diseases.

Dr Zhao joined UniSC as a Research Fellow in 2014, leading an emerging group in the GeneCology Research Centre to integrate multi-dimensional data, including genome, transcriptome, and proteomics datasets. In 2018, he was promoted to Senior Research Fellow. He has supervised four PhD students and co-supervised two additional PhD students, fostering a collaborative research environment that has attracted approximately A$500,000 in scholarships and training grants.

His research focuses on the investigation of genetic regulation using large-scale genomics data, with an increasing emphasis on integrating artificial intelligence techniques, particularly large language models and intelligent agents, to enhance the analysis, interpretation, and translational impact of multi-omics datasets. He has published 115 research papers in international peer-reviewed journals, including 82 as lead or corresponding author, with over 5,400 citations and an H-index of 35 (Google Scholar). Approximately 50 percent of his publications are among the top 10 percent most cited articles worldwide, and 10 manuscripts appear in top-ranked journals (Top 5 percent including Nature, Nature Communications, Cell Research, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine).

Dr Zhao has developed widely used computational frameworks and databases, including TSGene (Tumor Suppressor Gene), which has received 750+ citations, been cited in 12 patents, and supported single-cell-based CRISPR/Cas9 design. Since 2017, he has conducted or co-led research projects totalling A$469,616, including an ARC Discovery Project as Chief Investigator.

His scientific contributions are recognised through editorial service on boards including PLoS One, PeerJ, and PeerJ Computer Science, and as a regular reviewer for leading journals such as Nucleic Acids Research and Bioinformatics. He has served as a program committee member for six international bioinformatics conferences, keynote speaker and session chair for six international conferences, and is actively involved in scientific leadership roles, including Vice President of the Australia New Zealand Marine Biotechnology Society, committee member of Research Bazaar Queensland (2023–2025), National Research Bazaar Network, and The International Conference on Intelligent Biology and Medicine.

Dr Zhao is regularly invited to review grants for national and international funding bodies, including NHMRC (2023–2025), ARC (2021–2025), and the National Science Centre Poland (2019–2024), reflecting his standing in the genomics and bioinformatics research community.

Dr Raimundo Sanchez Research Fellow, UQ

Endurance Sports Scientist. Research Fellow at UQ. Founder of Metric Trails.

Justin Clark Research Fellow in Evidence Review Acceleration, Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University

Justin Clark is a Research Fellow in Evidence Review Acceleration at the Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare (IEBH). He is also the Cochrane Information Specialist for the Acute Respiratory Infections Group, was a member of the Cochrane Information Specialists Executive and the Co-Lead of the search group of the Living Evidence Network. He is one of the inventors of the Two-Week Systematic Review (2weekSR) method, a founding member of the International Collaboration for the Automation of Systematic Reviews (ICASR) and leads the development of the Systematic Review Accelerator (SRA), a suite of automation tools that accelerate the production of evidence synthesis. His research focuses on improving evidence synthesis methods to reduce the resources needed to conduct reviews of the evidence.

Jenny Tang , UQ

Jenny Tang is a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland, researching specialty coffee production in Yunnan, China. A multilingual researcher fluent in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, she has conducted four months of ethnographic fieldwork with ethnic minority farming communities in Menglian County, where navigating research across two languages and two very different audiences — academic and rural — required her to develop practical AI-assisted workflows for translation, participant communication, and cultural adaptation.

Dr Georgia Kafer Senior Lecturer, School of Health, UniSC

Dr. Georgia Kafer is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Health at the University of the Sunshine Coast and a core researcher within the Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research. She earned her Ph.D. in Physiology from The University of Queensland, where she investigated epigenetic patterning during preimplantation development. Following her doctoral training, she completed a prestigious Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowship at Kyoto University before returning to Australia to join the Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) as a research fellow and then in 2021, Dr. Kafer established the Fetal and Maternal Health Research Group at UniSC, including the development of the university’s first stem cell culture facilities. Her research program, supported by NHMRC funding, spans basic science, clinical research, and public health, with a focus on fetal and reproductive health.

Dr. Kafer has extensive experience communicating complex scientific concepts to diverse audiences. Her postdoctoral work in Japan strengthened her ability to present effectively to non–native English-speaking researchers, while her work with Pacific communities through the Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research has further developed her cross-cultural communication skills. In addition, her role as a research fellow and ambassador for the Jeans for Genes charity at CMRI refined her capacity to translate rigorous science for broad public audiences. She is deeply committed to mentoring early-career researchers and supporting students to become clear, confident, and thoughtful scientific communicators.

Dr Ryan Newis Software Developer (R Specialist), QCIF

Dr Ryan Newis is an ecological data scientist and modeller with extensive experience in environmental science, data integration and analysis, species distribution modelling, and reproducible research workflows. As lead investigator on state and national projects, he develops scalable ecological modelling tools that inform biodiversity management and conservation planning. At QCIF, he contributes to the advancement of digital research infrastructure such as the EcoCommons platform, reproducible coding notebooks, and delivering stakeholder-driven environmental solutions. With a PhD from Griffith University in landscape and insect ecology, he combines strong analytical expertise, technical leadership, and applied research to bridge science and policy outcomes.

Xiang Zhao Software Developer and R Specialist, QCIF

Xiang Zhao (Zhao) joined QCIF in 2024 as a Software Developer and R Specialist, where he maintains and develops ecological algorithms for the EcoCommons Platform.

Before this, he completed an MPhil at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), applying spatial mapping, modelling, statistics, and optimisation techniques to analyse historical biodiversity survey patterns in terrestrial Antarctica and propose an optimal design for future research. Alongside his research, he tutored in GIS and Environmental Planning units at QUT, sharing his expertise in GIS and cartography.

He is passionate about advancing ecological research through programming, reproducible workflows, and scalable infrastructure. Zhao specialises in R, but also enjoys working with Python and other tools that support data science and geospatial analysis. He is particularly interested in developing open-source software to enable researchers and conservation practitioners to run species distribution models and make evidence-based decisions for biodiversity conservation.

Beyond his professional work, Zhao once spent two years travelling across Australia as a backpacker, which deepened his appreciation for the country’s diverse landscapes and wildlife. Earlier in his career, he contributed to a conservation project in Southwest China that focused on protecting giant panda habitats from livestock impacts—a project that earned him the BirdLife International Young Conservation Leaders Award. When not coding or working in conservation, he enjoys hiking and birdwatching.

Ooroosa Ali Software Tester, QCIF

Ooroosa joined QCIF as a Software Tester after gaining three and a half years of experience in the same role. Her expertise lies in Functional, End-to-End, and Regression testing across multiple platforms, including mobile and web applications.

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Electronics from Mysore University, India. Ooroosa is passionate about learning new technologies, designing and executing test cases, identifying critical bugs, and applying SDLC and Agile methodologies to ensure exceptional software quality.

Outside of work, she enjoys hiking and experimenting with cooking.

Luis Alberto Porras PhD Candidate, QUT

Luis Alberto Porras is a PhD candidate at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), specialising in learning analytics, blended learning, and educational design research. His research focuses on how teachers use learning analytics dashboards to solve problems of practice and support data-informed decision-making.

He has developed systematic and data-driven workflows for literature reviews, integrating Excel-based matrix outlining with Power BI dashboards to support academic writing, synthesis, and research design. His work is grounded in pragmatism and focuses on practical, transferable research methods for higher education contexts.

Joanna Salerno Data Scientist and Developer, QCIF

As a Data Scientist and Developer at QCIF, I partner with researchers to understand their project needs and deliver tailored data science support, from configuring REDCap projects and developing custom software tools, to data analysis and statistical consulting. I also facilitate workshops to help researchers build skills in programming, statistical analysis, data management, and research communication.

Dr Lachlan McKinnie eResearch Analyst, UniSC

I'm Dr Lachlan McKinnie, (acting) eResearch Analyst at UniSC and an early career researcher with a background in bioinformatics and molecular biology. I'm a skilled coder in Python and R and have a passion for open science and in skills sharing.

Justin Scott Biostatistician, UQ Data Science CRP

Justin is a Biostatistician with the UQ Data Science Cooperative Research Platform (CRP).

Dr Vicki Thomson Support Specialist, QUT Research Infrastructure

Vicki Thomson is a support specialist at QUT’s Research Infrastructure, where she provides comprehensive support to researchers running their analyses on the supercomputer. Vicki provides advice about how to optimise supercomputer resource use and delivers workshops designed to help researchers upskill on the supercomputer. Vicki has a PhD in Evolutionary Biology, and has previously worked as a Research Fellow in the field.

Dr Rafael Couto Senior eResearch Analyst, Griffith University

Rafael Couto is a Senior eResearch Analyst at Griffith University. With a PhD in Theoretical Chemistry from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden, and several years of post-doctoral experience, Rafael brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. They have extensive expertise in teaching, software development, data analysis, high-performance computing (HPC), and programming in Python, C, and Bash. Currently, Rafael focuses on supporting researchers with IT, data management, and training needs.

Kasia Koziara Senior Data Analyst, UQ

Kasia is an experienced data professional with a background spanning academia, non-profit, and government sectors. She is passionate about higher education, STEM outreach, and public engagement.

Kasia works as a Senior Data Analyst at The University of Queensland. In addition to her analytical expertise, she is a certified The Carpentries instructor and has delivered training workshops through Curtin University and QCIF, supporting researchers and students in developing practical computational and data skills.

Dr Ade Adeyinka Trainer, QCIF

Ade is a trainer with QCIF and has about 20 years of experience as a statistician. Previously, he was the digital research analyst at Southern Cross University (SCU) and the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ). He specializes in the application of quantitative and qualitative techniques in proffering solutions to financial, social and management problems. His PhD thesis was on the application of weather index-insurance in managing drought risks among Australian farmers.

Senn Oon Research Assistant, QUT / QCIF

Senn is a creative dabbler, frequent events volunteer, and education enthusiast. They are currently studying a Master's of Information Science degree while teaching with QCIF and QUT. Ask them about their recent thesis on archives in video games!

Dr Catherine Kim Postdoctoral Marine Scientist, QUT

Catherine is a marine scientist and R is one of her favorite tools to use and teach. She used R to develop a reef damage vulnerability index for the Great Barrier Reef as a part of the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program.

Dr Caitie Kuempel Senior Lecturer, Griffith University

Dr Kuempel leads the Sustainable Seas Research Group at Griffith University. SSRG uses quantitative tools to synthesise new and existing data to assess the what and where of human impacts on the environment and the environments impact on humans from local to global scales, particularly in our world’s oceans. This information is then used to actions and policies to minimise these threats. Her work largely falls within four main themes: 1) mapping impacts of human activities, 2) spatial conservation planning, 3) land-sea interactions and 4) measuring trade-offs and progress towards sustainability goals. She is also passionate about science communication and open, reproducible research.

Dr Riad Akhundov Senior eResearch Analyst, Griffith

Riad Akhundov is a Senior eResearch Analyst in the eResearch and Specialised Advisory department at Griffith University. His PhD focused on Computational Biomechanics (i.e., computer/data science applied to human motion). As a eResearch Analyst, Riad is involved in various projects and collaborations, including instructing/assisting with workshops, helping researchers and students with their coding/IT/statistical needs, and building an eResearch knowledge base.

Stéphane Guillou Technology Trainer, Library, UQ

Stéphane is a Technology Trainer at The University of Queensland Library. Having studied plant science and ecology, he worked as a research assistant at the School of Agriculture, before moving to the Library to teach about research software, data visualisation and programming. He is passionate about Open Research principles, skill-sharing about Open Source tools, and environmental conservation. He is a certified Carpentries Instructor Trainer.

Joanna Salerno Data Scientist and Developer, QCIF

As a Data Scientist and Developer at QCIF, I partner with researchers to understand their project needs and deliver tailored data science support, from configuring REDCap projects and developing custom software tools, to data analysis and statistical consulting. I also facilitate workshops to help researchers build skills in programming, statistical analysis, data management, and research communication.

Justin Scott Biostatistician, UQ Data Science CRP

Justin is a Biostatistician with the UQ Data Science Cooperative Research Platform (CRP).

Dr Vicki Thomson Support Specialist, QUT Research Infrastructure

Vicki Thomson is a support specialist at QUT’s Research Infrastructure, where she provides comprehensive support to researchers running their analyses on the supercomputer. Vicki provides advice about how to optimise supercomputer resource use and delivers workshops designed to help researchers upskill on the supercomputer. Vicki has a PhD in Evolutionary Biology, and has previously worked as a Research Fellow in the field.

Dr Danny Meloncelli Head, Skills & Training, QCIF

Danny leads QCIF’s digital research training program, overseeing the development and delivery of high-impact courses that equip researchers with critical skills in coding, statistics, data management and bioinformatics. Danny has a PhD in Analytical Chemistry and a Master of Data Science. Prior to joining QCIF at the start of this year, Danny was a STEM Learning Adviser at UniSC for over a decade. Danny has a passion for simplifying complexity, upskilling others, fostering a growth mindset, and harnessing the power of education to create lasting impact.