Marie Amigo is a 2nd-year PhD student at Western Sydney University, School of Medicine. After studying and working in Europe, Marie came to work under A/Prof. David A. Mahns’ supervision and specializes in molecular biology and neurosciences. Her doctoral project aims to question the role of the immune system in Multiple Sclerosis onset and progression. In parallel with her studies, Marie is the HDR student representative responsible for transmitting students’ experiences and issues to the University and occasionally teaches neuroanatomy.

Ben is an agent for change.  He has worked with leading clinicians, academic researchers, and emerging entrepreneurs to educate them on what it takes to commercialise innovation, and nurture entrepreneurial traits in a holistic approach to research translation.

Ben is the Co-Founder and CEO of Mimetic, a venture studio that collaborates with clinical innovators to co-found and operate medical device companies.  Mimetic’s mandate is to facilitate the translation of intellectual property from medical research to clinical adoption.  He is the Managing Director of Ballistic Ventures, a venture and commercialisation advisory firm, and the Medtech Industry Innovation Lead for Western Sydney University.

He was previously the Entrepreneur in Residence for the UNSW Founders Health 10x accelerator and contracts to various organisations including NSW Health, to translate medical research into bedside impact through commercialisation.

Prior to Mimetic, Ben managed a corporate venture capital vehicle for listed Australian medtech Nanosonics and was the Chief Innovation Officer and Head of Investment Strategy at deep technology incubator Cicada Innovations, where he ran the NSW Medical Devices Commercialisation Training Program for the NSW Office for Health and Medical Research.

Ben holds a BSc. Biological Sciences (WSU), a Grad. Dip. Biomedical Engineering (UNSW), has attended numerous executive courses including Venture Capital (UC Berkeley), Mergers and Acquisitions (Stanford University) and is a graduate of the Company Directors Course (Australian Institute of Company Directors).

Inu Rana has spent a significant portion of her career managing businesses, consulting & advising businesses, supporting startups, contributing to executive training & development, and research. Inu has worked extensively in the tech startup space in Sydney, and currently focused on building innovation partnerships.

Inu has a strong interest in Innovation ecosystems, innovation practices, and entrepreneurship; and hopes to contribute further to the advancement of these domains through her work and research.

Carla is the Senior Manager for Innovation Strategy & Services at Western Sydney University, a role that contributes to the university innovation strategy and services to students, start-ups and companies through Launch Pad (WSU entrepreneurial arm) with initiatives such as Venture Makers, Ignition and the Factory of the Future.

Previously, Carla was the Director of Flinders University new MBA, a completely new redesigned MBA that is on the forefront by embedding innovation, Industry 4.0 and 5.0, industry engagement, and sustainability/net zero. Carla also lectured MBA topics such as Researching Markets and Innovation & Enterprise topics to Flinders University students, which followed her experience of teaching Entrepreneurship at some of Europe’s top business schools, such as CLSBE.

Carla has spent the last 20 years working with companies and start-ups across Europe, Australia, US and Asia, supporting their development in diverse areas such as health/nanotech, advanced manufacturing & industry 4.0, Fintech, Agtech, energy, retail and tourism. Leveraging her drive for innovation and entrepreneurship, Carla delivers national and international industry entrepreneurial programs to public and private enterprises, which have contributed significantly to the ongoing development of the Australian entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Carla also worked for 10 years in investment banking (Private Equity, Venture Capital, Wealth Management and Corporate Finance) acquiring a deep knowledge of finance and entrepreneurial finance. Her global experience was further strengthened when Carla consulted with the United Nations (FAO) for international funding frameworks and with the South Australian Government with her vast knowledge of finance and strategy, advising on private equity and venture capital deals.

She continues to mentor start-ups and is a regular Public Speaker at national & international conferences, seminars and workshops.

Natascha Weinberger is an Austrian scientist who received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Austria. During her Master’s studies, she gained invaluable skills in molecular biology, which further fueled her passion for science and shaped her scientific career. She then moved to Australia, where she recently completed her PhD at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (HIE), Western Sydney University, while enjoying the Australian sunshine, beaches, and hikes. Her PhD project focused on understanding molecular plant-microbe interactions that enhance pathogen resistance, with an emphasis on beneficial root symbionts, particularly Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi. Last year, she completed an APR internship to gain industry experience. She later continued her research in a postdoctoral position in her field of expertise.

With a background in biochemistry, translational research and leadership, Dr Tamantha Stutchbury is a driving force behind iAccelerate’s diverse founder community. With 53% of our resident companies being led by at least one female founder, programs for regional and First Nations entrepreneurs and deep engagement with the UOW research community, Tamantha has showcased that anyone can be an entrepreneur. In 2023, Tamantha was awarded a $1 million Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship grant, co-leading the LIFT Project, to bridge the divide between education, academia and industry in the Illawarra.

Graciela Metternicht is the Dean of Science and Professor of Environmental Geography at Western Sydney University. She also is an Adjunct Professor at the Earth and Sustainability Science Research Centre of the UNSW Sydney. Prior appointments include as Senior Officer for Environmental Assessments and Early Warning with the United Nations Environment Program, and full professor at UNSW Sydney, University of South Australia, and Curtin University of Technology. She works at the interface of science and policy for ecological sustainable development. With over two decades of experience in applied research, training and as an adviser on environmental management, her skills range from the development of tools and approaches to map and monitor land degradation processes and for land use change to the operationalization of socioecological frameworks for sustainable land management.

Prof. Metternicht has been instrumental in the development of the Conceptual Framework for Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN), implemented in 128 countries and central to the UN Sustainable Development Goal of Life on Land. She has authored or co-authored over 200 scientific reports and publications and is the author of the book “Land Use and Spatial Planning: Enabling Sustainable Management of Land Resources”, which informed the first edition of the Global Land Outlook.
Metternicht’s working experience spans over five continents. During her academic career, she held advisory roles in Australia and internationally, including Chair of the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Advisory Panel; Chair of the Australian Academy of Science Committee for Geographical Science, Australian Research Council College of Experts; Board Member of the Western Australia Land Information System; Global Environment Facility Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (Land degradation and Ecosystem Restoration); Science-Policy Interface member of the UNCCD; 6th Global Environmental Outlook Assessment Methodology Group; Scientific Steering Committee of the Future Earth Global Land Programme.

Professor Janice Aldrich-Wright is a Medicinal Bioinorganic Chemist, who is currently the interim Dean of the Graduate research School and was the inaugural Academic Lead for the Science in Australia Gender Equity initiative at Western Sydney University (2015-2024).

She undertook a BSc in applied science at University of Technology, Sydney, work in the chemical industry for some years before returning to undertake a PhD at Macquarie University. Her PhD thesis was awarded the Cornforth Medal for the best Chemistry PhD in Australia 1993, and she now has a strong international research reputation in anticancer prodrug design. She has been awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Excellence in Postgraduate research supervision three times and has mentored 36 PhD, 27 Masters and 38 Honours candidatures. She has published over 142 papers, holds patents, is a fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. She is an important mentor to early career academics and a strong advocate for gender equity.

Sharidan Kearney is a proud Ngiyampaa, Wiradjuri & Yorta Yorta woman working as the ASPIRE Program Project Officer in the School of Engineering, Design & Built Environment at Western Sydney University. The ASPIRE Program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students with their knowledge, work experience and passion for Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture and Building Design.

Dr. Michael Baker is the Director of the Graduate Research School at Western Sydney University, where he provides strategic leadership for higher degree research (HDR) programs, overseeing the administration of HDR candidature and scholarships for approximately 1,500 candidates. With extensive experience in research management and university leadership, Dr. Baker has held senior roles, including Director of Research Services at the Australian Catholic University, where he led a team responsible for research contracts, ethics, integrity, and funding.

Dr. Baker’s academic background is in clinical exercise physiology. He has authored over 50 journal articles, contributed to textbooks, and has been widely cited for his work on exercise and chronic disease management. His leadership extends to serving as Chair of the Integrity Council at Exercise and Sport Science Australia, where he oversees integrity policy and disciplinary procedures.

Dr. Baker’s career is marked by a commitment to research excellence, strategic innovation, and fostering collaboration within the academic and professional communities.

Simone Sleep is a dynamic professional with extensive experience across general management, business development, marketing, and health operations. As the owner of a laboratory and medical practice, she has successfully combined her leadership abilities with her passion for advancing healthcare. Simone’s journey in health began with a deep passion for natural medicine—she has been a qualified naturopath since 1997 and has over 24 years of clinical practice. This foundation sparked her interest in oral health and drove her to upskill into research. She holds a master’s degree in medical science and investigated the role of linoleic acid in cardiovascular disease development.

She is currently completing her PhD at Griffith University, focusing on photobiomodulated (infrared laser) bioenergetics of osteoblast cells and bone repair.

For more than 24 years, Simone has dedicated herself to improving community health through educational seminars on oral care and preventative health. This year, she reached a significant milestone by raising funding to establish her own laboratory and taking over a medical centre to directly see patients. Her goal is to develop innovative diagnostic tools for detecting oral parasites and infections, transforming dental care. In addition to her research, she reviews cutting-edge studies for Lasers in Medical Science and continues to lead impactful community projects, all while pursuing personal interests like learning classical Greek and enjoying outdoor activities.

Lisa Farrar is the Associate Director of the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI). She has over 30 years’ experience leading teams and organisations to deliver strategic excellence across a broad range of sectors, both in Australia and overseas. With core competencies in leadership, strategy, partnerships, engagement, marketing and brand management, Lisa is passionate about building and leading teams to deliver on organisational vision.

Lisa has lived and worked in Melbourne, San Francisco, Seattle and worked extensively in Sub Saharan Africa. Holding a Senior Executive MBA from Melbourne Business School, a Bachelor of Business and AICD company director qualifications, Lisa has over 15 years’ experience as a Non-Executive Director and Chair on government and not-for-profit Boards.

Miriam has a multicultural professional background in engineering, speaking four languages. She holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.S. in Automotive Engineering.

She had the opportunity to work in the R&D space at Festo and Siemens gaining valuable experience during her studies –and went on to expand her practical knowledge as a process and manufacturing engineer at Corning Cable Systems and Stanley Black & Decker. Miriam has successfully managed an engineering team and led impactful projects.

In addition to her engineering roles, Miriam has excelled in supplier negotiations and contributed to project collaborations with industry partners while developing strategic partnerships at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) to support research collaborations, scholarships, and internships for the Faculty of Engineering and IT.

After becoming a state public servant at Investment NSW, she oversaw the investment attraction process and its enhancement, concentrating on driving economic development in New South Wales by attracting industry investment in the Clean Economy and Manufacturing sectors.

Miriam has also previously taught in the higher education sector and currently contributes to the community as a volunteer, serving as President of BPW Sydney and as a board member for Red Global MX Australia.

Mahsa Naseri is a transport planner and engineer who believes in making transport safer, more accessible, and better for the environment. With a PhD in Civil Engineering from Monash University, she has worked on projects that improve how people move around cities, from active transport strategies to people-centred designs. Mahsa is passionate about using data and new ideas to solve transport challenges and make communities more connected.

Rachel is a dynamic, strategic and entrepreneurial executive leader with over 20 years of experience in healthcare. Her qualifications include PhD Medicine from Sydney University and Stanford University, USA, in infectious diseases. She is currently employed as Principal, at Brooker Consulting, an exclusive Board and C-suite executive search firm, specialising in health and for-purpose sectors.

Throughout her career in STEMM, she has consistently demonstrated excellence in innovation and achievement in complex project leadership roles across a broad range of sectors including corporate, hospital, emergency management response, public health, government, not-for-profit, university, pharmacy distribution, R&D technology and consultancy, leading small and large teams of passionate people.

Her employers have included, but are not limited to, large ASX (CSL Ltd) and NASDAQ listed entities (Amgen and BMS Australia), private companies, government departments, healthcare agencies servicing the aged care and disability sectors as well as remote Indigenous communities nationwide. Rachel has also founded a health-tech start-up in the chronic disease space and has run her own successful generalist healthcare consulting business, highlighting her agility.

Rachel possesses superior stakeholder engagement skills demonstrated across project leadership roles in complex health systems, which have necessitated the management of sensitive data, risk and people through times of pressure. Rachel serves on the Board of an Aged Care facility in regional Victoria as a special advisor.

As part of the Global Women’s Leadership program, Homeward Bound, she is fostering opportunities for Women in STEMM to impact and communicate to the world some of the pressing challenges of climate change, and how collective and consistent efforts from individuals do matter. She mentors and guides girls and women to pursue careers in STEMM. She is a passionate ocean sailor.

Narelle Underwood is the Surveyor-General of NSW and Executive Director Spatial Services, part of the NSW Department of Customer Service, where they work at the intersection of technology and regulation to protect the integrity of the State cadastre and deliver foundation spatial data services for the benefit of the community, business and government.

Working in a profession where the average age is 52 and women account for only 3%, Narelle is passionate about women in leadership and improving the diversity of her profession and other STEM based careers. As a Superstar of STEM and brand ambassador for the Get Kids into Survey program, she is working to increase the public visibility of women in STEM to encourage the next generation.

Hailing originally from South Africa, Tracey’s career in business development has traversed diverse cities across the globe, including Durban, London, Dublin, Sydney, and Perth. Her professional journey has spanned a wide spectrum of industries, encompassing corporate enterprises, academia, federal government initiatives, and the not-for-profit sector.

Some of Tracey’s highlights include spearheading an MBA Careers Program at a prestigious Western Australian University. In this role, she assumed the pivotal role of a coach and mentor, guiding scores of mid-level professionals in their transformative journey from technical expertise to strategic leadership roles. Additionally, Tracey served as the Business Development Manager for a federally funded PhD program, orchestrating the convergence of doctoral talents with cutting-edge research endeavours for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) – spanning defence, healthcare, medical technologies, food and agriculture, robotics, and cybersecurity—a testament to her versatility.

Tracey now leads business development across Australia for Campus Plus. Tracey has built her career in stakeholder engagement with a strong history of growing relationships and partnerships.

Nikki Meller is a visionary entrepreneur and a transformational learning and development specialist, dedicated to crafting immersive and impactful learning experiences for 21st century learners. As the founder and director of CREDuED, a pioneering EdTech startup, Nikki leads a dynamic team of experts in integrating cutting-edge technology with pedagogy to create future-ready content and elevate learning standards across various industries. CREDuED specialises in empowering organisations through innovative Data and Digital Literacy programs, driving both innovation and ethical decision-making in today’s data-driven world.

With over a decade of experience in curriculum innovation, strategic leadership, and learning and development, Nikki has become an award-winning leader. Her work enables organisations to confidently navigate the complexities of the modern digital landscape. Nikki has been honored with multiple citations for her outstanding contributions to student learning, teaching excellence, and academic leadership.

In addition to her role at CREDuED, Nikki is the innovative founder behind DocuCRED, an AI-powered SaaS solution that will revolutionise document comparison and compliance processes. Understanding the intricate challenges of governance, Nikki developed DocuCRED to automate the traditionally manual and error-prone tasks of ensuring documents meet specific standards and regulations. By utilising advanced AI technology, DocuCRED improves accuracy and efficiency, reduces compliance errors, and provides actionable insights to bridge gaps in policy and document alignment.

Nikki’s leadership in both CREDuED and DocuCRED reflects her commitment to leveraging technology for social impact. Nikki is passionate about sharing her journey and insights with diverse audiences. At this Women in STEM masterclass, she will discuss her experiences and challenges in starting her own STEM venture, highlighting the importance of resilience, innovation, and a commitment to making a difference in the STEM fields.

Paul is an engineer and Research Professor in Biomedical & Human Technology at The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development at Western Sydney University.

He has worked as a researcher in various laboratories and departments around the world, including the University of Limerick, University of Galway, University of Twente, European Space Agency and Harvard Medical School.

He focuses on identifying health and wellbeing problems and solving these by creating new devices and technology. Since joining Western Sydney University in 2013, his work has led to two Australian start-up companies PAYO Scientific, which manufactures Braincubator an incubation system for tissue samples, and Medical Monitoring Solutions that develops morphic sensors for cardio-respiratory monitoring.

Professor Olivia Mirza is a distinguished structural engineer and academic leader, currently serving as Professor at the School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment at Western Sydney University. A Golden Jubilee Scholar at the University of New South Wales, she graduated with Honours in Civil and Environmental Engineering in 2002. Olivia has extensive industry experience, having worked on high-profile projects such as the M7 Motorway, One Shelley Street, and Sydney Harbour Bridge. She has also led fire design efforts for Tower 5 of the New York World Trade Centre. Olivia is a pioneer in sustainable engineering, notably leading Australia’s first Macro Synthetic Fibre Reinforced Concrete (MSFRC) track in the Parramatta Light Rail project. A passionate advocate for women in engineering, she founded the “Women of Wisdom” (WoW) group at Western Sydney University, successfully increasing female participation in the field from 17% to 35%.

Selena Boyfield, Ecosystem Manager, CSIRO
Selena is an ON Innovation Ecosystem Manager at CSIRO, where she fosters key stakeholder relationships to help brilliant researchers explore alternative pathways for their big ideas. As part of CSIRO’s Ecosystem Innovation and Engagement Services team, she is a passionate advocate for research-backed innovation and collaboration that makes our world a better place. There are many pathways to research impact – her role is to support researchers and equip them with skills to develop a deeper understanding of stakeholder validation. This is particularly important for Women. Outcomes of these skills can include:

• attracting new funding sources establishing new partnerships / networks
• increasing industry engagement
• improving clarity around the impact and focus of their research

Selena catalyses connections between experts from diverse backgrounds, including CSIRO, universities, and industry partners, supporting the vision of delivering excellent science and innovative solutions for the benefit of solving real-world problems.

Assoc. Prof. Tomas Trescak’s research flows through several realities, virtual, augmented and the real one, seeking new ways with Artificial Intelligence to facilitate complex cognitive tasks in simulation, education, health care, cyber security and social sciences. Tomas developed several techniques and methods and implemented them in the set of open-source tools, used world-wide. These works were published in acclaimed international conferences and journals. Tomas is also multi-awarder researcher and academic, among others receiving in Digital Disruptor Award, a gold medal for the best higher education educator by Australian Computer Society, or the Best Innovator award by Unearthed association.

Virginia is an expert in analytics, data mining and developing business strategies for data and analytics functions. She has over twenty years’ experience across many industry sectors, including aviation, transport, manufacturing, medicine and futures trading. Virginia helps businesses solve their problems through the use of analytics and data mining. She is skilled at converting business problems into solvable frameworks, and has the ability then to translate complex concepts into relevant business language and communicate this clearly.

Virginia has held many senior leadership roles and has been very successful in building and developing effective teams, as well as interacting and influencing senior executives / C-suite stakeholders in both the public and private sectors. Virginia spent thirteen years of her career with The Boeing Company, where she held the roles of research statistician, Chief Mathematician (Australia), and Director (Boeing Australia Holdings). Virginia also led the NSW government’s Bureau of Transport Statistics, where she had responsibility for leading a team of over 50 analysts.

Mariam is a PhD candidate at the University of Adelaide, specializing in the integration of Machine Learning with Wireless Terahertz Communications. She has completed an industry internship with Telstra, where she worked on Intelligent Fibre Sensing technologies. Her research interests span terahertz communication, the application of machine learning to wireless networks, and advancements in optical and microwave technologies, with a focus on developing intelligent sensing solutions for next-generation communication systems.

Nadia Aleksandrova is a PhD candidate at The University of Queensland. She is a structural biologist who uses powerful microscopy techniques to study the architecture of nature’s smallest molecular machines, the proteins. In her PhD project, Nadia works on understanding how bacterial toxins can be used to develop better, safer insecticides against agricultural pests. During her graduate studies, she completed an APR.Intern industry placement at AdAlta Ltd., a Melbourne-based biotechnology company, where she worked on improving the yield and stability of protein therapeutics for preclinical stage studies. Nadia has completed a Bachelor of Science (Hons) from King’s College London and a Master of Research from Imperial College London.

Sharmin Zaman received a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Civil Engineering from Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET), Bangladesh, before beginning a career as a university lecturer in 2016. Currently, Sharmin is pursuing a PhD at the University of Wollongong (UOW) in the School of Civil, Mining, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering.

Sharmin’s research focuses on Environmental Engineering, with a particular emphasis on membrane-based wastewater treatment processes, specifically for the removal of microorganisms and chemicals. Sharmin’s work aims to contribute to advancing sustainable and effective water treatment technologies.

Brad is a visionary thought leader, specialising in Entrepreneurial Leadership, Corporate Innovation and High Growth Business Strategy.

He is obsessed about developing a new type of leader, those who find strength internally, rather than externally and who live life from the inside out. Brad believes these types of leaders can transition us into a world that is redefining the way human beings live, work and play.

He has co-founded 3 enterprise technology start-ups, raised over $USD150M in Venture Capital and had three successful exits, the biggest in 2013 for $USD280M.

Brad has worked with top level clients, using products he has developed, to drive significant change programs including the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Swisscom, Union Bank of Switzerland, VISA, Department of Industry Science and Innovation, University of Technology Sydney, UNSW, Allianz, Rackspace, AWS, DXC Technology and Microsoft.

He is currently a Senior Lecturer for the Bachelor of Entrepreneurship and an Entrepreneur in Residence for Venture Makers at Western Sydney University. The University’s flagship Entrepreneurial Training Programs. He also keynotes around the world and has spoken for clients such as DuluxGroup, Singularity U, Chartered Accountants ANZ, American Chamber of Commerce, IBM, vmware and Century Link.

Brad’s core belief is that it has never been easier to create an abundant life and to achieve what you dream, if you are willing to develop yourself as a leader and cultivate your character.

He resides on the Central Coast of NSW, where he can be seen raising three young Jedi Knights or when the wind is blowing kitesurfing with the whales.

Tim Marchant is Director of the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI) and an Honorary Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Wollongong.

During his career at the University of Wollongong, Tim was Head of the School of Mathematics and Applied Statistics 2007-2009 and Dean of Research 2009-2020. He has undertaken senior leadership roles within the Mathematical Sciences, including President of the Australian Mathematical Society, Chair of ANZIAM and Director of the Mathematics in Industry Study Group. Tim has also had a range of external leadership roles, having twice been an executive member of the Council of Deans and Directors of Graduate Studies and a member of the Endeavour Awards and National Colombo Plan selection panels.

Tim gained a PhD in Applied Mathematics from the University of Adelaide in 1988 and has published more than 100 research papers. His research areas include nonlinear optics, waves and combustion theory. Tim is a Life Master at the Illawarra Bridge Club and speaks intermediate level Mandarin.