Presentation Summary
Many of the biggest questions in modern science require technology, infrastructure and budgets which are beyond those available to a single country. These Mega Science projects, which are supported by complex international collaborations need to deliver not only answers to the big questions, but broader benefits to the individual nations who participate. Achieving this presents both technological and organisational/cultural challenges and I will give some perspectives on both of these in the context of the Square Kilometre Array, the world’s largest radio telescope, half of which is being built in the Murchison region of Western Australia.
Meet the Speaker
Professor Simon Ellingsen
Executive Director, ICRAR
Professor Simon Ellingsen is the Executive Director of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR). ICRAR is a joint venture between Curtin University, the University of Western Australia which receives funding from the Western Australian State Government. Prior to that he was the Dean of Natural Sciences at the University of Tasmania. Simon’s research has focused on the study of how the largest stars form, the structure of the Milky Way and recently, how astronomical infrastructure can be utilised to support the Australian space industry, particularly space domain awareness and spacecraft communications.
The two core objectives for ICRAR are to undertake world-class astrophysics research and to translate and implement those research findings for the benefit of the community.
Simon is an astrophysicist who received his PhD from the University of Tasmania in 1996 and has been in senior academic leadership roles for the last five years. He is interested in the cultural and practical aspects of how to most effectively improve the translation of fundamental research knowledge and techniques into broader applications.
