Event schedule

Prof. Peter Eastwood Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Murdoch University

Professor Peter Eastwood is an experienced Australian biomedical research scientist who has built an internationally recognised research programme in sleep and respiratory physiology. He is currently the Deputy Vice Chancellor Research & Innovation at Murdoch University, WA. He has previously held appointments as: Dean of Research, College of Medicine & Public Health and Director, Flinders Health & Medical Research Institute at Flinders University, SA; a NHMRC Senior Research Fellow at the West Australian Sleep Disorders Research Institute, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Professor at the School of Anatomy and Human Biology, University of Western Australia and Adjunct Professor at Curtin University of Technology. He is also Director of the Raine Study, Foundation Director of the Centre for Sleep Science at the University of Western Australia, President of the Australasian Sleep Association, immediate past Deputy Director of the Lung Institute of Western Australia, and immediate past Editor in Chief of Respirology, the major respiratory journal in the Asian Pacific.

Dr Vivienne ‘Binyarn’ Hansen Balladong Wadjuk Noongar yorga,

Dr Vivienne ‘Binyarn’ Hansen is a Balladong Wadjuk Noongar yorga, a renowned Practitioner of Noongar medicine, co-author of books Noongar Bush Medicine and Noongar Bush Tucker, the first Indigenous member of the National Herbalist Association of Australia, a founding member of the Ngangk Yira Institute for Change Council of Elders, and a recent recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from Murdoch University. She has dedicated her life to sharing, teaching, and advocating for Noongar culture, language, and knowledge. The ResBaz organising committee is honoured to have Dr Hansen delivering the Welcome to Country.

A/Prof. Belinda Brown Dean Graduate Research, Murdoch University

Associate Professor Belinda Brown is Dean of Graduate Research (Murdoch University) and a researcher in healthy ageing and dementia prevention. Her work focuses on how lifestyle factors such as physical activity, sleep, and health behaviours influence cognitive ageing and brain health across adulthood. Alongside her research program, she leads university-wide strategy and development for higher degree by research training and researcher development. Belinda has worked with HDR candidates and early career researchers across diverse disciplines, giving her a unique perspective on the realities of research careers. She is passionate about building supportive research cultures, and helping researchers develop the skills to thrive in academia and beyond.

Jason Tadi Teaching assistant, The University of Western Australia

Dr. Sean Buckley , Edith Cowan University

Sean is a conservation and ecological geneticist with a focus on understanding how evolutionary and genomic research can inform conservation management of biodiversity. His research spans population genetics, phylogeography, and adaptive genomics, with applications in conservation planning, conservation translocations (including genetic rescue), and threatened species recovery. He works across a range of Australian fauna - (currently) including freshwater fishes, marsupials, reptiles, and birds - using genomic tools to address real-world conservation challenges. As a science communicator, he is also passionate about making science accessible, inclusive, and engaging. He regularly communicates science through outreach talks, media contributions, and his long-running blog The G-CAT, which explores conservation, ecology, evolution and genetics. As the Edith Cowan University representative in the Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre Champions Program, he is also passionate about supporting research staff and students to use and engage with high-performance computing capabilities.

Thuy Duong Le , Murdoch University

Poornima Marasini ,

Dr. Kristina Gagalova , Curtin University

Double academic curriculum with one Master degrees in Bioinformatics and one in Biotechnology. Deep understanding of bioinformatics algorithms, programming and Next Generation Sequencing technologies. Solid basics in molecular biology and genetics. Experience in OMICS data analysis, machine learning and workflow implementation. A proven track of successful project delivery in the context of basic research. Extensive collaboration with researchers from different scientific background. Excellent English verbal and written communication skills.

Dr. Jade Hallam Senior Data Engineer, WA Department of Health

Dr. Fatima Naim , Curtin University

Fatima Naim has been involved in agricultural research for the past decade. Fatima trained as chemist and went onto completing her PhD in plant metabolic engineering. Since then, she has worked on multiple projects including enhancing transgene longevity and developing precisely gene edited plants. At CCDM, she is a Foundation project leader focusing on dissecting the early phase of infection and recovery post disease disruption.

Yalimay Jimenez ,

Dr. Kate Miller Senior Specialist, Science and Partnerships, University of Western Australia

Kate is PHRN’s Coordinator for Science and Partnerships. She implements strategic projects and establishes relationships with our partners, industry collaborations and participants. She has extensive experience facilitating training and developed the online Data Linkage Researcher Training and the Ethics and Data Linkage training provided by the PHRN. Previously, Kate worked at the Telethon Kids Institute as an epidemiologist with the Strep A Vaccine Global Consortium. In this role she led the development of standardised surveillance protocols to provide standardised case definitions for diseases caused by Strep A and guide researchers with the design and planning of clinical trials to measure vaccine efficacy and safety. Kate undertook her PhD at the UWA using linked data to explore the relationship between ultraviolet radiation and type 1 diabetes.

Min Tan Commercialisation Specialist, CERI - Centre for Entrepreneurial Research and Innovation

Sara King Training and Engagement Lead, AARNet

Dr Sara King is the Training and Engagement Lead for AARNet. She is focused on outreach within the research sector, developing communities of interest around training and skills development in eResearch. She is passionate about helping others develop the infrastructure and digital literacies required for working in a data-driven world, translating technology so it is accessible to everyone.

Claire Hulcup Academic Skills Advisor (Numeracy), Curtin University

Anurag Katariya Solutions Architect, Australian Access Federation Ltd

Alasdair Macdonald Director Research and Innovation Office, Murdoch University

Michelle Duryea Associate Director, Research Analytics, Systems and Performance, Edith Cowan University

Rochelle Fleming Director, Research Partnerships, Curtin University

Kaitlyn Houston Research Support Coordinator, Murdoch University

Alex Jenkins Director, WA Data Science Innovation Hub

Alex Jenkins is the Director of the WA Data Science Innovation Hub (WADSIH), Chair & Founder of the Curtin AI in Research (CAIR) Group, and inaugural Member of the WA State Government’s AI Advisory Board. With an extensive background in digital technologies, Alex is dedicated to advancing the use of AI across Australian business, academia, and the public sector. His work emphasises leveraging AI to enhance education and improve lives, driving innovation and practical applications in diverse sectors. Alex is committed to ensuring that Australia remains at the forefront of AI adoption, elevating WADSIH to a national thought-leader in AI and fostering collaboration to promote AI’s transformative potential for societal benefit. He is also known for his impactful TEDx talk, ‘An AI Tutor for Every Child’, highlighting the potential of AI in revolutionising Australia’s education system

Alex Jenkins Director, WA Data Science Innovation Hub

Alex Jenkins is the Director of the WA Data Science Innovation Hub (WADSIH), Chair & Founder of the Curtin AI in Research (CAIR) Group, and inaugural Member of the WA State Government’s AI Advisory Board. With an extensive background in digital technologies, Alex is dedicated to advancing the use of AI across Australian business, academia, and the public sector. His work emphasises leveraging AI to enhance education and improve lives, driving innovation and practical applications in diverse sectors. Alex is committed to ensuring that Australia remains at the forefront of AI adoption, elevating WADSIH to a national thought-leader in AI and fostering collaboration to promote AI’s transformative potential for societal benefit. He is also known for his impactful TEDx talk, ‘An AI Tutor for Every Child’, highlighting the potential of AI in revolutionising Australia’s education system

Dr. Michael Dizon Senior Lecturer, Curtin University

Michael Anthony C. Dizon, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer and Co-Director of Research and Innovation at Curtin Law School. His principal area of research is law and ICT. He has held academic positions in New Zealand, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the Philippines, and previously worked as an ICT lawyer.

Alina Eshal ,

Dr. Ranjodh B. Singh Senior Lecturer, Curtin University

Ranjodh is involved in teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate units in Data Analytics and Econometrics.

Damian Almeida Academic Engagement Manager, Gale

Dr. Michael Dizon Senior Lecturer, Curtin University

Michael Anthony C. Dizon, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer and Co-Director of Research and Innovation at Curtin Law School. His principal area of research is law and ICT. He has held academic positions in New Zealand, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the Philippines, and previously worked as an ICT lawyer.

Dr. Ludovic Capelli Training and Education Manager, Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre

Prof. Tom Gedeon AI Chair, Human-centric Advancements, Curtin University

My research focus is on responsive and responsible AI: Responsive AI: Use of human behavioural and biometric data to create useful AI systems and Responsible AI: A privacy by design approach to control private and personal data used. I have developed human centred computing technologies which use advanced AI and sensors to predict human internal states such as stress, doubt, anger and so on, which are highly relevant to understanding people management. My goal is to use these techniques to enhance human capabilities, in applications such as training people with real time feedback, creating responsive user interfaces, and measuring team dynamics in real time.

Prof. Mingming Cheng Professor in Digital Marketing, Curtin University

Professor Mingming Cheng is Professor in Digital Marketing and Director of the Social Media Research Lab at the School of Management and Marketing, Curtin University. Mingming is an award-winning researcher and educator with an international reputation in social media analytics and tourism. His core research interests and expertise deal with Chinese outbound tourists with a strong focus on Chinese young generations, the sharing economy (e.g. Airbnb and Uber), data science (big data), sustainable tourism and social media marketing. Mingming is deeply committed to innovative research and teaching practices that create positive impacts on those involved. Mingming has won multiple prestigious teaching, research and engagement awards for his teaching and research excellence and impacts. He is also a regular contributor to the mainstream media. Further information can be found in Mingming’s personal website: https://mingmingcheng.com/

Ruby Gilroy Senior Data Scientist, WA Department of Health

Dr. Patricia Agudelo-Romero Senior Research Fellow in Bioinformatics, The University of Western Australia / Telethon Kids Institute

Patricia Agudelo‑Romero is a Senior Research Fellow in Bioinformatics with a strong passion for uncovering how viruses shape human health. Her research focuses on the complex interactions between viruses, bacteria, and the human host—an area she views as central to understanding the origins of respiratory and immune diseases. At the Kids Research Institute Australia (The Kids) and The University of Western Australia, Patricia leads bioinformatics research that integrates metagenomics, transcriptomics, epigenetics, and systems biology. Her work aims to decode host–microorganism interactions in conditions such as asthma and cystic fibrosis, as well as to elucidate the role of breastfeeding in early microbial colonisation and protection against respiratory conditions. She has also developed EVEREST, an integrated computational platform for virome discovery and analysis, available in both Snakemake and Nextflow implementations.

Rupali Bhagat , Edith Cowan Univiersty

Alina Eshal ,

TBC , LabArchives

Rakib Hasan Associate Lecturer, Curtin University

Marjolein Towler , Murdoch University

Prof. Melanie Johnston-Hollitt Director, Curtin Institute for Data Science

In her 20-year career, Prof Johnston-Hollitt has been involved in the design, construction, operation and governance of several major international radio telescopes, including the Low Frequency Array in the Netherlands, the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) in Western Australia, and the billion-dollar Square Kilometre Array (SKA), which will be hosted in both Australia and South Africa. She was a founding member of the Board of Directors for the SKA Organisation, where she worked on the international governance and the scientific and technical aspects of the telescope. In particular, she led the Science Analysis Pipeline design for the SKA and contributed to the Science Data Processor pipeline. She is the immediate past director of the 65 million-dollar MWA radio telescope and spent 9 years involved in the project, including 6 years on the international executive board (4 years as board chair) and 3 years as the MWA Director. During her time as chair of the MWA board, Professor Johnston-Hollitt was responsible for the expansion of the MWA project to move from 11 research organisations over 3 countries with 112 individual researchers to 21 research organisations over 6 countries with 270 individual researchers. As MWA Director, she oversaw the third phase of the MWA project realised via the design and funding for the new ‘MWAX correlator’ – a GPU-based bespoke compute system. Her research interests span the intersection between radio astronomy, signal and image processing and big data analytics. She leads the galactic and extragalactic science team in the Curtin Institute for Radio Astronomy, who are exploiting the MWA and other telescopes to uncover the mysteries of the Universe.In August 2020, Professor Johnston-Hollitt has been appointed as the new Director of the Curtin Institute for Data Science (CIDS), leading a multi-disciplinary team of data scientists. The CIDS is a cross-disciplinary research accelerator based on the use of high-performance computing. In 2024, her role expanded with her appointment as Executive Director of both CIDS and Innovation Central Perth (ICP).

Meirian Lovelace-Tozer Skills Development Lead (Services), Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC)

With over 10 years of experience in education, Meirian is committed to making an impact through empowering Australian research communities with a competitive advantage. Meirian delivers training and resources that support researchers to effectively leverage ARDC services.

Pavel Kasyanov Principal Technical Solutions Consultant, Clarivate

Pavel has worked with Clarivate for more than twenty years, sixteen of which he has spent specialising in the Web of Science and the suite of analytical tools built around it. He has extensive experience in scientific discovery workflows, research evaluation, and bibliometrics. Over the past five years, Pavel has also developed deep expertise in the Web of Science APIs, creating a range of Python applications and R scripts that showcase the power and versatility of programmatic access to research information.

Meirian Lovelace-Tozer Skills Development Lead (Services), Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC)

With over 10 years of experience in education, Meirian is committed to making an impact through empowering Australian research communities with a competitive advantage. Meirian delivers training and resources that support researchers to effectively leverage ARDC services.

Sara King Training and Engagement Lead, AARNet

Dr Sara King is the Training and Engagement Lead for AARNet. She is focused on outreach within the research sector, developing communities of interest around training and skills development in eResearch. She is passionate about helping others develop the infrastructure and digital literacies required for working in a data-driven world, translating technology so it is accessible to everyone.

Dr. Ludovic Capelli Training and Education Manager, Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre

Dr. Kate Miller Senior Specialist, Science and Partnerships, University of Western Australia

Kate is PHRN’s Coordinator for Science and Partnerships. She implements strategic projects and establishes relationships with our partners, industry collaborations and participants. She has extensive experience facilitating training and developed the online Data Linkage Researcher Training and the Ethics and Data Linkage training provided by the PHRN. Previously, Kate worked at the Telethon Kids Institute as an epidemiologist with the Strep A Vaccine Global Consortium. In this role she led the development of standardised surveillance protocols to provide standardised case definitions for diseases caused by Strep A and guide researchers with the design and planning of clinical trials to measure vaccine efficacy and safety. Kate undertook her PhD at the UWA using linked data to explore the relationship between ultraviolet radiation and type 1 diabetes.

Mzingisi Mqhum Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network (AURIN)

Strategic and forward-thinking Stakeholder Engagement Leader with over 20 years’ experience across government, academia, and industry. Expertise spans stakeholder engagement, project management, research, marketing, and communications, with a strong focus on building partnerships, enhancing user experiences, and driving collaborative initiatives. Recent work in research infrastructure and data services has supported national innovation through impactful engagement strategies, stakeholder mapping, and cross-functional collaboration. Proven ability to influence senior decision-makers, lead teams, and deliver outcomes aligned with strategic goals. Seeking senior leadership opportunities that leverage expertise in stakeholder strategy, data-driven innovation, and long-term partnership development.

Liz Stokes Skills Development Lead (Trainer and Research Communities), Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC)

Liz advocates for trainers and connects global training communities to deliver a national skills advantage for Australian researchers. They lead the ARDC Carpentries Partnership, coordinate ResBaz digital skills festivals in Australia and contribute skills expertise to ARDC programs.

Prof. Andreas Wicenec Director of the Data Intensive Astronomy Program at ICRAR, International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR)

Professor at the University of Western Australia since 2010, leading the Data Intensive Astronomy Program (DIA) of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) to research, design and implement Petabyte scale data flows and high performance scientific computing for the Square Kilometre Array, the Murchison Wide Field Array (MWA), the Australian SKA Pathfinder. During his graduate, post-graduate and post-doctoral appointments, he was involved in the software development and reduction of photometric and astrometric Tycho data from the ESA Hipparcos satellite. He joined the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in 1997 as an archive specialist and was involved in the final implementation of the archive for ESOs Very Large Telescope (VLT) and the ESO Imaging Survey. Between 2002 and 2010, he was employed as ESOs Archive Scientist and led the development group of the ALMA archive subsystem. Prof. Wicenec is also involved in the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA). His scientific interests and publications include high precision global astrometry, optical background radiation, stellar photometry, dynamics and evolution of planetary nebulae and observational survey astronomy and the related data management, scheduling and computational concepts.

Dr. Sean Buckley , Edith Cowan University

Sean is a conservation and ecological geneticist with a focus on understanding how evolutionary and genomic research can inform conservation management of biodiversity. His research spans population genetics, phylogeography, and adaptive genomics, with applications in conservation planning, conservation translocations (including genetic rescue), and threatened species recovery. He works across a range of Australian fauna - (currently) including freshwater fishes, marsupials, reptiles, and birds - using genomic tools to address real-world conservation challenges. As a science communicator, he is also passionate about making science accessible, inclusive, and engaging. He regularly communicates science through outreach talks, media contributions, and his long-running blog The G-CAT, which explores conservation, ecology, evolution and genetics. As the Edith Cowan University representative in the Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre Champions Program, he is also passionate about supporting research staff and students to use and engage with high-performance computing capabilities.

Liz Stokes Skills Development Lead (Trainer and Research Communities), Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC)

Liz advocates for trainers and connects global training communities to deliver a national skills advantage for Australian researchers. They lead the ARDC Carpentries Partnership, coordinate ResBaz digital skills festivals in Australia and contribute skills expertise to ARDC programs.

Rupali Bhagat , Edith Cowan Univiersty

Louise Renwich Program and Partnerships Coordinator, Forrest Research Foundation

Mary Filsell Data Consultant, Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC)

Backed by over 20 years supporting and promoting research across HASS and STEM, Mary is passionate about connecting researchers with competitive advantage through data and driving excellence in their creation, analysis and retention of high-quality data assets. She supports universities and partners in SA, WA and NT as well as the HASS and Indigenous Research Data Commons.

Scout Bell Manager, Digital and Research Services, Murdoch University

Dr. Sean Buckley , Edith Cowan University

Sean is a conservation and ecological geneticist with a focus on understanding how evolutionary and genomic research can inform conservation management of biodiversity. His research spans population genetics, phylogeography, and adaptive genomics, with applications in conservation planning, conservation translocations (including genetic rescue), and threatened species recovery. He works across a range of Australian fauna - (currently) including freshwater fishes, marsupials, reptiles, and birds - using genomic tools to address real-world conservation challenges. As a science communicator, he is also passionate about making science accessible, inclusive, and engaging. He regularly communicates science through outreach talks, media contributions, and his long-running blog The G-CAT, which explores conservation, ecology, evolution and genetics. As the Edith Cowan University representative in the Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre Champions Program, he is also passionate about supporting research staff and students to use and engage with high-performance computing capabilities.

Dr. Siobhon Egan Lecturer, Murdoch University

Siobhon Egan is an early career researcher and lecturer at Murdoch University working across human and animal health, with a focus on host-microbe interactions using multi-omic approaches. Her work spans tick-borne diseases, emerging zoonoses at the human-wildlife interface, and the gut-brain axis in healthy ageing. A certified Carpentries instructor, Siobhon is passionate about building data analytics skills in the research community. She was supported by the Australian Academy of Science to attend the 72nd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting and received the Sinnecker-Kunz Award for early career researchers.

Dr. Reika Masuda Bioinformatician, Murdoch University

Dr. Ludovic Capelli Training and Education Manager, Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre

Liz Stokes Skills Development Lead (Trainer and Research Communities), Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC)

Liz advocates for trainers and connects global training communities to deliver a national skills advantage for Australian researchers. They lead the ARDC Carpentries Partnership, coordinate ResBaz digital skills festivals in Australia and contribute skills expertise to ARDC programs.

Dr. Siobhon Egan Lecturer, Murdoch University

Siobhon Egan is an early career researcher and lecturer at Murdoch University working across human and animal health, with a focus on host-microbe interactions using multi-omic approaches. Her work spans tick-borne diseases, emerging zoonoses at the human-wildlife interface, and the gut-brain axis in healthy ageing. A certified Carpentries instructor, Siobhon is passionate about building data analytics skills in the research community. She was supported by the Australian Academy of Science to attend the 72nd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting and received the Sinnecker-Kunz Award for early career researchers.

Dr. Reika Masuda Bioinformatician, Murdoch University

Dr. Ludovic Capelli Training and Education Manager, Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre

Dr. Siobhon Egan Lecturer, Murdoch University

Siobhon Egan is an early career researcher and lecturer at Murdoch University working across human and animal health, with a focus on host-microbe interactions using multi-omic approaches. Her work spans tick-borne diseases, emerging zoonoses at the human-wildlife interface, and the gut-brain axis in healthy ageing. A certified Carpentries instructor, Siobhon is passionate about building data analytics skills in the research community. She was supported by the Australian Academy of Science to attend the 72nd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting and received the Sinnecker-Kunz Award for early career researchers.

Dr. Reika Masuda Bioinformatician, Murdoch University

Liz Stokes Skills Development Lead (Trainer and Research Communities), Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC)

Liz advocates for trainers and connects global training communities to deliver a national skills advantage for Australian researchers. They lead the ARDC Carpentries Partnership, coordinate ResBaz digital skills festivals in Australia and contribute skills expertise to ARDC programs.

Dr. Sunil Govinnage , Curtin University

Sunil Govinnage, PhD is a graduate of Curtin University Sustainability Policy (CUSP). Western Australia. Sunils current research focuses on mining regulations and sustainability. Further to his current research Sunil is interested in Public Policy, Good governance , & regulatory theory.Socio-Political issues of Sri Lanka, & Asia, Development and Environmental Economics. Sunil has an interdisciplinary background in a number of academic fields and over 20 years in Western AUstralian public service work experience. His work life includes primary health care, nutrition education, media relations, disaster management, IT system training, planning & development; contract and risk management and public policy analysis and implementation in Australia and overseas. Sunil is a published poet.

Jason Tadi Teaching assistant, The University of Western Australia