Governance

RN-UDS Network Agent and Advisory Board

Curtin University is the appointed initial Network Agent, establishing and operating the Network on behalf of the Sponsor (DSTG), and its 18 Network Members. The Network is structured as a collaborative venture, governed by a Head Agreement between the Network Agent and DSTG, and a Network Agreement between the member universities.

An Advisory Board is responsible for the overall governance of the Network on behalf of the Agent, DSTG and Network Members, and has oversight of strategy, governance and compliance.

The Board’s role is to help the Network fulfil its mission to build capability and capacity in Australian universities to conduct research in support of decision-making on future Australian submarines. Guided by the Network’s Strategic Investment Plan and based on a model of mutual cooperation with Network Members, the Board provides advice to DSTG on investment decisions around projects, scholarships and other activities undertaken by the Network.

Current Advisory Board members

Independent Chair

CDRE (Ret) Steve Davies

Independent members

Mr Pat Hall, Dichotomy Group (Deputy Chair)

Dr Margaret Law, Chief Technology Officer, Naval Group Pacific

Member University representatives 

Professor Siobhan Banks, Research Professor & Co-Director of the Behaviour-Brain-Body Research Centre, University of South Australia

Professor Paul Salmon, ARC Future Fellow, Director, Centre for Human Factors and Sociotechnical Systems, Professor of Human Factors, University of the Sunshine Coast

Mr Tim Walton, Director, New Research Initiatives, Curtin University

DSTG representative

Mr Warren Smith, Research Lead, Undersea Command and Control

Ex officio

Sharon Humphris, Director, RN-UDS

Research Advisory Committee (RAC)

The Network’s Research Advisory Committee (RAC) is responsible for providing advice to the Advisory Board on the technical and strategic merit of initiatives. The RAC provides an assessment of proposals against the Network’s selection criteria and provides technical advice to the RN-UDS Advisory Board on the merit of the proposed research and proposed funding recommendations.

Current RAC members

Chair

Dr Sam Huf, Group Lead, Human Systems and Information Integration, DSTG

DST and Industry Members

Dr David Crone, Group Leader Cognition and Behaviour STC, Land Division, DSTG

Dr Mark Patterson, Group Leader Physical Ergonomics, Land Division, DSTG

Dr John Towers, Human Factors Engineering and Research & Development Lead, Lockheed Martin

Mr David Nery, Human Factors Engineer, Future Submarine Program

Academic Members

Professor Ina Bornkessel-Schlesewsky, Professor: Cognitive Neuroscience / ARC Future Fellow /Director: Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Research Hub, University of South Australia

Professor Brad Aisbett, Head of School, School of Exercise and Nutrition Science, Deakin University (independent academic)

Previous Members

Dr Bob Bolia, Group Lead Human Factors, Aerospace Division, DSTG

Dr Chris Greenbank, Human Systems Integration Assurance Manager, Future Submarine Program