Dr Katerina Agostino
Dr. Katerina Agostino currently serves as Chief Human and Decision Sciences within the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG).
The Division undertakes scientifically-based analysis to enable robust evidence-based decision making by Defence and elements of National Security. The Division also conducts rigorous research into human cognition and behaviour, human performance and social science to enhance ADF capability.
In her previous role as Chief Aerospace Division, Katerina was responsible for delivering innovative and effective science and technology in the Australian military aerospace domain.
Katerina's external roles include membership of the University of New South Wales Defence Research Institute Advisory Council; the Monash University Aerospace Engineering Academic-Industry Advisory Board; the Jericho Smart Sensing Laboratory Senior Leadership Committee; and the DSTG-Boeing Defence Alliance Management Committee. She also continues to work as an Australian Research Council Assessor.
With over 20 years of post-doctoral experience as an academic and as a DSTG scientist Katerina leads the growth of transdisciplinary research programs to address Defence and national security problems through the integration of social science, mathematics, computer science, engineering and linguistics. Some notable research highlights include the development of conceptual frameworks and software tools that better enable social network analysis; target audience analysis; understanding of social influence, and multi-modal discourse analysis.
Her previous roles within DSTG include Program Leader National Security, where she coordinated the national security Science and Technology program for whole of government. Here she worked with senior stakeholders to identify common science, technology and research investment opportunities and built strong engagement with the national and international innovation sectors. In this role Katerina established the Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Research and Development International Partnership to coordinate CVE research across the international five eyes community. This five nation partnership saw the reduction of duplication in efforts in research and development; greater efficiencies across current research activities; as well as the emergence of new strategic collaborative programs. Whilst in this role, Katerina established the National Security Publically Funded Research Agency Round Table - a government research collective that worked towards meeting the national security science and technology needs; and developed the National Security Science and Technology Regional Engagement Strategy to help shape aspects of Australia's National Security research collaborations with regional neighbours.
Katerina also served as the Scientific Advisor Intelligence where she represented DSTG to Defence stakeholders to identify the science technology and research requirements for the Intelligence Domain. While undertaking this role, Katerina led the development of the inaugural Science & Technology Strategy in the Intelligence Domain 2016-2026. This strategy has been used to guide science and technology activities across the intelligence domain to help drive investment.
Previously Katerina has been a member of the Social Sciences Partnerships Advisory Board (2018-2019), and has served as an Adjunct Professor in the Centre for Muslim and Non-Muslim Understanding University of South Australia (2012-2015).
Katerina holds a PhD (Sociology) James Cook University (1997); an MA (Sociology) University of Wollongong (1992); and a BA University of Canberra (1988).
