Dr Sarah Cannard

CHAIR

Dr Sarah Cannard is an experienced Senior Engineer and Project Manager with over a decade of demonstrated history working for Nova Systems in the defence and space industry. Dr Cannard has a degree in Mechanical Engineering, a Bachelor of Science (Physics) and holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the University of Adelaide. She is also a Fellow with Engineers Australia, an Amelia Earhart Fellow (Zonta International), a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and is currently completing her Master’s in Business Administration (MBA). Dr Cannard is also the Program Director and Project Manager for Australian Remote Operations for Space and Earth (AROSE.org.au). She has been involved with many complex defence, space and civil programs including the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Hayabusa I Spacecraft re-entry, hypersonic rocket launches, Woomera Test Range trials and activities, the Joint Navy/Defence Science and Technology Autonomous Warrior 18 activity, and the Hunter Class Frigate Program.

Dr Cannard has a deep passion for space and growing a sovereign Australian industry through cross-sector collaboration. She is also passionate about STEM and creating opportunities for future generations.

Dr Tim Parsons

BOARD MEMBER

Dr Tim Parsons is a deep tech-focused angel investor, facilitator, and mentor who consults widely for clients in space, digital transformation, and start-up entrepreneurship. As well as his roles with SmartSat, he chairs the board of the Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA), is entrepreneur-in-residence at the National Space Start-ups Hub, is an advisor to the Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research (ACSER) at the University of New South Wales and is the Australian representative director of global space intelligence group, Euroconsult. Dr Parsons was the inaugural and founding Chair of the Aurora Space Cluster and now acts as a general board member. Dr Parsons holds a Bachelor of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics from the University of Sydney, and a Bachelor of Engineering and PhD in Aerospace Engineering from Imperial College, London. He is married with two children to Art Director Karen Lee.

Professor Andy Koronios

BOARD MEMBER

Professor Andy Koronios’ most recent position was Dean: Industry & Enterprise at the University of South Australia. Previously he spent 15 years as the Head of the School of Information Technology & Mathematical Sciences, at the University of South Australia. Professor Koronios holds academic qualifications in Electrical Engineering, Computing and Education and a PhD from the University of Queensland. Professor Koronios has extensive experience in both commercial and academic environments and his research interests include information quality, management & governance, analytics and the strategic exploitation of information. He has established two University Research Labs and a funded Research Centre and was the Research Program Leader for System Integration & Interoperability in the Cooperative Research Cente for Integrated Engineering Asset Management (CIEAM). He has worked both as a consultant as well as a professional speaker on Information Technology issues in Australia and Southeast Asia and has over 25 years’ experience in the academic environment. He is a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society, and a Founding Fellow of the International Institute of Engineering Asset Management, Editor-In-Chief of the International Journal of Information Quality. In September 2021, Professor Koronios was conferred as an Emeritus Professor of the University of South Australia and was recently honoured as a Distinguished Speaker of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM.

Conrad Pires

BOARD MEMBER

Conrad Pires is a specialist in space as well as emerging and cross-sector technologies, and has delivered complex solutions across a diverse range of roles, industries and countries. He is currently focused on developing satellite and other space-related solutions in the growing space start-up ecosystem in Australia. Besides serving on the board of Aurora, is also serves on the Advisory Council of the Space Industry Association of Australia. He is an International Space University, MBA and Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) graduate and has served on multiple boards. He is also a university academic teacher of entrepreneurship, innovation, design and futures thinking and he is a public speaker promoting space, innovation and future careers.