ASTRO 3D has structures and processes in place to allow great science collaboration, financial accountability, and an inclusive and welcoming Centre of Excellence to function.

OUR FOCUS

  • Transforming our understanding of the Universe and how we got here

  • Building and maintaining the skills and expertise needed to maximise Australia’s investment in the new era of mega-scale optical and radio telescopes

  • Inspire, train and mentor the next generation of diverse Australian scientific leaders

  • Provide young Australian scientists with transferrable skills for the modern workforce

  • Create an innovation culture to facilitate the transfer and commercialisation of astronomical technology to other disciplines

COMMITTEES AND BOARDS

The Executive Management Committee works collaboratively to oversee day-to-day operations, including financial and risk management, the development of the strategic plan and monitoring performance against agreed outcomes.

The role of the Committee is to:

  • approve policies;
  • approve Terms of Reference and receive recommendations from the Science Management, Gender Action, Education Outreach, Intellectual Property, Postdoctoral and Student Committees;
  • develop the Strategic Plan;
  • ensure effective governance;
  • ensure efficient financial management;
  • monitor performance against agreed KPIs;
  • assess external funding opportunities;
  • ensure compliance with the ARC Funding Agreement and Funding Rules;
  • approve the Annual Report; and
  • report to the Advisory Boards.

All collaborating universities are represented on the Committee, which is comprised of:

Chair/Centre Director:

CI Emma Ryan-Weber – Swinburne University of Technology

Deputy Chair/Deputy Centre Director:

CI Cath Trott –  Curtin University

Members:

  • CI Emily Wisnioski (ANU Node Leader)
  • CI Scott Croom (University of Sydney Node Leader)
  • CI Deanne Fisher (Swinburne Node Leader)
  • CI Chris Power (UWA Node Leader)
  • CI Sarah Martell (UNSW Node Leader)
  • CI Michele Trenti (UniMelb Node Leader)
  • CI Amanda Karakas (Monash Node Leader)
  • CI Richard McDermid (Macquarie Node Leader)
  • Delese Brewster and Kim Dorrell (Chief Operating Officers, ANU and UniMelb)
  • Collaboration Leader – CI Joss Bland-Hawthorn (Sydney)
  • Representatives from:
    • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee
    • ECR Committee
    • MCR Committee
    • Student Committee
  • Marie Partridge (USyd) – Secretariat

The Advisory Board focuses on the effectiveness of the Centre’s science and outreach. Its role is to provide advice on the Centre’s progress towards its Science Goals and its operational processes.

Advisory Board Members

Chair – Anne Green – Emeritus Professor of Astrophysics, Sydney Institute for Astronomy, The University of Sydney

Dr Linda Tacconi – Scientist, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics

Professor Lars Hernquist – Mallinckrodt Professor of Astrophysics, Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics.

Sue Weston – previously deputy secretary of the federal Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. Sue is also a Chartered Accountant and a Fellow of CPA Australia.

Dr Bobby Cerini – Deputy Director, Director of Science and Learning at Questacon – the National Science and Technology Centre

Professor Mary Putman – Columbia University

The role of the Committee is to assess the scientific progress against the Centre goals, assess the cross-node and cross-project collaborations, and set key performance indicators and milestones for the following semester.

Specific responsibilities include:

  • The approval of science and annual work plans for each project and review of progress against the plans;
  • The approval of science and annual work plans for each ASTRO 3D funded researcher and review of progress against the plans;
  • The review of projects and progress of PhD students supported by ASTRO 3D.

Chair:

CI Cath Trott (Curtin University)

Members:

George Heald

Lister Staveley-Smith

Elaine Sadler

Chris Power

Richard McDermid

Julia Bryant

Deanne Fisher

ASTRO 3D is committed to equality of opportunity and inclusive approach to equality, which supports and encourages all under-represented groups, promotes inclusive culture and values diversity. In 2023 the Black Lives Matter committee merged with the EDI committee.

The Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee assists the Director and Executive with the development of strategies and activities that promote gender balance and diversity within the centre.

The role of the Committee is to establish goals, provide advice, make recommendations on, and take action to:

  • improve the representation of women in ASTRO 3D to achieve the goal of 50% women at all levels in the Centre;
  • ensure that there are no barriers to participation in the Centre of any under-represented group;
  • achieve equal access, retention, participation and success for female staff and students, including attendance and invited talks ASTRO 3D sponsored conferences, workshops, and meetings, nominations for awards and opportunities within the Centre; and
  • improve support, particularly in regard to communication, cultural awareness and social issues, for female and minority members.

The Committee has drafted an active Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan and we are now implementing the plan with evidence-based, best-practice strategies and actions.

Chair:

Tayyaba Zafar (Macquarie)

Deputy Chair:

Marie Partridge (Sydney)

Members:

  • Taissa Danilovich (Monash)
  • Sven Buder (ANU)
  • Boquan Chen (ANU)
  • Krystal De Napoli (Swinburne)
  • Duane Hamacher (Melbourne)
  • Tanner Wilson (Monash)
  • Katie Auchettl (Melbourne)
  • Tamal Mukherjee (Macquarie)
  • Sadaf Aliakbarzadeh (UNSW)
  • Rebecca Davies (Swinburne)
Download the BLM Action Plan

The Indigenous Advisory Board’s role is to provide advice on the Centre’s progress towards equity and consideration of Indigenous astronomers and astronomy.

Academics

Dr Stacy Mader (CSIRO) – Radio Astronomer 

Prof Bronwyn Carlson (Macquarie University) – Sociologist & Head of Indigenous Studies

A/Prof Rowena Ball (ANU) – Mathematician & Chemist

Postgraduates/Students

Kirsten Banks (UNSW) – PhD candidate, galaxy evolution, science communicator

Krystal De Napoli (Swinburne/Monash) – Outreach Coordinator and Honours Student

Peter Swanton (ANU) – MPhil candidate

The Mid-Career Researchers Committee assists the Director and Executive with the development of strategies and activities that promote skills and experience of ASTRO 3D Post-Doctoral Researchers post-3 years of PhD completion.

ASTRO 3D is committed, in the pursuit of its objectives, to training young Australian scientists to drive the future world-leading programs on the next generation of telescopes and to develop transferrable skills, providing a broad range of career options outside astrophysics.
The role of the Committee is to represent the broader ASTRO 3D MCR cohort of Post-Doctoral Researchers post-3 years of PhD completion and to establish goals, provide advice, make recommendations on and take action to:
• obtaining a permanent faculty job or transferrable skills to industry
• learning how to mentor and supervise students,
• maintaining work-life balance as well as visibility,
• influencing culture,
• goal setting and strategic planning for research.

MCR Committee:

Chair: 

Kathryn Grasha (ANU)

Sven Buder (ANU)

Members:

  • Andrew Battisti (ANU)
  • Kate Harborne (UWA)

The ECR Committee assists the Director and Executive with the development of strategies and activities that promote skills and experience of ASTRO 3D Post-Doctoral Researchers within 3 years of PhD completion.

ASTRO 3D is committed, in the pursuit of its objectives, to training young Australian scientists to drive the future world-leading programs on the next generation of telescopes and to develop transferrable skills, providing a broad range of career options outside astrophysics.

The role of the Committee is to represent the broader ASTRO 3D ECR cohort of Post-Doctoral Researchers within-3 years of PhD completion and to establish goals, provide advice, make recommendations on and take action to:

  • building careers (both within and outside astronomy);
  • increasing visibility in astronomy and developing an area of expertise;
  • getting research completed and publishing papers;
  • prioritising own research versus team research;
  • developing leadership and time management skills;
  • building collaborations.

ECR Committee:

  • Aditi Vijayan (Chair) – ANU
  • Alex Wallace – Monash
  • Nandini Sahu – UNSW

The Student Committee assists the Director and Executive with the development of strategies and activities that promote skills and experience of ASTRO 3D PhD and undergraduate students.

ASTRO 3D is committed, in the pursuit of its objectives, to training young Australian scientists to drive the future world-leading programs on the next generation of telescopes and to develop transferrable skills, providing a broad range of career options outside astrophysics.

The role of the Committee is to represent the broader ASTRO 3D PhD and undergraduate students and to establish goals, provide advice, make recommendations on and take action to:

  • developing academic writing and research skills in astronomy,
  • learning how to work within the academic environment,
  • maintaining work-life balance as well as visibility,
  • influencing culture,
  • goal setting and strategic planning for research.

Student Committee:

Chair:

Ryan Bagge (UNSW,Chair)

Members:

  • Zara Osborn (Monash, Secretary)
  • Aishwarya Selvaraj (Curtin)
  • Antonia Fernandez Figueroa (Swinburne)
  • Giovanni Ferrami (Uni Melb)
  • Meghan Mukesh Menon (Macquarie)
  • Jordan D’Silva (UWA)

Download the ASTRO 3D Student Committee Charter:

Student Committee Charter