A trailblazing Indigenous genomics expert, a carbon emissions modeller, a naval defence engineer, a world farming authority, a shark tracker, a brain cancer therapist and a global artificial intelligence leader are among 32 innovators elected as Fellows of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE).

ATSE’s 2024 new Fellows showcase the breadth and depth of world-class Australian innovation with game-changing contributions spanning food sustainability, chronic diseases, water security, health technologies, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, clean energy technologies, sustainable infrastructure and more. 

ATSE President Dr Katherine Woodthorpe AO FTSE said the 2024 new Fellows are the thinkers and doers at the forefront of Australian discoveries, technological breakthroughs and future industries. 

“Australia faces a challenging constellation of threats. Extreme weather and climate change, the power and risk of AI and digital technologies, crafting sustainable food systems to nourish people and the planet, shocking disparities in Aboriginal and Torres-Strait Islander health outcomes. This diverse group of Australia’s brightest stars in technology and engineering embodies progress, hope and unparalleled innovation in the face of these challenges. 

“Our Fellows are bridging from discovery to shaping new industries in the ultimate service of better living for all Australians and the world,” said Dr Woodthorpe.  

A farmer from the Liverpool Plains of NSW, Fiona Simson FTSE has dedicated her career to supporting the sustainability and growth of rural and regional communities. The first woman president of the National Farmers’ Federation, now Vice-President of the World Farmers Organisation, Fiona is a pioneer at the nexus of climate change, biodiversity and the future of food. 

A pioneer in using acoustic tracking to study shark movement ecology, Dr Michelle Heupel FTSE has directly led to stronger protections for marine predators, informed fisheries sustainability, and guided decisions around establishing marine protected areas. 

Trailblazing medical doctor and Yuin man Professor Alex Brown FTSE FAHMS has helped tackle chronic disease in vulnerable communities. By identifying and overcoming health disparities, his work focuses on empowering and growing the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers. 

Mining leader Gabrielle Iwanow FTSE has fused technical excellence and strategic vision to champion the use of novel technologies to make mining safer, more sustainable and more efficient. She is an advocate for a more diverse mining sector in Australia and leads efforts to support and promote underrepresented groups including women and Indigenous people. 

Artificial intelligence is one of the megatrends of this moment. It is disrupting how we work, live and play at a fundamental level. Author, renowned commentator and globally recognised AI developer Professor Toby Walsh FTSE FAA has been elected for his contributions to computer science and advocacy for guardrails to ensure AI is used to improve our lives. 

Elected by their peers, the cohort joins over 900 of Australia’s leading engineers and applied scientists who have been elected to the Academy for their outstanding contributions across Australia’s innovation ecosystem.  

Full list of new ATSE Fellows for 2024

Australian Capital Territory 

• Dr Josep (Pep) Canadell FTSE | World-leading climate scientist | Chief Research Scientist, CSIRO 

• Rear Admiral Rachel Durbin CSC RAN FTSE | Maritime engineering leader | Head Navy Engineering and Defence Seaworthiness Regulator, Australian Defence Force 

New South Wales 

• Scientia Professor Liming Dai FTSE FAA | Materials science maestro | Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Carbon Science and Innovation, and Scientia Professor, The University of New South Wales 

• Distinguished Professor Michelle Leishman FTSE | Preeminent plant ecologist | Director, Smart Green Cities Research Centre, Macquarie University 

• Anne O’Neill FTSE | Health innovation changemaker | Director, Enterprise, International Partnerships and Clinical Trials, NSW Health 

• Guy Templeton FTSE | Impactful infrastructure engineer | Chair of Infrastructure, Transport, Construction and Planning, Business Council of Australia 

• Scientia Professor Toby Walsh FTSE FAA | Artificial intelligence pioneer | Chief Scientist, AI Institute, University of New South Wales 

• Professor Yixia (Sarah) Zhang FTSE | Advanced materials creator | Co-Director of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Western Sydney University 

• Professor Chuan Zhao FTSE | Hydrogen paradigm shifter | Professor of Chemistry, University of New South Wales 

• Honorary Fellow Fiona Simson FTSE | Global agriculture advocate | Chair, Commission for International Agricultural Research and Future Food Systems CRC 

Queensland 

• Anne-Marie Birkill FTSE | Technology and healthcare investor | Co-Founder, Venture Partner and Director, OneVentures 

• Dr Iris Depaz FTSE (dec) | Life sciences champion | Managing Director of Translational Science Hub, Sanofi-Aventis Australia 

• Professor Clinton Fookes FTSE | Artificial intelligence innovator | Associate Dean, Research, Queensland University of Technology 

• Professor Paul Simshauser AM FTSE | Exceptional energy economist | Chief Executive Officer, Powerlink Queensland 

• Professor Lianzhou Wang FTSE FAA | Semiconductor materials innovator | ARC Australian Laureate Fellow, The University of Queensland 

• Professor Xiwang Zhang FTSE | Sustainable technology innovator | Chair Professor and Centre Director, ARC COE for Electrochemical Transformation of CO₂, University of Queensland 

South Australia 

• Professor Alex Brown FTSE FAHMS | Acclaimed medical expert | Professor of Indigenous Genomics, The Australian National University and The Kids Research Institute Australia 

• Dr Fiona Kerr FTSE | Pathbreaking human-centred technologist | Founder and Director, The NeuroTech Institute 

• Dr James Tickner FTSE | Scientist, innovator and entrepreneur | Chief Technology Officer, Chrysos Corporation 

• Professor Yan Zhuge FTSE | Waste conversion trailblazer | Professor in Structural Engineering, University of South Australia 

Tasmania 

• Dr Michelle Heupel FTSE | Pioneering ocean ecologist | Executive Director, Integrated Marine Observing System, University of Tasmania 

Victoria 

• Dr Angeline Achariya FTSE | Food innovation leader | Chief Executive Officer, Innovation GameChangers 

• Professor Frank Caruso FRS FTSE FAA | Pioneering particle engineer | Professor, The University of Melbourne 

• Karen Dobson FTSE | Change management leader | President and Managing Director, Dow Australia and New Zealand 

• Professor Misty Jenkins AO FTSE | Outstanding cancer immunologist | Laboratory Head and Co-Chair, MRFF Indigenous Health Research Fund, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) 

• Distinguished Professor David Moss FTSE | World-leading photonics researcher | Founding Director, Optical Sciences Centre, Swinburne University of Technology 

• Adjunct Research Professor Craig Rayner FTSE | Pharmaceutical development expert | Director, Translational Medicine, Infectious Diseases Development, Moderna, and Distinguished Alumnus, Monash University 

• Professor Karin Verspoor FTSE | AI in Healthcare leader | Executive Dean, School of Computing Technologies, RMIT University 

• Dr Zongli Xie FTSE | Membrane and catalysis groundbreaker | Principal Research Scientist, Group Leader of Materials for Energy, Environment and Health, CSIRO 

Western Australia 

• Rachelle Doyle FTSE | Energy transition advocate | Manager Strategic Programs, Rio Tinto 

• Gabrielle Iwanow FTSE | Mineral resources changemaker | President, Contract Mining, Perenti 

USA 

• International Fellow Professor Sally Benson FTSE | Climate policy powerhouse | Professor of Energy Science and Engineering, Stanford University