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Board Members

  • Patricia Kelly PSM GAICD

    Patricia Kelly PSM GAICD

    Chair

    Patricia is Deputy Chancellor at the University of Canberra and a Council Member at the Australian Institute of Marine Science. She chairs the Australian Square Kilometre Array Regional Centre and Co-operative Research Australia (formerly the CRC Association). She is a Director of DMTC Ltd. Prior to her current roles, Patricia had a public sector career spanning over thirty years. Between 2013 and 2018 Patricia was Director-General of IP Australia (the Australian patent and trade mark office). Before joining IP Australia, Patricia was a Deputy Secretary in Commonwealth departments responsible for industry, science and innovation from 2004 -2013.
    Patricia has a Bachelor of Arts degree, with a major in communication and is a graduate (and current member) of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

  • The Hon Kate Lundy

    The Hon Kate Lundy

    Deputy Chair

    Kate Lundy served as Senator in the Australian Federal Parliament for nearly 20 years; she resigned in 2015. She continues to focus her energy on technology and innovation. In 2017, the Australian National University awarded her a Doctor of Letters (honorary doctorate) for her “exceptional contributions to advocacy and policy for information communications and technology, for the ACT and nationally.”
    During her time in Parliament in both Government and Opposition, Kate held several front bench portfolios, including IT, Innovation, Digital Economy, Manufacturing, Sport and Multicultural Affairs.
    Kate now holds a number of company directorships including the Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre, the Canberra Institute of Technology, Electro Optic Systems, the National Roads and Motoring Association, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, the ACT Defence Industry Advisory Board and has been appointed to the Space Industry Leaders Forum of the Australian Space Agency. Kate also has her own consulting company, Technology Innovation Partners Pty Ltd.

  • Loren Atkins

    Loren Atkins

    Ordinary Director

    Loren Atkins is an Alumna of the NYSF program, attending in 2005. She returned to the program through the Student Staff Leadership Program (SSLP) to work as student staff and then as the Chief of Staff. Loren completed a double degree at the University of Tasmania where she earned a Bachelor of Law (Hons) and a Bachelor of Science in Geography and Environmental Science. Loren started out working as a lawyer in Melbourne, and then moved on to work as an Environmental Lawyer for the Yap State Environmental Protection Agency in Micronesia. Loren currently works as a Legal Counsel for the World Bank, working remotely from Tasmania. She joined the NYSF Board in July 2016 as an ordinary director.

  • Professor Bradley Moggridge

    Professor Bradley Moggridge

    Ordinary Director

    Professor Bradley Moggridge is a proud Kamilaroi man living on Ngunnawal Country in Canberra. He is a Professor of Science and A/Associate Dean (Indigenous) at UTS. Previously an Associate Professor Indigenous water science at the UC. He has qualifications in Science PhD. (UC), hydrogeology MSc. (UTS) and environmental science BSc. (ACU). While undertaking the PhD he was the Indigenous Liaison Officer for the Threatened Species Recovery Hub. He is on several Boards (NSW EPA, NYSF and Biodiversity Council) and member of considerable committees, societies and groups. He is current President of the Australian Freshwater Science Society, a member of the Wentworth Group, a Fellow of the Peter Cullen Trust and Alumni of the International Water Centre. Professor Moggridge has won several awards, has presented widely and published in his area of expertise. He has 25years experience in water and environmental science, climate, cultural science, regulation, water planning and biodiversity. He hopes to encourage future Indigenous generations to pursue STEM and promote his ancestors' knowledge of water.

  • Dr Subho Banerjee

    Dr Subho Banerjee

    NYSF Alumni Director

    Dr Subho Banerjee is the Deputy Commissioner, Head of APS Academy and Capability at the Australian Public Service Commission. He has previously held Deputy Secretary roles in the Education, Industry and Climate Change portfolios, focusing on vocational education and skills, science and climate change adaptation and negotiations. He has also been responsible for finance, human resources and governance functions in a number of departments, as well as contributing to whole-of-APS efforts on public service reform and Indigenous employment.
    Subho has also worked in the private and not-for-profit sectors. Prior to his current role, he worked at the Australia and New Zealand School of Government on public sector reform issues at the intersection of practice and academia. He has also worked for a private sector management consultancy and an Indigenous policy think tank.
    Subho’s initial disciplinary background was in physics, which he studied as an undergraduate and postgraduate at the ANU. He also holds qualifications in economic and social history, and environmental change and management, from the University of Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.

  • Sally Vardy GAICD

    Sally Vardy GAICD

    Finance Director

    Sally Vardy has been the Principal of Beyond Your Numbers Pty Limited for over 23 years. The organisation provides governance and financial consultancy services to a range of organisations. Sally has a range of current and former appointments as Company Secretary/Public Officer and/or CFO with Cooperative Research Centres, membership organisation and many private sector businesses. Sally’s background in accounting services was established in an international accounting firm, and then a Canberra-based boutique business services firm, where she spent over three years as a partner, and ten years in the practice.

  • Dr Melanie Bagg GAICD

    Dr Melanie Bagg GAICD

    Chief Executive Officer

    Dr Melanie Bagg GAICD, is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF). The NYSF is a not-for-profit charity that has been
    connecting young people across Australia with their science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) futures for over 39 years. Melanie has an extensive background in scientific research, with a BSc, a BHSc (Hons) and a PhD in Medicine from the University of Adelaide. A graduate of the
    Australian Institute of Company Directors Course, Melanie also has more than 15 years of experience in STEM management, business development and fundraising, communication, outreach, international relations, publishing and media across not-for-profit, higher education, mainstream media, government, and industry sectors.

    In 2016 while working at the Australian Science Media Centre, Melanie was awarded the Unsung Hero of SA Science Communication for her voluntary contributions to translating complex science into something we can all understand as ABC Adelaide’s regular Medical Science Myth Buster. As Director of Communications at the Australian Academy of Science, Melanie established a STEM video production unit, led her team to unprecedented publishing success globally and was awarded two Public Relations Institute of Australia’s (PRIA) Golden Target Awards for Not-for-Profit In-House Team of the Year in 2018. Melanie is passionate about helping young people understand what sorts of STEM jobs they can pursue and loves to connect the wider community with the
    latest research stories on social media and as a regular STEM commentator on
    ABC Radio National.

  • Tonia Barnes

    Tonia Barnes

    Rotary Liaison Officer

    Tonia is the Rotary Liaison Officer for NYSF and was the Rotary Governor of District 9675 from 2023-2024.

Patrons

  • Professor Tanya Monro AC FAA FTSE FOSA FAIP GAICD

    Professor Tanya Monro AC FAA FTSE FOSA FAIP GAICD

    Science Patron

    Professor Tanya Monro attended the NYSF in 1990 (then known as the National Science Summer School (NSSS)). Tanya is now an award-winning Australian Physicist, known internationally for her work in photonics. In March 2019, Tanya was appointed to the role of Chief Defence Scientist of Australia. Prior to this, she was Vice President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovation at the University of South Australia. Tanya is an Emeritus Professor at the University of South Australia and Adjunct Professor at the University of Adelaide. She is also an Australian Research Council (ARC) Georgina Sweet Laureate Fellow. Professor Monro is a Fellow of a number of professional associations including the Australian Academy of Science (AAS), the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) and the Australian Institute of Physics. She is a member of the Board of the South Australian Economic Advisory Council, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the AAS National Committee for Physics. Before becoming the Science Patron to the NYSF, Tanya was Chair of the Board from 2014 to 2016.

Council Members

  • Professor Joseph Hope - Australian National University

  • Professor Jenny Graves, AO FAA - Australian Academy of Science

  • Vacant - Rotary

  • Ruth Carr - CSIRO

  • A/Professor Alison Shield - University of Canberra (NYSF Alumna)

  • Emeritus Professor Robin Stanton - Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering

  • Issac Kozlovskis- Student Chief of Staff – 2023 NYSF (NYSF Alum)

  • Elizabeth (Libby) Kells - Student Chief of Staff – 2023 NYSF (NYSF Alum)

  • Aadya Mishra - Student Chief of Staff – 2023 NYSF (NYSF Alumn)