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Australia's Chief Scientist, Office of the Chief Scientist

Dr Cathy Foley AO PSM

Dr Foley commenced as Australia’s ninth Chief Scientist in January 2021.

Dr Foley was appointed to the role after a lengthy career at Australia’s national science agency, the CSIRO; she was appointed as the agency’s Chief Scientist in August 2018, the second woman to hold that role.

Dr Foley’s career in physics began with her PhD at Macquarie University on the semiconductor indium nitride. She and her colleagues were one of the first groups to carry out pioneering research that examined the properties of indium nitride in light-sensitive devices, the best-known application being white light emitting diodes used for household low energy lighting.

Experience

  • 2021–present
    Australia's Chief Scientist, Office of the Chief Scientist
  • 1984–2020
    Chief Scientist, CSIRO

Education

  • 1985 
    Macquarie University, PhD in Physics

Honours

PSM