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Defence & Security Applications (DSARC) Research Centre Seminar Series - 2007

If you are interested in attending a seminar or you are interested in giving a seminar please contact DSARC(dsa@adfa.edu.au) for details.

Forthcoming Seminars

 

Past Seminars

Command, Control and Communications: Systems and Structures Towards an ADF capability in 2016

Presenter:Dr Scott Wheeler, Science Advisor, CDG, DSTO and Visiting Fellow, DSARC, UNSW@ADFA
Time:  1400-1500
Date: Friday November 23, 2007
Location: LT 6, North lecture theatres, Bldg 32
Map of ADFA: http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/images/adfamap.pdf

Abstract:

Command, Control and Communications (C3) are essential to the conduct of military actions: embodying the legal authority to direct forces; facilitating the administration and management of resources; and enabling the coordination of efforts towards achieving purposeful effects. This talk investigates past, present and proposed C3 systems and structures enabling the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to develop, operate and evolve a C3 capability for service in the 2016 timeframe. Results of this study will inform the development of a future integrated C3 capability for the ADF.

Bio:

Scott Wheeler joined the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) as a Research Scientist after completing a PhD in mathematics at the University of Adelaide. After joining DSTO, he worked for a number of years in Land Operations Division at DSTO Edinburgh before moving to Defence Systems Analysis at Canberra's Russell Offices. Scott is currently employed by the Capability Development Group as the Science Advisor to the Missile Defence Coordination Office.

Human Interoperability Enterprise

Presenter: Prof. Randall Murch, Department of Homeland Security, USA
Time:  1100-12.30pm
Date: Thursday November 15, 2007
Location: LT 3, South lecture theatres
Map of ADFA: http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/images/adfamap.pdf

This talk focuses on understanding complex human networks within and across organizational lines while the enterprise seeks to address complex and dynamic problem sets. Randall will also cover opportunities for collaborative research with DHS.

Bio: Randall S. Murch, Ph.D. is the Associate Director, Research Program Development, Research Division, National Capital Region, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). Dr. Murch also holds Adjunct Professorships in the School of Public and International Affairs, College of Architecture and Urban Studies and the Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He is also a Visiting Professor, King’s College London, UK.

From February 2007 – February 2009, he is serving as an IPA (detailee) from Virginia Tech to the Department of Homeland Security, Directorate of Science and Technology, Office of Research, as Senior Principal Counsellor for Science and Technology. In this capacity, he has wide ranging duties in domestic and international liaison, interagency advisory board membership, directorate strategic program planning, coordination, development, review and advancement, and providing advice, counsel and support to the leadership of the Directorate.

Will Security through Partnerships and "Coalitions of the Willing" Succeed?

Presenter:Prof. Richard Love, National Defence University, Washington, D.C., USA
Time: 1330-1430
Date: Monday 5th of November, 2007
Location: LT3,Lecture Theatre South
Map of ADFA: http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/images/adfamap.pdf

Abstract:

In 2003, U.S. President George Bush unveiled the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) designed to combat the spread of nuclear components and technology.  Members of PSI pledge to adhere to a statement of interdiction principles and to act proactively and in concert to stop the flow of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) proliferation.  PSI is a much heralded success and since the successful interdiction of the German freighter BBC China (which ultimately to the dismantling and rolling-back Libya's WMD programs), PSI now claims over 80 states as members.  Following the PSI model, Russia and the U.S. jointly announced the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism in July 2006.  This initiative is designed to keep WMD technology out of the hands of terrorists by strengthening border controls and internal controls on WMD technologies.  Like PSI, member states agree to adhere to a statement of principles.  Both PSI and the Global Initiative were designed as activities and have no formal organizational foundation and are only loosely tied to traditional treaty based security regimes, such as the UN, IAEA and the Conference on Disarmament.  While flexible tools, there are costs and limitations of these activities.  This seminar will investigate the incentives that led to the creation of PSI and the Global Initiative, discuss the benefits and limitations of this type of tool, and explore other issue areas where similar PSI-like models could be used.

Bio:
Richard A. Love is a professor and senior research fellow and at National Defense University (NDU) in Washington, D.C. where he focuses on international security issues including regional stability, weapons of mass destruction (WMD) proliferation, foreign consequence management, anticipatory self-defense and interdiction, and national security policy.  Richard is the course director and supervisory professor for three NDU courses and among his non-teaching duties, he currently acts as the multinational policy lead for the 33-nation Pacific Multinational Planning Augmentation Team, serves on the U.S. – Japan and the U.S. - Singapore CDWG bilateral plenary and supports the G-8 Global Peacekeeping Initiative.  At the request of the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM), he recently oversaw the development and execution of USEUCOM’s two-week national strategy training and education program.  He lectures on global threats, terrorism, and WMD proliferation in many venues and for several institutions including the NATO, the Reserve Components National Security Course, the Army Command and General Staff College, the U.S. Naval Academy and at the Joint Forces Staff College.  Previously, he served as an advisor to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Staff for the Proliferation Security Initiative, served as counsel for the Financial Crimes and Security Project at the Brookings Institution and as an advisor on homeland security for the Council on Foreign Relations.  He holds a Juris Doctor and LL.M. in international law.

Application of CW Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy to Forensic Trace Gas Detection

Presenter: Dr Thomas Spence
Time: 12pm – 1pm
Date: Friday October 26, 2007
Location: Lecture Theatre LT6, Bldg 32
Map of ADFA: http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/images/adfamap.pdf

Cavity Ring-down Spectroscopy, an ultra-sensitive direct absorption spectroscopy commonly employed to detect trace gasses, has potential as a high-throughput screening tool for trace explosive detection. To this end, this technique must be implemented in the mid-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, between 4 and 12 micrometers, where we can take advantage of chemically specific molecular vibrations to unambiguously identify explosives and explosive-related compounds in terms of each compound's molecular fingerprint.  This talk will discuss the history of the technique and progress which has been made toward developing a broadly applicable, highly sensitive, real-time chemical detection system for post-blast forensic analysis.

Dr. Thomas Spence is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Loyola University New Orleans and is currently a Rector’s Visiting Fellow at ADFA.  His research focuses on the application of ring-down spectroscopy to a variety of problems including the detection of explosives, determination of isotopic ratios, and detection of trace gasses in hostile environments.

Time: 12 noon for 12.15pm start
Date: Friday October 5, 2007
Location: Lecture Theatre LT6
Map of ADFA: http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/images/adfamap.pdf

1st Speaker

Collaborative Approaches for Assurance and Resilience

Presenter: Sal Sidoti

The ever increasing complexity of our operating environments and the increasingly networked and virtual nature of our enterprises is reducing the effectiveness of traditional approaches to enterprise assurance and resilience. One solution is to employ more collaborative methodologies. However, managing security risk in collaborative environments poses many challenges - yet effective mechanisms can be employed. Why do we need to improve collaboration, and how do you align governance, risk and communications priorities in these increasingly commonplace situations?

Sal is a professional engineer and project manager with broad experience in security risk, systems engineering, critical infrastructure protection, intelligence analysis, and risk and safety management. He has led and undertaken a number of challenging assignments in this field for both commercial and government clients, including a number of  sector - wide security risk assessments. Sal leads Booz Allen's border security consulting business and he led the Booz Allen contribution to the Border Protection Command 2015 Future Operating Concept study. He was also one of the leading team members in the 2006 review of the intelligence and targeting capabilities within the Australian Customs Service.  Prior to joining Booz Allen, Sal was an Air Force  officer specialising in weapons engineering, explosive ordnance disposal and critical infrastructure protection. Sal is a Chartered Professional Engineer, a member of the Australian Institute of Project Managers and Risk Management Institution of Australasia. He has an MBA from Deakin University and a Masters Degree is Science (Information Technology) from the University of NSW.

2nd Speaker 

Development of the Security Professionals Task Force/ issues for the future in security professionalism

Presenter: Don Williams

The security profession is a critical group which supports the protection of businesses, government agencies and the community. Unfortunately, it is a group which has not been able to contribute its full potential to the nation’s security and safety due primarily to the fact that there is no clear understanding of the security profession, and there is no common voice, partly because of the disparate origins of members of the profession. This problem is compounded by the fragmentation within the security profession, lack of relevant qualifications and accreditation, and regulatory confusion between it and the much broader security industry (which includes providers of guards, equipment installers and vendors).

Over the last few years there has been increased discussion at meetings, conferences and seminars on the need to define and promote the professional end of the security services continuum. To assist this discussion, an interim Security Professional Task Force has been raised to draft a discussion paper stemming from the issues identified at the Security Professionals' Congress held in Melbourne in May 07.

Don Williams CPP:
Don is an independent security consultant with over 20 years experience in the security profession.  He holds tertiary qualifications in security and risk management.  He has conducted and supervised security risk assessments and the provision of security advice to public and private sectors since 1985.  Don has lectured nationally and internationally on the principles of security, security risk analysis and the protection of assets; he has been published in a wide range of professional journals.  He has particular experience and skills in the field of bomb safety and security measures.  Don is a member of ASIS-International, ISE, IABTI, IExpPE and is an allied member of the Venue Management Association.

Winning the Adaptation Battle: Implementing an Adaptive Approach on Operations"

Presenter: LTCOL Mick Ryan
Time: 2.30pm – 3.30pm
Date: Thursday 20 September 2007
Location: Lecture Theatre LT1
Map of ADFA: http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/images/adfamap.pdf

About the Seminar

The character of the new Afghanistan War reflects that of many previous insurgencies, with the addition of contemporary influences such as pervasive media.  Recently described by Hoffman as a neo-classical insurgency, the Taliban-Al Qaeda forces possess a cause, effective leadership (based in Pakistan ), support from (at least part) of the population, favourable terrain and external support as well as a sophisticated ability to manipulate the internet and mass media to influence perceptions. 

But perhaps the most dangerous aspect of the insurgency is its proven capacity to adapt - not only to the terrain and the operations of counterinsurgents - but also with its application of new technologies to their operations.  Ten years ago, the Taliban did not permit the playing of music; now it is highly adept at exploiting multimedia for its propaganda in Afghanistan and around the world. These factors combined make Afghanistan a serious challenge for conventional western military forces and a destabilising influence in the region.    

The talk will examine the 1st Reconstruction Task Force (RTF) implementation of a systemic adaptive approach, not as a new method of operating, but to improve the chances of the unit successfully influencing its environment.  Military commanders have always sought to innovate both during and between conflicts to ensure success.  Therefore in many respects, the efforts of the 1st Reconstruction Task Force to innovate and develop new ways of doing business are not exceptional. What does set these operations apart is the deliberate use of complex adaptive systems theory as the framework for implementing an adaptive approach as part the unit's culture.

The talk will describe how the task force sought to 'win the adaptation battle' against the Taliban.  Further, the talk will offer suggestions on the transition from theory to practice in the conduct of systemic adaptation before and during military operations.  

About the Speaker

LTCOL Mick Ryan graduated from Australia's Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1989.  Since graduation he has served in various command and staff appointments in Australia and overseas.  In 2000 he served on the East Timor border, commanding the Engineers in support of an infantry battle group.

In 2005, LTCOL Ryan served as the Deputy J3 for the Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq, in Baghdad.

From August 2006 until April 2007, he was the Commanding Officer of the Australian 1st Reconstruction Task Force in Uruzgan Province, southern Afghanistan.  He is currently the Commanding Officer of the 1st Combat Engineer Regiment.

LTCOL Ryan is a graduate of the ADF School of Languages (Bahasa Indonesia).  He is also a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) Command and Staff College and a graduate of the USMC School of Advanced Warfighting.  He holds Masters Degrees in Military Studies and Operational Studies.

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Domestic National Security S&T in the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO)

Presenter:  Dr Philip Picone
Time: 11am – 12pm
Date: Monday September 17 2007
Location: Lecture Theatre LT6
Map of ADFA: http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/images/adfamap.pdf

About the Seminar

This talk will discuss the S&T program being developed in DSTO to support non-defence agencies in their domestic security roles within Australia. The talk will touch upon the current DSTO program and potential avenues for collaboration.

About the Speaker

Dr Picone graduated from Monash University with a BSc (Honors) 1975, and a PhD in solid state physics in 1979 followed by postdoctoral work in Canada examining magentic materials used in the recording industry until 1982.

Dr Picone joined DSTO as a research scientist in 1983 to work on crystal growth and characterisation of opto-electronic materials. A long term attachement (1987) at Massachussetts Institute of Technology (Boston USA) enabled Dr Picone to advance his skills in crystal growth and he grew the first large crystals of the newly discovered high temperature superconductors.

In 1992 he changed research direction and began work in effectiveness studies with reports on Advance IR and MM-wave sensors. In 1993 he joined the newly established Space Based Surveillance group and initiated space based surveillance modelling tasks and trials work to validate the models. In 1995 a long term attachment to DERA Farnborough (UK) was used to develop maritime space based surveillance models.

In 1999 Dr Picone joined Threatre Operations Branch concentrating on operations analysis at the Strategic and Theatre level. This has included amphibious operations, surveillance in the NORCOM AO and fish in the southern ocean. As part of this work a collaborative study with the US Pacific Command was commenced on Peace Operations and the development of a Peace Operations Support Tool.

In 2002 he was promoted to a Principal Research Scientist and took up a position in the Program Office working for DCDS (Information & Warfare) on planning, monitoring and reporting for the Joint Warfare, Strategy and Intelligence Force Research Areas, and in 2005, developing the Civilian Counter-terrorism program. In 2005 he moved to Command Control division to the newly created Head of National Security position to assist in the development

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Security Intelligence in support of Global Business Operations

Presenter: Jason Brown, Thales Australia
Time: 12 noon
Date: Friday August 24 2007
Location: Lecture Theatre LT6
Map of ADFA: http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/images/adfamap.pdf

About the Seminar

The presentation will cover the development and implementation of the Thales Australia Security Intelligence Model, (recipient of the AIPIO Intelligence Award 2006)
It will provide; the context for the model in the Governance arrangements for an international defence company, its relationship to international security standards development, the protective security process intelligence supports and, the role intelligence plays in security risk mitigation. The methodology will be discussed in detail and a number of case examples will be addressed for the Australian and International operations.

About the Speaker

Jason Brown is the National Security Director for the Thales Australia.  He is responsible for security liaison with government, law enforcement and intelligence communities to develop cooperative arrangements to minimise risk to Thales Australia and those in the community that it supports.  He is also responsible to ensure compliance with international and Commonwealth requirements for national security and relevant federal and state laws governing security of ordnance and promulgation and auditing Thales Australia security risk management policies and processes.

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US Defence Trade Controls: Sticky issues for Allies

Presenter: Roland L. Trope, Partner, Trope and Schramm LLP, New York City, U.S.A.
Date: Thursday, 26 July 2007
Time: 1230–1400
Location: National Europe Centre, ANU,  1 Liversidge St [67C],The Australian National University  Parking available in Balmain Lane, opposite University House.  This lecture is free and open to the public. 
Enquiries: T: 02 6268 8094 [Dr Stefan Markowski, UNSW@ADFA]

About the Seminar

The seminar will focus on the mechanics of United States’ International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). It will explain the rationale for the US controls, illustrating how they work in practice, and address a number of defence export control issues that currently impede the full military and strategic cooperation between the US and its allies. According to the Government’s latest Defence White Paper, “The kind of ADF that we need is not achievable without the technology access provided by the US alliance”. However, Australia’s access to US technology is subject to the ITAR. The presentation will be based on an article recently published in Security Challenges, which suggests steps Australia might take to facilitate access to US technology within this framework. The author argues that the current Australian effort to procure waivers or relaxations of ITAR requirements is misplaced. In his view, the best way to facilitate Australian access to advanced US military technology is for Australia to tighten its regulatory and contractual measures to reduce the perceived risk of unauthorized intangible transfers of sensitive data. 

About the Speaker

Roland L. Trope is a partner at Trope and Schramm LLP, resident in its New York City office, an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Law, United States Military Academy at West Point and in the U.S. Defense Institute for Security Assistance Management, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. He is also an Associate Editor of IEEE Security & Privacy and a regular lecturer on project management and defence trade controls at the U.S. Industrial College of the Armed Forces. In his practice, Mr. Trope advises on mergers, acquisitions and strategic alliances, technology transfers and licensing, defence contracts, intellectual property, export control, trade sanctions, compliance with privacy regulations and management of information security. He is co-author of Checkpoints in Cyberspace:  Best Practices for Averting Liability in Cross-Border Transactions, published by the American Bar Association in 2005, and Sailing in Dangerous Waters:  A Director’s Guide to Data Management, published by the American Bar Association in 2006, and numerous articles in professional journals and magazines, including most recently, ‘Allies at Sixes and Sevens:  Sticky Issues in Australian – US Defence Trade Controls’ published in Security Challenges in June 2007. Copies of the article will be available at the seminar.

The views in this seminar are those of the presenter and do not necessarily represent the views of The Australian National University and The University of New South Wales.

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Terrorism Studies and South East Asia: Crippled by Paradigm Paralysis?

Presenter: Professor Carlyle A. Thayer
Time:   12:00- 1:00pm
Date: FRIDAY 13th July 2007
Location: Australian Defence Force Academy, Lecture Theatre LT6, Blg 32
Map of ADFA: http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/images/adfamap.pdf

About  the Seminar

Greg Sheridan, the foreign editor of The Australian newspaper, recently claimed that there has been an institutional failure by Australian universities and strategic community to address seriously the threat of terrorism, especially in Southeast Asia. Sheridan argued that “much of what the [universities] have come up with is rubbish. Much of it is postmodern theoretical nonsense…” The strategic community has failed “because of its continued paradigm paralysis, its chronic inability to regard terrorism as a serious strategic issue”. This presentation will critically evaluate the contribution of terrorism studies to our understanding of political violence in Southeast Asia. This presentation will argue that international and regional terrorism specialists have become prisoners of their own al-Qaeda-centered paradigm and this has crippled their ability to understand the historical and cultural roots of political violence and extremism in contemporary Southeast Asia.

About the Speaker

Carl Thayer is Professor of Politics in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, UNSW@ADFA. He holds an M.A. in Southeast Asian Studies from Yale and a PhD in International Relations from the ANU. He was Professor of Southeast Asian Security Studies at the U.S. Defense Department's Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, U.S. Pacific Command, from 1999-2001. On return to Australia he served two and a half years as on-site academic co-ordinator for the Defence and Strategic Studies Course at the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies at the Australian Defence College. In 2005, he was the C. V. Starr Distinguished Visiting Professor of Southeast Asian Studies at the School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University in Washington, D.C. In 2006-07 he took charge of the Regional Security Studies module at the Australian Command and Staff College.

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It’s just trucks”: Operations Research for the ADF Land Mobility Capability

Presenter: Dr Axel Bender – Land Operations Division, Edinburgh, SA
Time:   12:00- 1:00pm
Date: FRIDAY 8th June 2007
Location: Australian Defence Force Academy, Lecture Theatre LT6, Blg 32
Map of ADFA: http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/images/adfamap.pdf

About the Seminar

What appears to be the most mundane project in the Australian Defence capability development process is actually a problem space riddled with systems analysis and operations research challenges. LAND 121 field vehicles and trailers (FV&T) are not “just trucks” but pervade all aspects of the Australian Army. In particular when faced with the question of how many and what mix of FV&T will be needed over the system’s life of type, the LAND 121 capability developers have to assess and quantify a multitude of factors, such as present and future concepts for logistics and theatre distribution in complex operational environments; FV&T pool system design and fleet management practices; future Australian Defence Force (ADF) structures, strategies and operational concepts; as well as advances in vehicle, load handling and in-transit asset visibility technologies.

In this presentation Dr Bender will give an overview of DSTO Land Operations Division’s programme of experimentation, modelling and simulation designed to provide support to LAND 121 decision makers and to reduce the degree of uncertainty in determining the size and the composition of the future Australian FV&T system. This programme includes the generation of FV&T effects data through Army experimentation, the development of a framework of consistent FV&T system performance measures, and – in collaboration with UNSW@ADFA – the design of a heuristics-based multi-objective multi-agent scheduling and routing system that makes use of scenario anticipation and generalisation.

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Risk Management, Safety and Security

Presenter: Jolyon Spencer
Time: 12 noon
Date: Friday May 25 2007
Location: Lecture Theatre LT6
Map of ADFA: http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/images/adfamap.pdf

About the Seminar

The theme of the presentation is applying lessons on risk management, safety and security, learned in medium to high risk environments, to general corporate travel. Topics include:

The importance of duty of care strategies in corporate travel policies How risk management, safety and security strategies can hamper or enhance performance How training/education in travel safety and cultural awareness can increase both safety and performance How and when to provide travellers with advice and what this advice means to the traveller and the company Speakers BIO:

About the Speaker

Jolyon Spencer is the operations manager for Dynamiq, a safety, security and emergency management company that specializes in medium to high risk environments. Jolyon has significant leadership and management experience in the operations planning and security risk management fields after serving ten years in The Australian Army and two years as an industry security consultant. Jolyon was an instructor at the Australian School of Artillery and considered a subject matter expert on operations planning due to his extensive experience and advanced international training. Jolyon has worked with corporate clients in Australia and internationally to provide duty of care and risk management solutions to their travellers.

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Biometrics - Warts and All

Presenter: Mr. Bruce Lyman, CEO of Argus Solutions
Date: Friday, March 30, 2007

This presentation will provide attendees with a working knowledge of what biometrics is and how it can be applied to a diverse range of applications, from access control to dispensing pharmaceuticals.  There are many myths surrounding the application of biometrics which will also be explored. 

Amongst other topics Bruce will also provide attendees with an update on the “state of the art” – where biometrics is now and where it is going.

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DSA Special Research Seminar -"Leadership and the Strategic Business Acumen"

Presenter: Professor Ramzi Fayed, Director, International Marketing Institute of Aust Ltd (IMIA).
Date: Thursday, March 8, 2007

As the context of leadership has become characterized by increasing complexity, pace of change and performance expectations, it is argued that "good" leadership is the consequence of "Strategic Business Acumen".  During this presentation and based on work that spans several decades, the major components of Strategic Business Acumen will be presented and discussed.

Professor Fayed's career has involved him in leadership as a Chief Executive Officer of a significant organisation in the UK, a Director of a number of major international organisations, and a senior academic.

He was awarded his doctorate in Management Science at Manchester University, at which he also studied a Bachelor of Science in physics and a Master of Science in Management Science. He is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and a Foundation Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.  He has addressed over 100 major conferences, has been the leading researcher on over 90 significant projects and is the co-coordinator of Master of Business Leadership and Doctor of Business Leadership courses offered jointly by Charles Sturt University and the IMIA Graduate School of Leadership, which he currently leads.

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CrimTrac – Current systems, future opportunities

Presenter: Mr Ben McDevitt, CEO of CrimTrac
Time: 12 noon (Half hour presentation followed by 10 minute question time)
Date: Monday, November 20, 2006
Location: Lecture Theatre North, LT6

Map of ADFA: http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/images/adfamap.pdf

About the seminar

Mr McDevitt will give an overview of what CrimTrac does as an agency undertaking the task of facilitating information sharing for Australian law enforcement agencies.  He will also discuss the increasing reliance on biometrics in policing as well as some of the new technologies being explored by the agency.

About the Speaker
Mr McDevitt is the Chief Executive Officer of CrimTrac, the national law enforcement support agency which assists Australian police services through forensic science, information technology and communications advances.

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The hardened and networked army

Presenter: General Leahy, Chief of Army
Time: 12 noon
Date: Monday, November 13, 2006
Location: Lecture Theatre North, LT3 (Please note the change in location)

Map of ADFA: http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/images/adfamap.pdf

About the Speaker

In April 1999, Lieutenant General Leahy was appointed Chief of Staff at Headquarters Australian Theatre. Lieutenant General Leahy is a graduate of the Australian Army Command and Staff College, the United States Army Command and General Staff College, the British Higher Command and Staff Course and is a Fellow of the Australian College of Defence and Strategic Studies. In June 2002 he was promoted to Lieutenant General and assumed the appointment of Chief of Army. He has since been awarded the United States Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious service as Chief of Army. In June 2005, Lieutenant General Leahy was reappointed as Chief of Army for a further three years.

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Plant Biosecurity & Invasive Insect Species:Enhancing Risk Analysis Tools

Presenter: Dr. David Cook – Research Economist, CSIRO Entomology.
Date: October 30, 2006

About the seminar

Dr Cook will discuss combining complex assessments of the likelihood and consequence of invasive species entry over time into a decision-making framework, and communicating resource allocation decisions.

As invasive species become an increasingly important problem, there is a growing need to carefully target expenditure so that biosecurity investments provide the best possible returns.  Decision-support tools are urgently required that can help improve analytic rigour, transparency in decision-making, and auditability and learning for decision-makers.  These tools need to handle multiple objectives, multiple stakeholder preferences, qualitative and quantitative data, missing data, risk and uncertainty and long time frames.  Current prioritisation systems dependent on expert opinion over a number of questions, are susceptible to framing bias, context dependence and strategic misrepresentation of preferences which distort the prioritisation process.  Plant industry members make their business decisions on the basis of multiple factors taking into account detailed scientific information, local knowledge and personal experiences.  The “Enhanced Risk Analysis Tools” project within the recently formed Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity (CRCNPB) aims to develop and formalise a decision-making methodology which deals better with these issues to give plant industries better confidence in their risk management investment decisions.  In addition to industry/market costs, non-market effects of species invasion are also a key concern.  These include environmental, social and cultural invasion impacts.  Given the difficulties involved in quantifying these effects, a deliberative multi-criteria evaluation approach designed to support decision makers dealing with highly complex problems is to be used to highlight tradeoffs in resource allocation and to facilitate negotiation and compromise in a clear, open and transparent manner.

The project is complemented by several other CRCNPB activities looking at specific elements of the invasion process, as well as work being carried out by the Australian Centre of Excellence for Risk Analysis.

About the Speaker

Dr David Cook worked as a Regional Economist for the (then) Department of Agriculture Western Australia in Bunbury where he worked almost exclusively on invasive species issues.  During this period David completed a PhD with The University of Western Australia’s School of Agricultural and Resource Economics (1999-2001), and worked as a postdoctoral research assistant at the Wye campus of Imperial College London (2003-2004).  In 2005 David moved to Canberra to take up a Research Economist position with CSIRO Entomology, and a Visiting Fellowship with the School of Resources, Environment and Society at The Australian National University.

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ALOS – New satellite imagery for Australia

Presenters: Simon Oliver and Jim Mollison, GEMD, Geoscience Australia
Date: October 16, 2006

About the seminar

The Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) was launched by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in January 2006. ALOS promises high quality, low-cost Earth observation data for topographical mapping, disaster & environmental monitoring, and climate change studies.

Geoscience Australia will be down-linking data from the satellite and distributing ALOS products for non-commercial purposes within Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and other south Pacific islands.

This seminar will provide a description of the types of ALOS products that will be produced by Geoscience Australia and how those products can be used in the real world. Additionally, there will be a description of how Geoscience Australia staff and external users can access the data. The Japanese distribution model for ALOS data worldwide is quite unique and has implications for data accessibility, especially between commercial and non-commercial use.

About the Speakers

Simon Oliver and Jim Mollison work in the Remote Sensing Information Services (RSIS) section of the Spatial Information Access and Remote Sensing (SIARS) Group within GEM Division. Simon graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Geology from James Cook University in 1996. After four years working as an exploration geologist throughout Queensland, Simon returned to university to complete an Applied Science degree in Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing. After brief employment with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Simon began work as a Remote Sensing Officer with ACRES in late 2001. Simon has lead the development of a number of products within the ACRES project, including ASTER Mineral Index Maps and MODIS Surface Reflectance products. Jim has a degree in Agricultural Science from the University of Queensland and a Graduate certificate in management from the University of Western Sydney. His experience includes work in agronomy, teaching, sales, account management and product management. He has been with the Australian Centre for Remote Sensing (ACRES) for 13 years where he helps manage the interface and relationship between ACRES and customers. This also involves ensuring that products and services remain relevant, accessible and promoted to users/ potential users.

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The Australian-US Joint Combined Training Centre: Simulation, Technology & Training

Presenter: John Loughhead, Australian Defence Simulation Office, Capability Development Executive.
Date: October 9, 2006

About the seminar

John Loughhead will be discussing the Joint Combined Training Centre (JCTC) project. Defence Minister Robert Hill announced in 2004 that:

"The JCTC project aims to provide Australia with the world's best joint training facilities using high technology equipment and sensors. The technology will allow commanders to oversee exercises in real time, then replay exercises to personnel for debriefing and training purposes. The JCTC will improve interoperability between Australian and US forces by developing the military skills needed for future combined operations.”

The US-Australia effort will network several military training facilities in Australia for interoperable bilateral training. A project of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), the US Pacific Command and US Joint Forces Command, the JCTC effort aims at increasing operational capability, combat readiness and interoperability between the US and Australia, and encourages integration of live, virtual and constructive (LVC) training technologies.

About the Speaker

John Loughhead is a member of the Australian Defence Simulation Office (ADSO).  The ADSO is a branch of the Capability Development Executive in Australian Defence Headquarters in Canberra and s responsible for policy direction, coordination and collaboration, and advancing the use of computer based modelling and simulation in Defence. 

In 2001, after 26 years in the Army, John retired from the Regular Army and joined the Australian Defence Simulation Office, focusing on Army matters. John acts as the systems integrator for the Joint Combined Training Centre (JP 2098) and currently acts as both developer and project manager for the Joint Simulation Capability and the emerging Defence simulation federation.  He also established and manages the Defence Simulation Standing Offer Panel.  Currently John is working on developing a gateway between simulations and real world command and control systems.

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From the Battle of the Milvian Bridge to Black Holes Or: Why crossing the bridge to meet the enemy may be a bad idea!

Presenter: Dr Alex Kalloniatis - Command and Control Division, Fern Hill Park, ACT
Date: September 4, 2006

About the Seminar

Using the example of the Ancient Roman Battle of the Milvian Bridge, Dr Kalloniatis will present the hypothesis that the command and control dimensions of a military force give extra degrees of freedom which may permit a spatial reordering of an army while still increasing its ‘entropy’. The applicability in the command and control domain of a ‘maximum entropy principle’ would offer a dynamical law for the evolution of a human system such as a military force.

About the Speaker

Dr. Alex Kalloniatis came to DSTO in October 2005 after an academic career in theoretical particle physics. He obtained his PhD at the University of Adelaide in 1992 and worked in the area of quark theories of matter in research institutes in Heidelberg, Erlangen and Dortmund. In 2000 he returned to Australia under an Australian Research Fellowship from the ARC to work at the Centre for the Subatomic Structure of Matter at the University of Adelaide. At DSTO he is now working in the Joint Command Analysis Branch and is an active member of its nascent C2 Complex Systems research cell.

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Podcasting for Network Centric Warfare

Presenter: Dr Tom Worthington - Visiting Fellow in the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at the Australian National University.
Date: August 21, 2006

About the seminar

Podcasting is the distribution of media files using web based syndication to handheld devices. This presentation outlines how podcasting works and could be used in Network Centric Warfare. The possible use of podcasting with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft and Landing Helicopter Dock Ship will be discussed.

About the Speaker

Tom Worthington is an independent IT consultant. He is a Visiting Fellow in the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at the Australian National University, where he teaches the web and e-commerce technology. Tom was previously a senior IT advisor on the staff of Headquarters Australian Defence Force. In 1999 he was elected a Fellow of the Australian Computer Society for his contribution to the development of public Internet policy.

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Launch of the DSARC Research Centre Seminar Series

Presenter: Dr Nanda Nandagopal, Deputy Chief Defence Scientist, (Corporate) DSTO
Date: August 14, 2006

About the seminar

DSTO Globally, Defence finds itself in a state of major transformation. Australia, for its part, is making a significant investment in procuring and upgrading its capabilities over the next decade. This has significant ramifications for Defence Science, with particular attention required inmanaging the technical and technological risk associated with the development of these systems, the capacity to effectively and efficiently integrate them into a holistic military capability, and ways of managing the competing challenges of rapid technological development and the decade(s) long Defence capability development lifecycle. This requires the development of a robust systems and technology policy and programming environment.This presentation discusses these issues, and focuses on the role science and technology may play. Examples of research and development endeavours will be usedto give insight into its application in support of the ADF.

About the Speaker

Dr Nandagopal is the DSTO's Deputy Chief Defence Scientist (Corporate), responsible for DSTO's strategic policy development, client program planning and reporting across the organisation. He is also DSTO's Chief Systems Integration Officer, responsible for the overall planning, policies and frameworks for the integration of systems and technologies across the whole of DSTO, and has the lead for DSTO's major S&T initiative in Military Experimentation. Dr Nandagopal is Executive Chair of TTCP Joint Systems and Analysis Group, and is the chair of the ARC Research Network on Information Systems, Sensor Networks and Information Processing.

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