Associate Professor Dr Catherine Ball is a scientific futurist, speaker, advisor, author, founder, executive producer,
executive director, and company director working across global projects where emerging technologies meet humanitarian,
education and environmental needs. Catherine also likes to create businesses and champion movements, collaborate with
peers, and advise game-changers.
A sought-after voice across the start-up, futurist and tech world, Catherine works globally across a wide range of projects
from creating documentaries and world leading conferences and events, to advising on the use of novel approaches (e.g.
drones) across environmental and humanitarian projects. Catherine is a proponent of community engagement with STEM
(Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), and likes to demystify emerging tech.
Catherine is the only Australian on the International Advisory Board of the Schmidt Ocean Institute, which follows her work
as a judge on the Ocean Discovery XPrize. A proud #SheFlies ambassador for Girl Geek Academy, and a mentor and
advisor to the CEO of Women Who Drone, and a regular mentor to many rising stars across the STEM fields in Australia
and abroad, Catherine believes in actively paying it forward.
An Associate Professor at the Australian National University and Honorary Associate Professor at the 3AI Institute.
Catherine is leading national conversations around technology and its place in the current and future challenges in
Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.
Catherine’s latest business ventures include the internationally renowned World of Drones and Robotics Congress,
established in Brisbane in 2017 and the free community resources of World of Drones Education, established in 2018.
Catherine is a board director for Aviation Australia; and is on the international advisory board for the Ocean Impact Org, a
not-for-profit ecosystem for businesses working towards a healthier ocean. Catherine lives in Queensland with her
husband and two sons.
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