DSTG Leadership Team Visit Provides Unique Opportunity for QDSA Members
DSTG Leadership Team Visit – In early May, QDSA members had a rare opportunity to engage with the DSTG Leadership Team during their visit to the Australian Hypersonics Research Precinct at Eagle Farm.
This event exemplified the vital role QDSA plays in creating connections and presenting opportunities for SMEs and researchers in Queensland. It gave our Member Universities and Queensland organisations such as Black Sky Aerospace, NIOA, Northrop Grumman and EPE a “seat at the table” with senior leaders in Defence. It also allowed attendees from Queensland State Government Departments (Department of State Development and Department of Environment and Science) and Primes to do the same.
A Seat at the Table with DSTG Leadership Team
Having a “seat at the table” with DLT offered a unique and rare opportunity to engage directly with senior leaders. Our guests heard more about opportunities in Defence, including the Defence STaR shots and conversed with the DLT on capability in Queensland.
Additionally, DLT and guests engaged in round table discussion for 1.5 hours on domestic and international funding opportunities and collaboration across Queensland and nationally.
Attendees were invited to participate in follow-up action from the roundtable and networking discussions that followed. This encourages the connections made and will continue to grow productive relationships.
Announcement of Third DSTG Relationship Executive for Queensland
During their visit, DLT announced the appointment of a third DSTG Relationship Executive to Queensland. This means that Queensland now has Relationship Executives at the University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology and Griffith University.
Relationship Executives are DSTG senior leaders, and they help to align strategic priorities
between their respective university of responsibility and Defence.
DSTG Relationship Executives are a vital component in fostering connections between researchers and Defence, and QDSA is currently assisting with a fourth appointment at James Cook University. Following last year’s North Queensland Tour, QDSA is committed to ensuring equal opportunities exist for our regional Member Universities. A DSTG Relationship Executive appointment in North Queensland will fortify this.
QDSA’s Commitment to Growing Sovereign Capability
Seeking to strengthen our work with our stakeholders, QDSA reached out to Blake Nikolic, CEO of Black Sky Aerospace, for comment.
Mr Nikolic was grateful for the opportunity to speak directly to the DSTG Leadership Team, noting that without the assistance of QDSA, it would not have been possible. Blake observed that opportunities like this are essential for the growth and development of Black Sky Aerospace.
“Black Sky Aerospace has a unique Defence offering, with a dedicated sovereign explosives manufacturing facility for solid rocket fuel that powers guided weapons. Having direct access to the DSTG leadership accelerates the development of critical systems, allowing SMEs like us to deliver capability directly into programs such as GWEO.” Blake said.
QDSA was instrumental in Black Sky Aerospace having this direct access to the DSTG leadership team, and we are thrilled to witness the pathways this has opened for the company.
QDSA is Dedicated to Accelerating The Advantage
Early in 2022, Dr Jeremy Anderson, Acting Director QDSA, commented (during the GWEO Enterprise Information Session) that “The QDSA will connect academia, government and industry to harness emerging opportunities that will build on Queensland’s strengths and growing reputation in the defence sector.”
Events such as the facilitation of the DSTG Leadership Team confirm Dr Anderson’s comments.
QDSA is committed to connecting Small to Medium Enterprises and research institutes with opportunities to encourage the growth of sovereign capability within Australia.
QDSA Upcoming Events and Opportunities
QDSA has many upcoming events and opportunities, with more being added each week. Want to find out what is on the horizon? Check out our News section on our website here or subscribe to our e-newsletter here.
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The Queensland Defence Science Alliance (QDSA) is a university-led initiative to grow and connect an agile Defence innovation ecosystem, leveraging Queensland’s strengths, to deliver trusted solutions to meet Defence requirements.
