Professor Robert Clark was appointed Chief Scientist in Residence within the Faculty of Art and Design at the University of New South Wales in 2014.
He was formerly Professor and Chair of Energy Strategy and Policy at the University of New South Wales from 2012. Prior to this role he was the Chief Defence Scientist (CDS) of Australia and Chief Executive Officer of the Defence Science and Technology Organisation from 2008–11.
As CDS he was a member of Australia’s Defence Committee, served as the Australian Principal of the 5-nation Defence Technical Cooperation Program (US, UK, Australia, NZ, Canada) and was a member of the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council.
In 2000 he established the Australian Research Council Special Research Centre for Quantum Computer Technology (ARC Centre of Excellence from 2003) and served as its Director until he was appointed CDS.
His early career involved 10 years of service in the Royal Australian Navy as a Seaman Officer and Ships Diving Officer, and a Faculty appointment at the University of Oxford and Fellow and Praelector (Member of Governing Body) of The Queen’s College, Oxford.
Most recently he was a co-author of a report to government on a study of shale gas in Australia and co-author and editor of the book Transport Fuels from Australia’s Gas Resources: Advancing the nation’s energy security.
[October 2015]