In an Australian first, the GRAVITY Challenge piloted a six-week MicroGRAVITY Challenge at Hamilton Secondary College, proving that the sky’s no limit for South Australia’s next generation of STEM leaders. Founded in Adelaide in 2019, the GRAVITY Challenge was designed to connect industry and government to global innovators in the Space ecosystem and has subsequently been adapted into a new program focused on student innovators. From 6 May to 20 June, 20 Year 9-10 students at Hamilton Secondary College took [...]

For Royal Australian Air Force Veteran Anthony Kunda, a career in the defence industry has proved to be just what he was looking for post-service – combining skills learnt while serving his country with his passion to be a part of something bigger. When Anthony Kunda left the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) after 10 years of service, he felt something was missing. Anthony joined the RAAF in 2008 as a communications electronic technician. His service [...]

Over the years, Loren has worked in events across a myriad of industries, but her latest career move is proof that you don’t need to be an engineer or join the Defence Force to find your place in the defence industry. After graduating from high school, Loren pursued an Advanced Diploma in Business Marketing and immediately put her new-found skills to use. Her keen eye for detail and meticulous organisational skills quickly led her down the path of event management; [...]

Throughout his colourful career, Veteran Dave Saunders has worn many hats, sharpening his skill set in roles across Defence, public service, research and most recently, space. Dave’s career path is one of many twists and turns, proving that there’s always room to learn and grow in South Australia’s ever evolving defence and space industries. Armed with a Bachelor of Music from the University of Adelaide, Dave Saunders went on to enlist in the Australian Army as a musician for eight [...]

Jeremy’s 19-year career has spanned both defence and civilian workforces. Now, as Head of Industry Capability at BAE Systems Australia and an Army Reservist, Jeremy utilises the skills he’s learned for a great ambition: to support the security and prosperity of our nation. Growing up on a sheep farm in a small Victorian country town, Jeremy always knew he wanted to be part of something important. He had always been a people-oriented person, gravitating towards leadership roles at school and [...]

Defence Innovation Partnership (DIP) Pathways Manager Bez Mohammadi shares first-hand insights into South Australia’s evolving research and innovation sector. In search of a new challenge, Bez turned to the defence and space industries. “I joined DIP in 2022 because I wanted to be part of something new and exciting,” he said. “South Australia is evolving, and cutting-edge projects are continuously coming to the fore.” DIP is a catalyst for defence-relevant research and development in South Australia. “We foster collaboration and [...]

The popular KBR annual summer internship program is back, with 60 exciting roles on offer in Australia. Two thousand people in Australia currently work across major defence and infrastructure projects, and the internship is the ideal opportunity to acquire hands-on experience and forge a successful career at the leader in global technology and engineering. With an established footprint in Adelaide, KBR graduates like Josh Wurfel can immerse themselves in cutting-edge projects taking place in the country’s Defence State. Several months [...]

Two and a half years into her engineering career and the future looks bright for ASC Graduate Engineer Philippa. And while weighing up a career path in science versus engineering only became a clear-cut decision in university, Philippa has now found a way to harness her love for numbers and problem solving in a dynamic role that ticks all the boxes. Looking back, Philippa’s natural affinity for math, science and chemistry in school would later lead her to seeking out [...]

A keen interest in science and physics in Nishanth Sri Shiva Madhavan’s former school years has paved the way to an exciting career in the space industry. Reflecting on his younger years, Nishanth attributes his success to keeping himself informed and connected in the space industry. “In my spare time I would read blogs and publications, join social media communities and network with peers.” Nishanth’s passion for the industry quite literally launched his career, transporting him all the way from [...]

While many kids grow up with dreams of becoming an astronaut or pilot, not all have the ability and determination to achieve it. Born and raised in Scotland to an Australian father and Irish mother, Harrison grew up with the hopes of becoming an astronaut or a pilot. “I grew up admiring Neil Armstrong, and absolutely loved space technologies, so I had my sights set on the skies early on,” said Harrison. “But after realising I was colour blind and [...]

Born in Punjab, India, Shantanu Malhotra’s family moved to South Australia when he was just three, joining family who had relocated to take advantage of the state’s manufacturing industry. Growing up, Shantanu wanted to be a pilot, joining the Australian Air Force Cadets when he was thirteen until the end of high school. This early exposure to the Defence Forces gave him a taste of the opportunities available, including access to training camps, tours of air bases and instructional flights. [...]