Prof Elanor Huntington

Professor Huntington leads the data-focused research, development and digital capability of CSIRO, and is a member of the CSIRO Executive. She has stewardship of a range of business lines including Data61, Space and Astronomy, and National Collections and Marine Infrastructure.
Prof Huntington also leads major national infrastructure provided by CSIRO on behalf of the scientific community to assist with the delivery of research, some of these include:

• Australia Telescope National Facility
• Marine National Facility
• Pawsey Supercomputing Centre
• National Research Collections Australia
• Atlas of Living Australia.

Prior to joining CSIRO in November 2021, Elanor was Dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science at the Australian National University (ANU) where she helped bring about significant transformation within the College and sector.

Elanor is an established senior leader, with Board appointments to Industry Innovation and Science Australia, Significant Capital Ventures, Questacon, Australian Academy of Technology & Engineering, Pawsey Supercomputing, NCI Australia, International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research and other government scientific advisory roles. She was elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering in 2020, and sits on the governance taskforce, diversity and inclusion committee and RAP committee for that Academy. Elanor was named an Honorary Fellow of Engineers Australia and led the extended Group of Eight (Go8+) Engineering Deans as first female Chair up until 2019.

Elanor holds a PhD in experimental quantum optics and a Masters in information technology. She was a Program Manager for nearly 20 years in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computing Technology and her resent research includes the control of quantum systems at the interface between theory and applications. She is a Visiting Professor at the ANU.

Elanor is committed to growing the profile of STEM in the community and is passionate about attracting a more diverse cohort of people to take up careers that draw on STEM skills. She is a prolific and sought-after public speaker and thought leader on the future of science, technology, engineering and the nature of work. In 2017 she delivered a TEDxSydney Talk on ‘Why we need Engineers now more than ever’ and later in 2019, co-founded the Engineering for Australia Taskforce to provide expert advice on addressing barriers to women’s participation in university engineering programs.