Biography
Dr Cara Stitzlein is a Research Scientist within the CSIRO’s Data61 Humans & Machines group. Cara holds a PhD in cognitive engineering from the University of Queensland (2014) where she was awarded an IPRS scholarship and supported an ARC grant looking at the role of new technologies and their impact on healthcare processes and workflows.
After completing an internship with the CSIRO ICT Centre (2005), Cara re-joined the science agency as part of a postdoc cohort supporting the Digiscape Future Science Platform. Bringing a strong human centred design capability to this portfolio of science commercialisation for the land sector, she helped bring user friendly digital tools to market including LOOC-C (carbon farming discovery tool) and LOOC-B (rapid biodiversity assessment tool). Through this, Cara has developed a passion for science translation helping to influence a diverse set of stakeholders seeking to make more sustainable land management decisions.
In 2020, Cara’s became an Australian permanent resident under the Global Talent Independent (GTI) programme. Continuing to build a portfolio around future focused research, her interests and publications span design science, responsible innovation, and interdisciplinary collaborations. Within CSIRO, Cara advocates for strong cross-BU partnerships while also dedicating time to moderating externally facing events, including the Brisbane-based innovation festival Something Digital.
Achievements and Awards
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2009-2012
International Postgraduate Research Scholarship
The University of Queensland
Current Roles
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Research Scientist, Data 61
CSIRO, Data61, Humans & Machines Group -
Postdoctoral Fellow, Data 61
Supports the Digiscape Future Science Platform with research in Human Factors and User Experience
Academic Qualifications
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2014
Doctorate of Philosophy
The University of Queensland -
2005
Masters, Human Factors Psychology
George Mason University (Virginia, USA)
Professional Experiences
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2015-2017
Product Designer
Monsanto Corporation -
2009-2012
Postgraduate Researcher, School of Psychology
The University of Queensland -
2008-2008
Usability Engineer
Microsoft Corporation -
2005-2007
Research Scientist
CSIRO