Dr David Silvera

I am a visionary leader with over 15 years of experience driving strategic health innovation and translational research across aged care, disability, and chronic disease management. My career is built on bridging deep technical expertise in AI, robotics, and sensing with the real-world delivery of health equity and measurable community impact.

At CSIRO’s Australian e-Health Research Centre, I lead strategic research direction for digital health, emerging technologies, and assistive technology innovation, ensuring our programs align with national health priorities and deliver scalable, evidence-based solutions. I also contribute to national governance through my role on the NDIS Evidence Advisory Committee (Assistive Technology & Capital), where I help shape evidence-based policy for safe and equitable technology adoption.

My leadership experience includes overseeing a portfolio of five teams and more than 35 staff, guiding multidisciplinary programs to achieve strategic alignment across national digital health initiatives. I have also contributed to broader sector discussions through participation in advisory and industry working groups that support the responsible adoption of emerging technologies across Australia’s health ecosystem.

I have secured research investments and translated complex R&D into clinical and community-ready solutions, including the CALD‑Assist app and the NDIA AI‑Enabled Assistive Technology Framework, both of which have influenced practice and policy within healthcare and disability services.

Recognised with honours including the CSIRO Medal for Diversity & Inclusion and the Julius Career Award, I am committed to fostering high-performance, inclusive teams and mentoring emerging researchers. With a PhD in Human-Robot Interaction and executive training from INSEAD in leadership, global management, and strategic R&D, I combine technical rigor with strategic capability to deliver responsible, evidence-based innovations that address the most pressing challenges in modern healthcare.