Program and Theme
Program and Theme
SIA Conference 2025
Nuclear Submarines in Australia
18- 20 August 2025, Perth WA
Pan Pacific Perth
Confirmed speakers:
HE Dame Sarah MacIntosh DCMG, UK High Commissioner to Australia
Dr Miles Apperly, Group Executive Nuclear Safety, Security and Stewardship, ANSTO; ANSTO - A Valuable Partner in the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Enterprise
Ron Sullman, Mike McKinley, Professor David Lowe, Submarine Institute of Australia Panel: ANSM Research Group; Social Licence
Alex Walsh, ASC; Developing the Nuclear Safety Culture and Industrial Capability Needed to Deliver Australia’s Future Submarine Programs
Confirmed Technical Speakers
Infrastructure and Socity
Philip Oxley, Mott MacDonald; Pivoting or Growing: How Does the Australian NPS Enterprise Prepare for the East Coast Base?
Dr Peter Cock , CCIWA; AUKUS: what needs to happen to capitalise on this once-in-a-generation opportunity.
Michael Mahy DSC, Synergy Group; AUKUS Pillar 1 - Systemic Improvements and Substantive Change to Australia's National Preparedness and Strategic Outlook.
Warwick Carter, Perth South West Metropolitan Alliance; AUKUS and the Community: Shaping Perth’s South-West Corridor.
Liz McKinney-Bennett, Mott MacDonald; Driving the Narrative - Shaping Enduring Positive Public Attitudes to AUKUS.
Paul Harrison, Mott MacDonald; 'Requirements, Requirements, Requirements!' - From Design to Deployment.
Industry and Supply Chain
Marius Pretorius, ASC ; Industrial Uplift in Australia: DIVQ and How Australian Suppliers can Support AUKUS Through the Virginia Class Submarine Program in the USA.
Gary Zimack, HII-Newport News; Shipbuilding Navigating Supplier Quality: Insights from Newport News Shipbuilding Experts for Australian Companies Entering the VCS Supply Chain.
Brian Persons, RAND Corporation; Developing the industrial Base for Nuclear Powered Submarines – Lessons from the U.S.
Tim Brown, H&B Defence; A National Endeavour, Transforming Australia's Defence Industry with Nuclear Powered Submarines.
Mark Schneider, UBH Group; Nuclear Supply Chain Compliance and Importance to Social Licence.
Education, Training and Workforce
Dr Julieanne Dougherty, ANU; Building Australia’s Nuclear Future: The Role of the Australian Nuclear Research and Education Network (ANREN).
Gary Hale, Curtin University; SRF-WEST and Beyond: Building Capability in Nuclear Submarine Workforce.
Dixon Hicks, SERCO-NA; Lessons Learned Related to Workforce Development in America.
Dr Edward Obbard, UNSW; Sydney Nuclear Mindset Assurance in an Undergraduate Nuclear Engineering Program.
Andrew Widdis, South Metropolitan TAFE; How Western Australia's VET Sector is Equipping the Defence Industry for AUKUS and Beyond.
Safety and Technology
Bradley Robb, ALARP; Perspective on the Application of the Safety Case regime to Australian-Acquired Virginia Class Submarines.
Ian Leaver, Thornton Tomasetti; SUBSAFE: Developing Robust Assurance Capability in Australia to support AUKUS.
Adam Falconer-West, Franmarine; The Rise of Underwater Sustainment in the Nuclear Submarine Enterprise.
Dr Ishan Solomon, DST Consulting; Enhancements to the Collins Class Submarines Over the Next 10-15 Years
Kirsty Braybon, University of Adelaide; Igniting the Reactor Rulebook: Turbo-Charging Australia’s Nuclear Law for the SSN-AUKUS Era.