Program and Theme
Program and Theme
SIA Conference 2025
Nuclear Submarines in Australia
18- 20 August 2025, Perth WA
Pan Pacific Perth
Confirmed speakers:
Commodore Daniel Sutherland RAN, Commander Submarine Force Captain Jason Pittman USN, AUKUS I&A Liaison Officer; Preparations and Readiness for the Submarine Rotational Force to Operate from Western Australia
HE Dame Sarah MacIntosh DCMG, UK High Commissioner to Australia
Dr Miles Apperley, Group Executive Nuclear Operations, Safety and Securities, ANSTO; ANSTO - A Valuable Partner in the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Enterprise
Dr Ron Sulman, Dr Michael McKinley, Professor David Lowe, Submarine Institute of Australia Panel: ANSM Research Group; Social Licence Moderator - RADM Allan DuToit, RAN (rtd)
Stuart Whiley, ASC; Developing the Nuclear Safety Culture and Industrial Capability Needed to Deliver Australia’s Future Submarine Programs
John Chandler, NSSG; Jonathan ‘JD’ Dowell, Fluor; Joe Legare, H&B Defence; Neil Thumwood, Amentum; Panel: First of Kind Challenges - Moderator Pamela Naidoo-Ameglio
Capstone Flag Officer Panel: VADM Jonathan Mead, RAN; CDRE Jonathan Gregory, RN.
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?
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.