Professor Amanda Barnard is one of Australia’s most highly awarded computational scientists. She currently leads research at the interface of computational modeling, high performance supercomputing, and applied machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). She was awarded her BSc (Hons) in applied physics in 2000, her PhD in theoretical condensed matter physics in 2003, and DSc in 2020 from RMIT University. After graduating she accepted a Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow in the Center for Nanoscale Materials at Argonne National Laboratory (USA, 2003-2005), and the prestigious Violette & Samuel Glasstone Fellow at the University of Oxford (UK) with an Extraordinary Research Fellowship at The Queen’s College (2005-2008). Prior to joining ANU she was an ARC QEII Fellow, Office of the Chief Executive (OCE) Science Leader, and then Chief Research Scientist in Data61 at CSIRO (2009-2020).

With more than 20 years experience in high performance computing and computational modeling and informatics, Prof Barnard is heavily engaged in international science diplomacy and research governance, and sits on boards and panels for various institutions (particularly in the Global South region). She has been recognised for leadership, and has been awarded in five scientific disciplines, and in 2022 was appointed a Member the Order of Australia (AM).