The Emerging Voices Series: Strategy, Security & Defence at UNSW

Security & Defence PLuS will host the Emerging Voices Series: Strategy, Security & Defence at UNSW Canberra on Thursday 29 October 2026.

This one-day conference will bring together established leaders and recognised experts with rising and underrepresented voices to explore the future of strategy, security, and defence.

The Emerging Voices Series pairs senior expertise with new ideas and talent, creating space for intergenerational dialogue and forward-looking debate. The series connects scholars and practitioners from across academia, government, industry and Defence, drawing on the strengths of UNSW, the PLuS Alliance, and the wider Australian policy and security community.

The programme will explore a range of themes including leadership, innovation and decision-making in a changing security environment; public trust, perceptions and participation in national security; competition and conflict below the threshold of armed conflict; and the opportunities and challenges of AUKUS Pillar II and emerging technologies.

Speakers

• Air Chief Marshal Sir Angus Houston AK AFC​ (Ret'd), Former Chief of the Australian Defence Force
• Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness CSC, ​National Cyber Security Coordinator
• Major General Ana Duncan, Commander Forces Command, Australian Army
• Professor Lisa Zamberlan, Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor - Global, UNSW Sydney
• Professor Graham Wren, OBE FREng FRSE, Senior Executive and Special Advisor to the Principal, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
• David Nockels, First Assistant Secretary Defence Trade, Regulation and AUKUS Advanced Capability Division, Australian Government
• Bec Shrimpton, Senior Advisor, The Asia Group
• Tim Wilford, Director, Resilience, National Security College, Australian National University
• Dr Cathy Moloney, Principal, Blackthorn Advisory
• Professor Craig Stockings, Head of the School of Humanities & Social Sciences, UNSW Canberra
• Brigadier (Ret) Dr Ian Langford, Executive Director, Security & Defence PLuS
• Professor Andrew Neely, Associate Dean (Innovation & Industry Partnerships), UNSW Canberra
• Dr Emily Bienvenue, Strategic Advisor, Independent Research Analyst
• Dr Rhys Crawley, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, UNSW Canberra
• Dr Marigold Black, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities & Social Science, UNSW Canberra
• Dr James Morrison, Business Development Manager, UNSW Defence Research Institute
• Ashleigh Brown, PhD Candidate and Associate Lecturer, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, UNSW Canberra
• Nicholas Boyd, PhD Candidate, UNSW Canberra and Director, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission
• Dr Justin Wong, Co-Founder and CEO, Forge Photonics
• Tim Hobbs, Co-Founder and CEO, Capital Shield Australia
• Jenna Allen, Research Associate and HDR Candidate, School of Humanities & Social Science, UNSW Canberra
• Captain Suré Lindsay, Australian Army
• Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer, Senior Federal Political Reporter, News Corp Australia's NewsWire
• David Vallance, Research Associate, International Security Program, Lowy Institute
• Tara Luckock, Research Associate, Foreign Policy and Defence Program, United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney
• Francesca Ciuffetelli, Coordindator, National Security Programs, ASPI

Program Outline:

• 09:00 AM: Welcome Remarks
• 09:15 AM: Morning Keynote and Fireside - Anticipating the Future of Warfare
• 10:05 AM: Panel 1 - Experience, Innovation, and Leadership in a Changing Security Environment
• 11:05 AM: Coffee Break
• 11:30 AM: Panel 2 - Public Trust, National Security and the Australian Public
• 12:30 PM: Lunch
• 01:20 PM: Afternoon Fireside - Australia’s Security Resilience
• 02:0o PM: Panel 3 - Grey-Zone Competition: Conflict Below the Threshold
• 03:05 PM: Coffee Break
• 03:20 PM Panel 4 - AUKUS Pillar II: From Innovation to Strategic Advantage
• 04:20 PM: Closing Remarks
• 04:30 PM: Networking Reception

The UNSW Canberra event will be the third instalment of the Emerging Voices Series, following conferences at Arizona State University and King’s College London earlier in 2026.

We encourage in-person attendance where possible, however, live-streamed participation will be available for those unable to attend in person. This is a ticketed event and capacity is limited, please register early to avoid disappointment and reach out to lauren.mellows@plusalliance.org for more information.

ABOUT SECURITY & DEFENCE PLuS

Security & Defence PLuS is the flagship program of PLuS Alliance, a global partnership which combines the strengths of three leading research universities on three continents – Arizona State University, King’s College London, and the University of New South Wales – to solve global challenges. Security & Defence PLuS deepens this partnership, advancing research, education, and policy to support statecraft in the spirit of the AUKUS trilateral agreement.