Deakin Defence Conference
Advancing Defence Capabilities Through Asymmetric
Technologies and Human Factor Research
Invited Speakers
Darron Kavanagh AM, CSC
Chief of Science Partnering Branch
Defence Science and Technology Group
Darron Kavanagh is the Chief of Science Partnering Branch within Science Strategic Planning and Engagement Division (Dr Carolyn Patteson) in the Defence Science and Technology Group.
Biography
Darron has over 40 years of experience in research, design, development, acquisition, operation, sustainment and assurance of military technology. Senior leadership roles as a Navy Commodore include heading and building the Royal Australian Navy’s Warfare Innovation Branch and the Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment Group’s Maritime Integrated Warfare Branch.
Darron transferred from the Navy to the Australian Public Service in February 2024 as the inaugural Mission Leader in the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA) for the Ghost Shark Extra Large Autonomous Underwater Vehicle. He then became the ASCA Chief Program Officer – Capability Delivery, leading the delivery of all ASCA Missions and Innovation Incubation programs.
His honours and awards include a Member of the Order of Australia and the Conspicuous Service Cross.
Keirin Joyce
WGCDR Joyce is an Australian Defence Force Academy graduate with
an Honours Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering. WGCDR Joyce has spent the last 18 years in support of the ADF Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) capability including deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan, Sub-Program managing all Army and Air Force UAS capability, including Drone Racing, and serving as Chief Engineer for the MQ-4C Triton (now delivered) and MQ-9B SkyGuardian (now cancelled). He is currently the Deputy Director Disruptive Experimentation within RAAF's Jericho program.
Biography
WGCDR Joyce is a Chartered Professional Engineer, holds a Masters in Aviation Management (specialising in Human Factors), a Masters of Aerospace Engineering, a Masters in Military and Defence Studies, a Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education (Mathematics) and is researching part time as a Doctorate of Philosophy student through ADFA. He was the 2014 Chief of Army Scholar, is the designate 2025 Sir Richard Williams Fellow and has twice been awarded the Spitfire Memorial Defence Fellowship in 2009 and 2024. For his efforts on JP129 Phase 2, the acquisition of the RQ-7B Shadow 200 Tactical UAS, he was awarded a Conspicuous Service Cross in the 2012 Australia Day Honours List.
Keirin is married to Rachael, an expert democracy and electoral educator, they have four children, including their son Declan who is serving as an Aircraft Technician in the Royal Australian Navy.
He is the President of the ADF Drone Racing Association, Technology Advisor on the Investment Committee of Beaten Zone Venture Partners, and a Director on the Board of the Australian Association for Uncrewed Systems.
Professor Tanya Monro AC
Professor Tanya Monro commenced as Chief Defence Scientist in March 2019. Prof Monro is head of Defence Science and Technology Group and Capability Manager for Innovation, Science and Technology in the Australian Department of Defence.
In June 2022, Prof Monro was awarded a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for eminent service to scientific and technological development, to research and innovation, to tertiary education, particularly in the field of photonics, and to professional organisations.
Biography
Prof Monro also holds the Bragg Gold Medal for the best physics PhD thesis in Australia, Prime Minister's Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year, SA Australian of the Year, and the Eureka Prize for Excellence in Interdisciplinary Scientific Research.
Prof Monro obtained her Doctor of Philosophy in physics from The University of Sydney, and was awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship at the University of Southampton. Previous roles include Deputy Vice Chancellor Research and Innovation at the University of South Australia and inaugural director of the Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing and the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale Bio Photonics at the University of Adelaide.
For contributions to optics engineering and advancing Australian national security, Prof Monro is an International Member of the United States National Academy of Engineering. Prof Monro is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, the Optical Society of America and an Honorary Fellow of the Australian Institute of Physics.
Major General Richard Vagg DSC
Major General Vagg took up the appointment as Head Land Capability for the Australian Army in February 2023.
Major General Vagg’s work in capability development combined with his regimental, operational and staff appointments have provided him with a broad exposure to the Defence and Whole-of-Government enterprise. He enjoys the challenges of modernising Defence and setting the conditions to create a more resilient and lethal Australian Defence Force.
Biography
Born and educated in country Queensland, he joined the Army in 1992, graduating from the Royal Military College – Duntroon in 1993 to the Royal Australian Artillery. He has enjoyed an exciting career with regimental experience at the 4th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and on exchange with 40 Regiment (AS-90), Royal Artillery. He was also the inaugural Commanding Officer of 16 Air Land Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery.
His training experience includes appointments at the School of Artillery and Duntroon, while his staff experience includes appointments at the British Defence Intelligence Staff, the Defence Intelligence Organisation, and Modernisation and Strategic Plans – Army. He was MA to Commander Forces Command and the Director of Military Art, Royal Military College – Duntroon. More recently, served as Director General Systems and Integration – Army in Land Capability Division and Director General Air Land Combat Analysis, Contestability Division, in the Strategic Policy and Industry Group. In 2022, Major General Vagg was seconded to the Defence Strategic Review as co-author and the lead military Director General.
Major General Vagg has operational experience in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. His most recent deployment was as Commander Task Group Taji, Rotation Four in Iraq for which he received the Distinguished Service Cross in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours. In the 2012 Australia Day Honours, he received a Commendation for Distinguished Service for his work as the inaugural Commanding Officer of the Artillery Training Team – Kabul. As an artillery forward observer in Kosovo, he was awarded a Commander Multi-National Brigade (Central) Commendation for his role in several operations.
He is a graduate of the Australian Command and Staff College, the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies, and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Major General Vagg holds a Master of Arts – Management and Strategy from the University of New South Wales and a Master of Business Administration from Deakin University. Whilst studying at the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies, he received the Field Marshal Sir Thomas Blamey Award.
He is the Patron of the Australian Army Rugby Union.
Major General Vagg is married to Charlotte. He is a keen spectator of most sports, but a passionate Queensland Reds and Brisbane Broncos supporter. He rows to relax, and enjoys spending time improving their hobby farm.
Major General Jason Blain
Major General Jason BIain is the Head of Armoured Vehicles in the Australian Defence Force. He graduated into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps in 1991 and during his more than three decades of service, he has served in an extensive range of command and staff appointments. As an Infantry officer he has commanded at all levels within the Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) and was privileged to be the Commanding Officer of the 6th Battalion RAR. Prior to assuming his current role as Head of Armoured Vehicles, he was the Commander of the 7th Combat Brigade in Brisbane, one of Army's three combat brigades.
Biography
Major General Blain has had the honour of commanding Australian soldiers and serving with partner nations on operations in East Timor and Afghanistan. For his 2010 service in Afghanistan he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Major General Blain was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours, for his performance of duty in a number of appointments, including as a Director General in Force Design Division, Branch Head in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and as the Commander of the 7th Combat Brigade. He has also been awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross for his service in the Directorate of Officer Career Management-Army.
In addition to his undergraduate degree, Major General Blain holds a Master of Business Administration, a Master of Management and is a graduate of the Australian Command and Staff Course, the Australian Institute of Company Directors the Indian Army Higher Defence Orientation Course (2014), and the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies.
Major General Blain is a director on the board of Melbourne Legacy and has a strong interest in the wellbeing of serving members, veterans and their families.
Dr Paul Robards AM
Dr Paul Robards is the Chief Data Integration Officer (CDIO). He is responsible for the Defence Data Strategy and the OneDefence Data Platform, which will enable Defence to better govern, trust, share, discover and use data. He is also responsible for the Defence Artificial Intelligence Centre (DAIC), which will accelerate the adoption of AI in Defence, and ensure appropriate governance and assurance.
Paul also manages the implementation of the Defence Business Integration Program to ensure the right capability investment and intended effects are realised across the Defence enterprise.
Biography
Paul served for over 30 years in the Australian Army. He studied for his Civil Engineering degree at the Australian Defence Force Academy before undertaking postings to engineering units in Sydney, Brisbane and Papua New Guinea. After completing a Masters of Science in Management at the US Naval Postgraduate School in 2001, he worked in Army Headquarters and Defence People Group in roles such as strategic workforce planning, workforce analysis and people policy.
After completing an operations analysis course and training with Defence Science and Technology, he deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 and 2012 as an operations analyst. Following his operational experience, he worked with NATO partners to develop joint doctrine to manage the risk of green-on-blue attacks.
Paul transitioned to the Defence public service in 2019. As a member of the Defence Senior Executive Service, he has worked across a number roles in People Group where he was responsible for delivering HR and people services, the management of HR systems, and HR transformation.
Paul was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2010 Queens' Birthday honours. In 2011, after several years of part-time research, he was conferred a Doctor of Philosophy in Information Science from the US Naval Postgraduate School.
Andrew Garth
Andrew is a well-respected Defence industry leader with over 25 years’ experience in the Defence and Aerospace sector globally. His expertise brings together experiences from both the private and government sectors, giving a unique insight of the intersection of government and industry.
Andrew is the Managing Director of Defence Industry Advisory Services (DIAS), where the national team focusses on providing consulting and hands-on support to businesses as they seek to grow in the Defence sector. Andrew is also a director of Aurora Labs, which is an Australian pioneer of additive
manufacturing for Defence applications.
Biography
Former roles include 10 years in the Australian Public Service which culminated in setting up and running the Centre for Defence Industry Capability (CDIC), which was later transitioned to the Office of Defence Industry Support (ODIS). Prior to joining the APS, Andrew held various roles as an aerospace engineer and program manager across a range of military aerospace programs at BAE SYSTEMS and GKN Aerospace.
Andrew is deeply passionate about innovation and capabilities that industry offers to the Australian Defence Force and our allies.
Adjunct Associate Professor Mick Fielding, PhD
Adjunct Associate Professor Mick Fielding is an accomplished business leader with two decades experience of commercial sector innovation. Mick has a proven track record working closely with end users to generate innovative solutions that pragmatically overcome complex, real-world challenges. Mick has made global contributions to robotics, haptics and immersive training, is a named inventor on several international patents, and has developed foundational IP of several successful defence-tech companies.
Biography
Mick holds a B.Eng (Hons) Robotics, Ph.D Engineering, and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the internationally acclaimed Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation (IISRI), Deakin University.
In 2024 and again in 2025, Mick led the RAIDER Targetry team to victory, receiving the coveted SME of the Year award at the Defence Connect Australian Defence Industry Awards, Australia’s most prestigious defence-industry annual event. RAIDER also received the Advanced Technology award at the 2025 Sunshine Coast Business Awards.
Mick has a passion for the outdoors, education and learning, and once accidently had his initials sent into Earth orbit.