PhD title: Japan’s economic security strategies: lessons for Australia
Genna’s policy experience has focused on geostrategic issues in our region, including advising on Australia’s relationship with ASEAN and the Quad, and a posting to Bangkok. She also has trade policy experience, including in the Office of the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment. Her combination of expertise sparked her interest in the increasing intersection between trade, foreign and security policy. She speaks Thai and Japanese.
Genna’s PhD thesis aims to draw lessons for Australia on ways our close partner, Japan, is managing geoeconomic dynamics. Her thesis will examine how Japanese industry has responded to geopolitical risks and the Japanese Government’s economic security policies. She plans to evaluate policy options for Australia to manage geoeconomic risks and will identify opportunities for Australia and Japan to enhance cooperation on geoeconomic issues.
PhD title: Migration, skills shortages and COVID-19
Cecilia joined the public service in 2011 and is a Director at the Treasury. She has worked across a range of areas, including economic forecasting, health and disability policy, and tax and transfer microsimulation modelling. Most recently, she led the team developing Treasury’s macroeconometric model of the Australian economy and the National Economy and Forecasting Unit. She assesses and advises on the economic challenges facing the Australian Government, including the economic impact of COVID-19 and its implications for the Australian economy.
Through her PhD research, Cecilia will examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on immigration flows and what this means for emerging skills shortages in Australia. Cecilia aims to characterise the likely skill shortages in sectors heavily reliant on migrant labour. This will inform policy by assessing the extent to which labour markets will adjust themselves or whether government intervention may be necessary.
Cecilia holds a Master’s Degree in Economics of Public Policy from Barcelona Graduate School of Economics, and a First Class Honours degree in Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from The University of Adelaide.
Bullen, J, Conigrave, B, Elderfield, A, Karmel, C, Lucas, L, Ruberl, H, Stoney, N & Yao A 2021, ‘The Treasury Macroeconometric Model of Australia: Modelling Approach‘, Treasury Paper 2021-09, The Treasury, Canberra
Sir Roland Wilson Scholarship
2022
Nikolai
Drahos
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
Australian National University
PhD title: Governing gas in a world transitioning to net zero
Nikolai has been in the Australian Public Service since 2012, where he has led specialist research and analysis at the Climate Change Authority and the Office of the Chief Economist within the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources.
Nikolai’s research examines a key climate policy challenge – reducing methane emissions from energy and agriculture – and how support for important climate policy reforms can build across industry, finance and civil society.
Ledesma, D & Drahos, N 2018, ‘Prices and crisis: LNG and Australia’s East Coast gas market’, Energy Insight, Vol. 30, Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, Oxford.
Drahos, N 2019, ‘LNG spot price forecasting and the futures curve’, NG147, Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, Oxford.
Drahos, N 2021, 'Australia’s gas trilemma: prices, exports and emissions', Energy Insight, Vol. 100, Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, Oxford.
PhD title: Planning for an influenza pandemic and responding to a COVID-19 pandemic
Kate is an epidemiologist and has been working at the Department of Health and Aged Care since 2008. Between 2020 and 2021, she worked in the National Incident Centre leading a team of epidemiologists and data analysts to provide evidence-based advice and to support public health response policies to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to this, she worked on several other communicable diseases, including influenza, to support the formulation of responsive and effective public health policies and programs across government.
Through her PhD research Kate will examine the applicability of previous pandemic planning assumptions to the epidemiology and public health response for COVID-19. She will also evaluate the role of surveillance and modelling during the COVID-19 response, particularly in Australia, and identify key evidence requirements to enhance public health decision making during future pandemics.
Pennington, K, Bareja, C, Sullivan, S G, Franklin, L J and Raupach J 2016, ‘Editorial – Influenza surveillance in Australia’, Communicable Diseases Intelligence, Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 315-316.
Sullivan, S G, Franklin, L J, Raupach, J, Pennington, K, Bareja, C, de Kluyver, R & National Influenza Surveillance Committee 2016, ‘A brief overview of influenza surveillance systems in Australia, 2015’, Communicable Diseases Intelligence, Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 347-351.
Pennington K, Owen R and Mun J 2017, ‘Annual Report of the National Influenza Surveillance Scheme, 2009’, Communicable Diseases Intelligence, Vol. 41, No, 4, pp. 383-454
PhD title: Accommodating traditional decision-making: An approach to legal plurality in Australia
James is a Special Counsel at the National Indigenous Australians Agency and has worked in the Indigenous Affairs portfolio for over six years, primarily practicing in public law. During this time, he has led teams of lawyers to advise on major legislative reforms (including to native title, land rights and higher education) and the design and establishment of new statutory bodies and reparatory schemes. He has also managed significant litigation on behalf of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the National Indigenous Australians Agency.
Australian public law requires some Indigenous entities to make decisions in accordance with traditional processes. James’ research will critically map and evaluate how Australia’s public law and institutional framework accommodates traditional decision-making in Indigenous entities and recommend where this can be improved.
Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority
Australian National University
PhD title: The curious case of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Authority: Investigating the absence of reforms to facilitate Indigenous self-determination in Australia’s hospital system
Natalie has held a variety of roles across the Commonwealth and NSW public service. She has a strong interest in health and leadership, and is passionate about the development and implementation of programs that provide the best outcomes for all people but particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
In 2009, the National Health and Hospital Reform Commission released a report including 123 recommendations across four themes. The recommendations included substantial reforms to the structure, governance, and funding of Australia's health care system. The government's response the following year supported or noted 122 of the 123 recommendations. One recommendation was rejected - the recommendation to establish a National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Health Authority. This came within a year of Australia's endorsement of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), a declaration which foregrounds the right of Indigenous peoples to self-determination.
The decision to reject the establishment of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Authority appears to be in contradiction to other decisions made in the relation to Indigenous affairs at the time. This research seeks to understand why this reform to facilitate Indigenous self-determination within the Australian hospital system failed to be implemented. It investigates potential structures that might facilitate Indigenous self-determination in the hospital system in Australia, and the reform processes that might be needed to realise them.
Bryant N (2024) 'Introducing Indigenist Critical Policy Analysis: A rights-based approach to analysing public policies and processes', Australian Journal of Social Issues, https://doi.org/10.1002/ajs4.350
Sir Roland Wilson Scholarship
2022
Lyndon
Ang
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Australian National University
PhD title: Filling in the blanks: Methods to maximise the value of administrative and big data for producing statistics
Lyndon has nearly 20 years’ experience as an applied survey statistician at the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and has an excellent sense of the needs and pressures facing a statistical organisation. In recent years, he has driven initiatives at the ABS to develop new methods for using administrative data to produce more efficient statistics.
The increasing availability of large datasets promises to provide significant benefits for policy and decision making, however large datasets can contain inherent flaws. Through his PhD research, Lyndon aims to improve the way we harness and use externally sourced datasets alongside sample surveys to produce statistics that provide reliable conclusions.
Ralphs M & Ang L 2009, ‘Optimised geographies for data reporting: Zone design tools for census output geographies’, Statistics New Zealand Working Paper No 09-01, Statistics New Zealand, Wellington.
Hendrickson L, Taylor D, Ang L, Cao K, Nguyen T & Soriano F 2021, ‘The impact of persistent innovation on Australian firm growth, Prometheus, Vol. 37, No. 3, pp. 241-258.
Tam S-M, Kim J K, Ang L & Pham H 2021, ‘Mining the New Oil for Official Statistics’, in C Hill, P Biemer, T Buskirk, L Japec, A Kirchner, S Kolenikov & L Lyberg (eds), Big Data Meets Survey Science: A Collection of Innovative Methods. John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey, pp.339- 359.
Tam S M, Trewin A & Ang L 2022, ‘Error analysis for hybrid estimates of proportion using big data’ Statistical Journal of the IAOS, Preprint, https://doi.org/10.3233/SJI-210924
Ang L, Clark R, Loong B, Holmberg A 2025, 'An Empirical Comparison of Methds to Produce Business Statistics Using Non-Probability Data', Journal of Official Statistics 41(1):3-34.
PhD title: Nga’ira gi’yam; niyila: An Indigenous Data Governance Model for the APS
Timothy joined the Australian Public Service in 2009 and has seen first-hand the importance of good policy and how it impacts the lives of Australians. He has a vested interest in discussions on social and Indigenous policy. Timothy brings to the table a unique perspective in relation to public policy that will have an impact on the people closest to him.
Through his PhD research, Timothy will examine Australian Public Service data governance frameworks and practices. With this knowledge, he will explore how the Maiam nayri Wingara Indigenous Data Sovereignty Principles can be applied to an Indigenous Data Governance model for the Australian Public Service. The research will contribute to improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's socioeconomic outcomes by moving towards economic empowerment and forming a pathway to self-determination.
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
The Australian National University
Master of Business Administration
Carlyn brings over 30 years of experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs, driving cultural, social, and economic opportunities at local, state, and national levels.
Since joining the Australian Public Service in 2000, she has taken on influential leadership roles, and she now serves as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
Her MBA from the Australian National University deepened her expertise in strategic leadership, governance, and economic development—enhancing her ability to foster impactful partnerships between Indigenous communities, businesses, and government.
Passionate about creating lasting change, Carlyn remains committed to strengthening pathways for Indigenous advancement and ensuring meaningful collaboration across sectors.
Emily Pugin is a Kombumerri woman from the Gold Coast, Queensland. She joined the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT) in 2013 and has worked across Australia’s foreign policy, international development, multilateral and trade portfolios. Most recently, Emily was posted as a diplomat to Australia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Vienna, Austria, where she had a range of multilateral and bilateral responsibilities to advance Australia’s interests. Emily lead Australia’s engagement at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime where she negotiated international drugs policy and represented Australia at the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, which covers a range of global security issues. Emily has also managed Australia’s bilateral relationships with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Slovakia. Emily is undertaking a Master of Public Policy at ANU’s Crawford School and will return to DFAT upon completion to further her contribution to the development and implementation of Australia’s foreign policy.
The Sir Roland Wilson Foundation is a partnership between The Australian National University, Charles Darwin University and the Australian Public Service.
