Announces new A$18M National Intelligence and Security Discovery Research Grants
The Department of Defence has selected Jonathan Dean as its new CISO. He already has 17 years of service experience with Defence, having worked within the Defence Science and Technology Group and the Chief Information Office Group. During his time, Dean has built, developed, and supported critically important Cyber security and Cyber Operations capabilities for Defence, ADF and National Security communities.
Dean replaces Lindsay Morgan, who left the CISO position in April this year, for the role of A/NZ director of Government Security at SAP.
The Department has also announced its offering a new research grants program to boost innovation and assist in developing national security and intelligence capacity within Australian universities.
The A$18 million National Intelligence and Security Discovery Research Grants (NISDRG) program is funded by Defence (through its National Security Science and Technology Centre), and the Office of National Intelligence.
The program aims to support research that deepens the understanding of emerging science and technology and addresses intelligence, and national security threats. Through the program, national intelligence and security organisations will engage with researchers to enable Australia’s greatest minds to work together on current important intelligence and security challenges.
The grants will support research that is aligned with priorities identified by the Australian Government in relation to the Intelligence Challenges and National Security Challenges.
It is anticipated the NISDRG program will fund around 12 research grants between A400,000 and A$600,000 per grant, for a period of up to three years.
Applications will be managed by the Australian Research Council (ARC) on behalf of the Office of National Intelligence and Defence. The ARC has long-standing experience in the allocation of research grants through competitive peer review processes.
