Dr Kathie McGregor has over 25 years of experience in research, IP, and commercialisation strategy at CSIRO, with a focus on fostering innovation, managing high-stake projects, and leading teams towards groundbreaking technology achievements. 

Kathie is currently a Research Director at CSIRO Manufacturing, with specific responsibility for the Advanced Materials and Processing Program, where she oversees a portfolio of strategic science and commercial projects, as well as manages a team of over 160 staff and affiliates. The program focuses on developing novel materials with designed properties and new processes for scaling to manufacture, aiming for applications across the defence, aerospace, space, and cleantech sectors. She has also led CSIRO’s Active Integrated Matter Future Science Platform, a $60M, 6-year fundamental science initiative that integrated materials science, robotics, processing, sensing technologies, and autonomous science at the convergence of big data, advanced autonomous systems, and materials science.

Kathie has substantial experience in partnering with major companies and SMEs to develop and commercialise innovative technologies, including negotiations to spin out CSIRO technologies.

Kathie has co-supervised 5 PhD students and published over 110 refereed journal papers, conference papers, and commercial in-confidence reports for industrial clients. She is a member of several professional bodies including Materials Australia, and the International Society of Electrochemistry, and has been a Board Member for the Institute of Frontier Materials at Deakin University since 2020.