The Australian Government’s iLAuNCH Trailblazer has appointed Dr. Matt Richardson to the newly created Director of Space Education Programs role, further investing in the space workforce of the future.
Matt has spent the last decade working in aerospace and defence industries, both in Australia and Japan. Joining UniSQ as an Associate Professor, Matt will contribute to the University’s mission of advancing knowledge, fostering collaboration, and shaping the future of space exploration.
Located at the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ), Matt will lead the development and implementation of innovative space engineering and science programs in collaboration with iLAuNCH partners – the Australian National University (ANU) and the University of South Australia (UniSA).By facilitating career pathways into Space Engineering, iLAuNCH will draw upon the educational expertise from each university partner, and key industry partners. This will support outreach and enable activities from STEM in schools, through to micro-credentialling, and tertiary studies in the form of a Space Engineering Degree to industry PhD pathways.
The Australian Government Trailblazer Universities Program provides dedicated investment to accelerate Australia’s innovation agenda at speed and at scale. The Innovative Launch, Automation, Novel Materials, Communications and Hypersonics (iLAuNCH) Trailblazer is a $180 million program building Australia’s enduring space capability through the commercialization of projects, a fast-track accelerator, and skills development to build the workforce of the future.