{"id":23,"date":"2024-05-07T09:32:52","date_gmt":"2024-05-07T09:32:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025temp\/?page_id=23"},"modified":"2025-11-21T15:46:47","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T05:46:47","slug":"plenary-speakers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/plenary-speakers\/","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We are honoured to announce that the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/statedevelopment.sa.gov.au\/department\/ministers\">Hon Joe Szakacs MP<\/a><\/strong>, South Australia&#8217;s Minister for Trade and Investment, and Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, will officially open MODSIM2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1364\" height=\"1091\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Minister-Szakacs-photo.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-795\" style=\"width:350px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Minister-Szakacs-photo.jpg 1364w, https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Minister-Szakacs-photo-300x240.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Minister-Szakacs-photo-1350x1080.jpg 1350w, https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Minister-Szakacs-photo-768x614.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1364px) 100vw, 1364px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Plenary Speakers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We are delighted to welcome <a href=\"https:\/\/statedevelopment.sa.gov.au\/department\/leadership\/chief-scientist\"><strong>Professor Craig Simmons<\/strong><\/a>, South Australia\u2019s Chief Scientist, as our Sunday plenary speaker. A world-renowned hydrogeologist and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, Professor Simmons has made significant contributions to groundwater research, water resource management, and environmental sustainability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Craig-Simmons-Plenary-MODSIM2025-Abstract-10112025.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:230px\" aria-label=\"Embed of Craig Simmons Plenary MODSIM2025 Abstract 10112025.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-1d1687e4-a8bc-48b0-9471-0b425b500839\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Craig-Simmons-Plenary-MODSIM2025-Abstract-10112025.pdf\">Craig Simmons Plenary MODSIM2025 Abstract 10112025<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Craig-Simmons-Plenary-MODSIM2025-Abstract-10112025.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-1d1687e4-a8bc-48b0-9471-0b425b500839\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Craig-new.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-690\" style=\"width:350px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Craig-new.png 400w, https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Craig-new-214x300.png 214w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\"><div class=\"gb-container gb-container-49ff6107\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Monday Plenary will be delivered by&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.agresearch.co.nz\/about-us\/our-people\/valerie-snow\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Dr Val Snow<\/strong><\/a>, a Principal Scientist at the New Zealand Bioeconomy Science Institute \u2013 AgResearch Group. Her core expertise is in soil physics and process-based modelling. She has applied this expertise across a wide range of domains but concentrating on agricultural systems modelling and land use effects on freshwater. In the application of models, she has been a lead contributor to several regional and national freshwater policy initiatives. Val has contributed to the development of the simulation model APSIM since 1994 and has been a member of the APSIM Initiative Reference Panel since 2007. She was Editor-in-Chief of the journal Agricultural Systems from 2017 to 2024 and currently serves as President of the International Environmental Modelling and Simulation Society (iEMSs). Her efforts and achievements were recognised through Biennial Medals from both MSSANZ and iEMSs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Val-Snow-Plenary-MODSIM2025-Abstract-17112025.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:200px\" aria-label=\"Embed of Val Snow Plenary MODSIM2025 Abstract 17112025.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-b0fc5b55-f884-4c40-b763-ab0da9e6b353\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Val-Snow-Plenary-MODSIM2025-Abstract-17112025.pdf\">Val Snow Plenary MODSIM2025 Abstract 17112025<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Val-Snow-Plenary-MODSIM2025-Abstract-17112025.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-b0fc5b55-f884-4c40-b763-ab0da9e6b353\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1243\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Val_Snow_Headshot-1243x1080.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-778\" style=\"width:350px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Val_Snow_Headshot-1243x1080.jpg 1243w, https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Val_Snow_Headshot-300x261.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Val_Snow_Headshot-768x667.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Val_Snow_Headshot-1536x1335.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Val_Snow_Headshot.jpg 1893w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1243px) 100vw, 1243px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our\u00a0Tuesday plenary will be presented by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dst.defence.gov.au\/staff\/dr-nigel-mcginty\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Dr Nigel McGinty<\/strong><\/a>, Chief of the Human and Decision Sciences Division.\u00a0The division consists of over 290 scientists, technologists, and engineers and spans human performance, optimising decision-making, core operations analysis, modelling, simulation, and war gaming to support the design of the Australian Defence Force. Dr McGinty commenced as Chief in March 2025. Prior to this position, Dr McGinty was the Chief Technology Officer of Science Strategy, Communications and International Engagement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr McGinty is responsible for Defence&#8217;s Innovation Science and Technology Strategy, determining policy direction, and advocacy for Defence science and technology. Throughout his career, Dr McGinty has gained extensive experience in emerging technologies, force design, joint concepts, whole-of-force experimentation, simulation, and strategy. Dr McGinty started his career specialising in signal processing to optimize digital communications systems. Dr McGinty has received three Defence Gold Commendations, a PhD in Telecommunications Engineering from the Australian National University, and a Bachelor of Electronic Engineering from RMIT University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Nigel-McGinty-Plenary-MODSIM2025-Abstract-20112025.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:220px\" aria-label=\"Embed of Nigel McGinty Plenary MODSIM2025 Abstract 20112025.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-b48a825c-55d0-46a6-a442-9eeb79c62f00\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Nigel-McGinty-Plenary-MODSIM2025-Abstract-20112025.pdf\">Nigel McGinty Plenary MODSIM2025 Abstract 20112025<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Nigel-McGinty-Plenary-MODSIM2025-Abstract-20112025.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-b48a825c-55d0-46a6-a442-9eeb79c62f00\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"472\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/nigel-new-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-692\" style=\"width:350px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/nigel-new-1.png 400w, https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/nigel-new-1-254x300.png 254w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-00c5709a\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\"><div class=\"gb-container gb-container-3fef961b\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our Wednesday plenary will be presented by&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sydney.edu.au\/engineering\/about\/our-people\/academic-staff\/lucy-marshall.html\"><strong>Professor Lucy Marshall<\/strong><\/a>, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Community and Leadership), The University of Sydney. Professor Lucy Marshall is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Community and Leadership) at the University of Sydney, where she leads the strategic direction for culture, leadership, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across the institution. An accomplished researcher, Professor Marshall was an Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellow from 2013 to 2018. She held the position of Director of the Water Research Centre from 2020 to 2022 and served as Deputy Director of the ARC Industrial Training Centre in Data Analytics in Resources and Environments from 2020 to 2025. Her contributions to environmental modelling and simulation have been recognised by the Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand (MSSANZ), where she is a Fellow, and she received the International Environmental Modelling and Software Society&#8217;s Biennial Medal for Excellence in Research in 2020.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Lucy-Marshall-Plenary-MODSIM2025-Abstract-18112025.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:200px\" aria-label=\"Embed of Lucy Marshall Plenary MODSIM2025 Abstract 18112025.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-163a3c1e-a4ae-4bc5-a0ae-73fa642b1b7f\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Lucy-Marshall-Plenary-MODSIM2025-Abstract-18112025.pdf\">Lucy Marshall Plenary MODSIM2025 Abstract 18112025<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Lucy-Marshall-Plenary-MODSIM2025-Abstract-18112025.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-163a3c1e-a4ae-4bc5-a0ae-73fa642b1b7f\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"930\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Prof.-Lucy-Marshall-1-930x1080.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-777\" style=\"width:350px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Prof.-Lucy-Marshall-1-930x1080.jpg 930w, https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Prof.-Lucy-Marshall-1-258x300.jpg 258w, https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Prof.-Lucy-Marshall-1-768x892.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Prof.-Lucy-Marshall-1-1323x1536.jpg 1323w, https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Prof.-Lucy-Marshall-1-1764x2048.jpg 1764w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 930px) 100vw, 930px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\"><div class=\"gb-container gb-container-d5ba4c53\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our Thursday mid-career Plenary will be presented by&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sydney.edu.au\/engineering\/about\/our-people\/academic-staff\/conrad-wasko.html\"><strong>Dr Conrad Wasko<\/strong><\/a>, a civil engineer with expertise in environmental hydrology. He holds a prestigious Sydney Horizon Fellowship around future proofing Australia from increasing flood risk. Dr Wasko\u2019s research focuses on understanding the effects of climate change on extreme rainfall and flooding. His findings have been published in high impact international journals and he is on the Stanford Elsevier List of the top 2 per cent of the most-cited researchers worldwide. His work is cited by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and he is a lead author of the current update to the climate change considerations in Australia\u2019s guidelines on flood estimation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Conrad-Wasko-Plenary-MODSIM2025-Abstract-21112025.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:200px\" aria-label=\"Embed of Conrad Wasko Plenary MODSIM2025 Abstract 21112025.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-8398bbce-3bc5-478a-8791-5d7826e5ff67\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Conrad-Wasko-Plenary-MODSIM2025-Abstract-21112025.pdf\">Conrad Wasko Plenary MODSIM2025 Abstract 21112025<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Conrad-Wasko-Plenary-MODSIM2025-Abstract-21112025.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-8398bbce-3bc5-478a-8791-5d7826e5ff67\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"180\" height=\"270\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/resource.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-897\" style=\"width:350px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We are honoured to announce that the Hon Joe Szakacs MP, South Australia&#8217;s Minister for Trade and Investment, and Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, will officially open MODSIM2025. Plenary Speakers We are delighted to welcome Professor Craig Simmons, South Australia\u2019s Chief Scientist, as our Sunday plenary speaker. A world-renowned hydrogeologist and a Fellow of &#8230; <a title=\"\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/plenary-speakers\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about \">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-23","page","type-page","status-publish"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23"}],"version-history":[{"count":31,"href":"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":915,"href":"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23\/revisions\/915"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mssanz.org.au\/modsim2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}