Catherine Ball Keynote Speaker

Scientific Futurist noted for her work in the field of drone technology for environmental conservation
Associate professor at Australian National University in the College of Engineering, Computing and Cybernetics
Champion of Diversity and Inclusion in STEM

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Catherine Ball's Biography

Catherine Ball is an academic, company director, bestselling author, futurist and visioneer working across global projects where emerging technologies meet humanitarian, education and environmental needs.

Having been called a ‘social architect’, Catherine also likes to create businesses and champion movements, search for unicorns, collaborate with peers, and advise current and future game-changers.

A champion of diversity and inclusion, Catherine believes we need points of difference to truly innovate and curate the changes we want to see in the world. Working to protect the natural environment and empowering all members of society through mutual education and respect are core aspects of her chosen projects. As well as supporting Australian start-ups and leaders from all generations; Catherine is particularly passionate about social mobility and equity.

Catherine is proud to be an advisor to a broad range of enterprises and philanthropic organisations; i.e. an international advisory board member for the Schmidt Ocean Institute, and an XPRIZE visioneer and member of their Global Brains Trust.

Catherine’s latest business ventures span angel investments and advisory across the broad emerging technology sector, from insect protein to personalised brain health through AI and neuroscience. Her internationally recognised work on drones and robotics community engagement via the World of Drones and Robotics Global Congress continues and is evolving. Catherine is also proud to be a member of Australia’s Robotics Advisory Council.

Catherine holds a BSc Honours (Environmental Protection), a PhD (Spatial Ecology, Descriptive and Predictive Statistics) both from the University of Newcastle- upon-Tyne in the UK, and recently was awarded a DSc (Doctor of Science Honoris Causa) from Worcester Polytechnic in Massachusetts, USA.

Disconnect to Reconnect: The Future of Humanity in a Tech-Saturated World

In a world where screens dominate our attention and every moment is linked to technology, Diverge explores the growing movement toward intentional disconnection and what it means to be human in a digital age. This talk delves into the themes of digital minimalism, analog rebirth, and the ways in which individuals and companies...

Workplace 2040: AI Colleagues and the Rise of Hybrid Humans

In the not-so-distant future, your colleagues might not be entirely human. As we enter the era of AI-driven workplaces, machines will no longer just assist but work side by side with humans, performing complex tasks with increasing autonomy. In this eye-opening talk, Dr. Catherine Ball explores how human-machine symbiosis will reshape ...

Metaverse to Mars: The Next Generation of Remote Work

Remote work is evolving far beyond video calls and emails. In this talk, Dr. Catherine Ball delves into the future of workspaces, where the metaverse and space technologies converge to redefine how we collaborate. From immersive virtual offices to the application of digital twins and real-time, interplanetary communication systems ...