Dr. Marlene Kanga AM has been listed among the 100 engineers that have contributed to Australian engineering at the centenary of Engineers Australia and among Australia's top 10 women engineers and a Westpac Women of Influence. She has been National president of Engineers Australia (2013), the second woman to do so in 97 years, and president of the World Federation of Engineering Organisations in 2018-2019, leading engineering institutions from 100 nations. She is a board member of Australia's leading public sector organisations including Airservices Australia, Sydney Water and Standards Australia. She was a board member of Innovation Australia, leading Australia's national innovation strategy and Asialink, leading Australia's engagement with Asia. She is an advocate for innovation and the commercialisation of Australia's research and is a mentor to several start-ups, a board member of various networks to promote innovation and a founding director of iOmniscient Pty. Ltd. which has developed artificial intelligence video technologies..

Marlene is an advocate of the role of science and engineering in driving the economy and enabling social and economic benefits. She successfully led the proposal to declare 4th March every year as "World Engineering Day", the first international day for engineering, declared by UNESCO and celebrated for the first time in 2020. Her message on the role of engineers in in advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals for a holistic approach to development that encompasses the impacts on people, the planet and the economy has been embraced widely by the profession.

Areas of Expertise