Datacentres: Storm in a Digital Teacup?

Datacentres: Storm in a Digital Teacup?

Data centres are at the centre of growing public and policy debate, driven by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, cloud computing and digital services. But what does this growth mean for our economy, communities, infrastructure, energy systems and future?

Join the UWA Public Policy Institute and UWA Data Institute for an informed panel discussion bringing together experts from academia and industry to explore the opportunities and challenges presented by the rapid growth of data centres.

The discussion will consider the infrastructure needed to support an AI-powered economy, the energy demands of data centres, their potential to contribute to smarter cities and services, and the broader policy, social and regulatory questions surrounding their development.

The panel will feature short presentations from each panellist, followed by a moderated discussion, Q&A and a short post-event social mixer.

Event details

📅 Wednesday 16 September 2026
🕔 5:15pm to 6:30pm, panel commencing at 5.30pm
📍 Fay Gale Studio, Hackett Hall, The University of Western Australia

Meet the panellists

Anna Zenz
Lecturer and PhD Candidate, UWA Law School
Talk: Contextualising the Data Centre Debate: Purpose, Policy, People

Anna Zenz is a lecturer and PhD candidate at the UWA Law School. Her expertise sits at the intersection of law and technology, regulatory studies, and discourse analysis. She has a particular interest in the role of narratives in framing, driving, and limiting policy and legal discourse around technology. 

Associate Professor Ronnie Das
UWA
Talk: Beyond the Compute: Turning AI Infrastructure into Real-World Impact

Associate Professor Ronnie Das is a researcher in AI, Data Science and Digital Transformation at UWA, with a focus on how AI and big data can improve organisational decision-making, government policy and community outcomes. His interdisciplinary research spans areas including smart cities, transport, renewable energy and digital transformation, with his work informing international policy and attracting significant media attention. Ronnie brings a strong perspective on the practical and societal implications of AI and data-driven technologies.

Associate Professor Xinan Zhang
Associate Professor, UWA School of Engineering
Talk: The Energy Behind the Data Centre Boom

Dr Xinan Zhang is an Associate Professor in the UWA School of Engineering and co-lead of the Power and Clean Energy (PACE) research group. His research focuses on power electronics, electrical machine drives and renewable energy, with particular expertise in the energy systems underpinning the transition to a cleaner and more resilient electricity network. Xinan also leads Industry Engagement for the School of Engineering and has published more than 60 research papers.

Mark Stickells AM
CEO, Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre
Talk: Data Centres: Building the Infrastructure for an AI-Powered Economy

Mark Stickells AM is CEO of the Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre, leading one of Australia’s key high-performance computing and data facilities. With a background spanning energy, resources and technology, Mark brings a strong understanding of the infrastructure and energy challenges associated with the rapid growth of computing and AI. He is a member of Australia’s National Quantum Advisory Committee and a non-executive Director of Science & Technology Australia.

Adam Gardner
Head of Edge and Products, NEXTDC
Talk: A Glimpse into a World Without Data Centres

Adam leads Edge, Product and Presales at NEXTDC Australia’s most innovative Data Centre-as-a-Service provider. Over the last 20 years in data centres, he has focused on developing high-impact services to build the fabric for AI factories, improve customer outcomes while delivering operational resilience and sustainability at the core.

Come along for an open conversation about the future of data centres and whether their rapid growth represents a challenge, an opportunity, or both.