High-Performance Computing (HPC) and Quantum Computing (QC): From global disease modelling to cyber security - solving real-world problems at hyper-speed.

Join the incredible WiTWA community and leading industry experts as we explore the topics of high-performance and quantum computing. Hear from our panelists as they share their experience using this incredibly fast technology in their roles and research to help solve real-world problems.

Meet our amazing speaker line-up:

⭐ Dr Sarah Beecroft - Keynote Speaker & Moderator ⭐

Life Sciences Supercomputing Specialist @ Pawsey Supercomputing Centre

Sarah Beecroft has a research background in the genetics of neuromuscular disease, she had already experienced firsthand how genetics research is becoming increasingly reliant on computational power. She regularly needed to apply coding skills to examine the complexities of biological phenomena, entering the realm of bioinformatics. In a happy professional development, Sarah discovered that she thrives on the analytical challenge of coding, and now extends that expertise to help other researchers who may be less comfortable with the newest HPC tools available in genetics research. As Pawsey’s Bioinformatics Applications Specialist, Sarah provides training and development about using Pawsey resources and upskills researchers to apply them to biological questions. She also directly assists researchers with problems through the helpdesk, implements computational pipelines that are easy to run and well-documented, and generally builds the supportive infrastructure around the developing bioinformatics ‘community of practice’.

⭐ Fathima Haseen - Panelist ⭐

Education and Training Lead @ Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre

Fathima Haseen is an education and training specialist at Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre with over 17 years of experience designing, developing, and delivering successful training programs across various industries and sectors. She has worked within the British, American, and Australian education systems and has significant expertise in adult education. She also brings extensive leadership experience in staff development, process and productivity improvements, and overall performance management. In her role at Pawsey, Fathima focuses on high-performance computing (HPC) education and training, equipping HPC users with the skills needed to leverage supercomputing power effectively. Fathima is also passionate about education and outreach, supporting upskilling at all levels.

⭐ Professor Melissa Penny - Panelist ⭐

Professor Fiona Stanley Chair in Child Health Research PhD, PD, BSc (Hons) @ The Kids Research Institute

Melissa Penny is a Professor and the inaugural Fiona Stanley Chair in Child Health Research at the University of Western Australia and Telethon Kids Institute. Recently relocating to Australia from Switzerland she currently heads the Intervention and Infectious Disease Modelling research team at Telethon Kids Institute. Until December 2023 she was a Professor at the University of Basel (Switzerland), Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), heading the Disease Modelling Research unit. She has more than 18 years’ experience in developing mathematical and computational models to provide quantitative and model-based evidence to support infectious disease control and elimination decisions, in particular for product development, for policy decisions on new tools, or for intervention mixes in geographic settings. Melissa leads and has led international multi-institute consortiums to provide evidence to WHO and other stakeholders for decision making on new malaria interventions. Her recent research focuses on developing data and epidemiology informed mathematical models and associated algorithms to understand pathogen, host and intervention dynamics, with the goal to inform decisions during product development through to implementation and policy recommendations. This includes machine learning applications with complex models for model calibration and for insights into epidemiological and intervention data.

⭐ Patricia Agudelo Romero - Panelist ⭐

Postdoctoral Research Officer, Eng, MSc, PhD @ The Kids Research Institute

Patricia Agudelo-Romero holds an engineering bachelor from the University of Los Llanos (Colombia), along with a Masters and PhD degrees from the National School of Public Health of Spain and the Polytechnical University of Valencia. She has since held postdoctoral positions in the University of Lisbon (Portugal) and the University of Western Australia, and was a postdoctoral visitor in the University of Barcelona and University of Logroño (Spain). Her research explores the interactions of microorganisms and their hosts using different omics approaches, working in both plant and medical sciences. Currently, her main focus is the host-microorganism interaction in paediatric chronic respiratory diseases, including microbial clinical genomics. As a computational biologist and bioinformatician, she is leading a platform for virus discovery and annotation using metagenomics data and dual-RNAseq. She has a strong interest in characterising the virome within the microbiome and analysing its role in human health and disease.

⭐ Tara Lie - Panelist ⭐

Cyber Security Professional and PhD candidate - Information and Technology Governance Manager, Information Services Division @ Department of Water and Environmental Regulation

Tara is a seasoned cyber security professional with a deep focus on Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) and awareness. With extensive experience as both a GRC consultant and analyst in the private and non-profit sectors, she now leads as the Information & Technology Governance Manager at the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation. Her role highlights her commitment to strengthening cyber security frameworks and ensuring robust, risk-aware environments in complex organisational settings. Passionate about the future of cyber security, Tara has embarked on a PhD journey at Edith Cowan University’s School of Science, where she is researching cyber security in the post-quantum era. Drawing on a rich academic background in pure mathematics and physics, she is especially dedicated to advancing post-quantum cryptography and implementing quantum-resilient security controls, a field in which she aims to contribute high-quality, impactful research. Tara is certified in risk quantification through the OpenFAIR program and actively translates technical articles for Red Hot Cyber, an Italian cyber security news website, utilising her bilingual fluency in English and Italian.

Agenda:

5:15pm - 5.30pm: Registration opens
5.30pm - 5.40pm: Welcome and Introductions
5.40pm - 6.30pm: TechXchange keynote address and panelist presentations
6.30pm - 7.30pm: Networking and Refreshments

Note: Please let us know of any dietary requirements when registering for the event.

The power of a network is something, we at WiTWA, capture with our tagline "If you can see her, you can be her", and we know you will leave feeling inspired!

Thank you to our Venue Sponsor Bankwest, who have helped make this event possible.