Prof Peter Shergold AC &Dr Vikram Sharma

National E-Security Awareness Week 2009

June 11, 2009

Information Security for the 21st Century: A quantum leap forward

National E-Security Awareness Week 2009 will run from June 5 - 12.  As part of a national program of events we are delighted to present Professor Peter Shergold and Dr Vikram Sharma of QuintessenceLabs.

Information Security for the 21st Century: A quantum leap forward.
Join Prof Peter Shergold AC and Dr Vikram Sharma of Quintessence Labs for an exploration of the emerging field of quantum cryptography.
Get a sneak preview of the future and Australia’s extraordinary opportunity to take a lead in the emerging field of ultra-secure communications technology – technology that will play a key role in safeguarding critical infrastructure, financial systems, national security, defence, government operations, business and even consumers.

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Peter Shergold (Chairman)

Peter Shergold received a B.A (First Class) from the University of Hull; an M.A. at the University of Illinois; and a PhD in Economics from London School of Economics. He has taught at the University of Illinois, Southampton University, London School of Economics and Pennsylvania State University and has twice been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship. He was elected a Fellow of The Academy of Social Sciences in Australia in 2005. He is also a fellow of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government and of the Institute of Public Administration Australia.

Peter was a CEO in the Australian Public Service for two decades. For five years from February 2003, Dr Shergold was Australia's most senior public administrator serving as Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. He served four Prime Ministers and eight Ministers in both Coalition and Labor governments.

Peter was made a Member in the Order of Australia (AM) for public service on Australia Day 1996. He was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2002. In 2007, he was elevated to Australia's highest award, the Companion in the Order of Australia (AC).

Peter has recently been appointed Professor in the Australian School of Business at the University of New South Wales. He is the Macquarie Group Foundation Chair at the Centre for Social Impact. In addition he is a Senior Visiting Fellow of the Singapore Civil Service College. He serves as a non-executive director on the Board of AMP.

Vikram Sharma (Founder and Chief Executive)

Vikram Sharma is founding director and CEO of QuintessenceLabs Pty Ltd. After realising the potential of quantum cryptography in the early 2000s in California, Vikram sought to commercialise the technology and returned to the Australian National University to work with the Quantum Optics Group in the Department of Physics. QuintessenceLabs emerged from the world-leading research conducted by the group.

Vikram brings with him 20 years experience in building and managing technology companies. Prior to QuintessenceLabs, he founded three successful start-up ventures in the information technology services and hardware spaces. He is a Sloan Fellow from Stanford University, California, and also holds an MSc in computer science and a PhD in quantum physics from the ANU. 

This address will be broadcast on the Australian Public Affairs Network - a-pac on Foxtel channel 607.