Current as of 06/06/2023

Professor Sciacca has over 30 years experience in government, industry and research sectors. Throughout his career he has been forming collaborations and partnerships in scientific and engineering environments leading to outcomes with impact. He has led several large research and development programs with large teams of scientists and engineers in partnerships between universities, industry and international government agencies primarily in the defence sector. Prof. Sciacca is a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE).

He established the Centre of Expertise in Network Decision and Sensor Systems with DSTG and the University of Melbourne in the 1990s. In DST Group, he held several Senior Executive Service (SES) positions as Chief of research divisions before becoming DSTG Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Science Partnerships in Canberra. He led the development of the first Defence Science Partnerships agreement scheme between over 38 universities and Defence. While Chief of EW and Radar Division he led Australia’s largest US-Australian research program ($120m) in electronic warfare and countermeasures (with US Army CERDEC) and international cooperation programs in Electronic Warfare Systems. He has been an invited reviewer of the 6.1/6.2 electromagnetic combat research programs at US Naval Research Laboratory and was the first international reviewer invited to be part of the review team. He also established international DST offices in Japan while the Chief of Partnerships and Engagement.

Len is currently an Enterprise Professor – Defence Technologies at The University of Melbourne leading the university’s defence research portfolio including US collaborations and partnerships with major defence companies. He started the role in 2016 and the University of Melbourne now has one of the largest defence research programs in Australia including both Australian Defence and US Defense, across several Faculties.

Len is Founder and Managing Director of Australian Systems Research Pty Ltd, a boutique research and development company in advanced defence technology with a focus on Agile Command, Control and Communications including air and missile defence.

Dr Sciacca's career in electrical, computer and electronic engineering spans more than 19 years. He is recognised for his vision, leadership and technical accomplishments in industry, Australian universities, CSIRo and Australian and overseas defence research organisations. He has made substantial research contributions in a diverse range of electrical and electronic engineering disciplines including signal processing control systems, radar sensors, systems engineering and real-time computing. The outcomes of his research have lead to several highly successful commercialisation ventures.

Dr Sciacca is recognised for his strategic research leadership in both government and industry sectors and now leads one of the largest technology divisions in the Defence Science and Technology Organisation.