Dr Sze How Bong
I am an experienced research professional with a strong background in STEM, encompassing academia, commercialisation, knowledge transfer, infrastructure design and construction, funding and advocacy, through to ISO/IEC quality systems for accredited testing. As a first-generation Australian born overseas in Malaysia; I received my undergraduate and post-graduate qualifications from Murdoch University specializing in therapeutic evaluations of anti-parasitic drugs. While a PhD student, I worked for the $10M pre-seed Murdoch-Westscheme Enterprise Partnership Fund to evaluate early-stage research opportunities and was recruited by the Commercialisation Office to help establish new spin-off companies thereafter. Career highlights included the establishment of start-up companies, NATA-accredited pesticide testing, and I have personally commercialised an accredited test for GM-crops. Separately, a research collaboration with Professor Jeremy Nicholson of Imperial College London catalysed the formation of the nation's first Phenome Centre - The Australian National Phenome Centre (ANPC) - an international centre of research excellence in precision medicine, of which I am now the Head of Operations. My broad experience has allowed me to gain a deep appreciation of the many elements required to sustain a successful STEM ecosystem, and I look forward to being a part of the conversation to inform policy and decision making at a meaningful level.