Mark Hodge, CEO
Dr Mark Hodge was appointed inaugural DMTC Chief Executive Officer in June 2008. A professional engineer with a strong background in innovation and technology management, Dr Hodge holds a BEng (Hons) and a PhD (Engineering) from Monash University. He has completed executive management qualifications at the the Ohio State University and the University of Melbourne. In October 2008, he won the Monash Materials Engineering Alumni of the Year award. From 2005-2008, Dr Hodge was Chief Executive of Australian Aerospace and Defence Innovations Ltd (AADI) where he regularly engaged international and Australian defence sector stakeholders. Prior to AADI, Dr Hodge led the Victorian Government’s commercialisation team in developing a new technology commercialisation support program. He spent five years as Senior Engineer and Director of Research and Development for METSS Corporation, a private Defence-sector technology development company in the US and has lectured in materials technology and mechanical engineering at Monash and Victoria universities respectively. Dr Hodge has authored several US patents and is widely published in journals, trade publications and conference proceedings.

Jane Tisdall, Financial Controller
Jane Tisdall holds a bachelor of Business/Arts (Japanese) from Swinburne University. Jane comes to DMTC with 12 years’ experience working in public practice providing accounting, taxation and business advisory services to clients. Throughout this period, Jane has serviced with a diverse range of clients ranging from public unlisted companies, not for profit entities, small to medium sized private entities, self-managed superannuation funds and individual taxpayers. Jane’s experience has provided her with a sound understanding of the business and regulatory environment and an understanding of the importance of tailoring services to meet the specific needs of each client.
Jane is a member of CPA Australia and the Taxation Institute of Australia.

Jim Arthur, Commercial and Security Manager
Jim Arthur joined the DMTC in January 2012 and holds a BSc (Hons) from Australian National University, a MEnvSc from Monash University and a GAICD. With his previous employment at the CAST CRC, he worked closely with industry and researchers to commercialise and transfer technologies from the research sector to companies. He managed CAST’s intellectual property that included a substantial portfolio of patents. Jim also managed the operations of the CRC to meeting corporate, participant and stakeholder expectations.
Prior to CAST, Jim worked with the Strategic Industry Research Foundation where he worked with a diverse range of companies to implement innovation initiatives to improve performance and establish large collaborative R&D ventures.

Glen Ferrarotto, Program Development Manager
Glen Ferrarotto brings over 15 years of wide-ranging Defence experience to DMTC, initially having served in the ADF for over 10 years. During that time Glen rose to the very top of his profession within the Australian Regular Army, serving twice in Afghanistan as part of Australia’s Special Operations Task Group. Glen’s commitment to Defence has assisted him in developing over the ensuing 5 years an impressive career within the broader Australian Defence Industry. Having managed complex Defence Integrated Logistic Programs working with Land Rover Australia and Caterpillar Australia, Glen then moved to the role of Defence Business Development Manager for a large UK based Defence Company. Most recently Glen has established his own consultancy, Ironside Defence & Mining, where he is now providing targeted and highly sought after capability to the Australian Defence Force and Australia’s Mining Industry. Glen is contracted through Ironside to both the Australian Industry and Defence Network and DMTC.

Heidi Garth, Manager – Programs and Communications
Heidi Garth has a Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering (Hons) from RMIT University and extensive aerospace and defence industry knowledge. She has industry experience in aerostructures and composite materials. Heidi Garth has also assisted in the development of strategies for the sustainment of defence and aerospace industries and facilitated several industry investment projects.

Viktor Verijenko, Operations & Education Manager
Dr Viktor Verijenko holds a Masters degree from Kiev Transport University, a PhD from the Kiev Civil Engineering Institute and a Doctor of Science degree from Kiev Polytechnic Institute and State University. Specialising in the fields of structural mechanics and solid mechanics/composite materials, Viktor was involved in several defence industry-related projects between 1977 and 1991, becoming one of the youngest professors in the former Soviet Union. In 1991, Viktor joined the University of Natal, in Durban, South Africa where he ultimately founded and directed the Centre of Composite and Smart Materials and Structures and became Head of the School of Mechanical Engineering. Viktor also established an engineering consultancy focused on research and technology in defence, mining, civil engineering and transport. In 2007, Viktor moved to Australia to take up the role of Research and Technology Manager at Composites CRC. He was instrumental in writing a research proposal for the successful DMTC bid and in setting up a research program on the application of composite materials. In May 2009, Viktor joined DMTC as Operations and Education Manager.

Dr Matt Dargusch, Technology Manager and Propulsion Systems Program Leader
Dr Matt Dargusch started at DMTC in the role of Technology Manager in late 2008. He has extensive engineering experience in both industry and university roles in the area of product and process development and holds a BSc (Hons), PhD and Grad Cert in Technology Management from the University of Queensland and BEd from Queensland University of Technology. Dr Dargusch is the former manager of Sustainability and Aerospace Programs within the CAST Cooperative Research centre where he earned a proven track record in delivering high impact R&D outcomes. His work is published in numerous industry journals and other publications.

Dr Suresh Palanisamy, Air Platforms Program Leader
Dr Suresh Palanisamy is the current Air Platforms Program Leader and also the project leader in a couple of key machining research projects. He has been working in the DMTC research activities from July 2008. He has experience working on a number of industry based research projects within CAST Cooperative Research Centre for more than a decade. He also plays a key role in the engagement of SMEs in the DMTC Queensland node. He holds a B.E. (Mechanical) degree from India, M.E. (Computer Integrated Manufacturing) and a PhD from Swinburne University of Technology in the area of die casting and ultrasonic non-destructive testing. His work is published in number of journals and conference proceedings.

Dr Stephen van Duin, Marine Platforms Program Leader
Stephen van Duin holds a Senior Research Fellow position at the University of Wollongong, Australia where he received his bachelor’s degree with honours and later a Ph.D. in 2007. He originally trained as a Mechanical Engineer at BHP steel for 6 years from 1991 and later joined the Illawarra Technology Cooperation in 1997, which is the commercial arm of the University of Wollongong. As a Project Engineer, he conducted research in the field of microwave and industrial automation and designed several national and international automation systems. Stephen moved to the University of Wollongong in 2000 and has managed several industrial automation projects through the CRC-IMST including successive aerospace automation projects in collaboration with Boeing Hawker de Havilland.

James Sandlin, Armour Applications Program Leader
James Sandlin is responsible for supporting and assisting in the research and commercialisation of projects being undertaken in the DMTC armour research program. He graduated from Monash University in 2001 with an honours degree in Materials Engineering, specialising in metallurgy. In addition to 8+ years of program management in technology and innovation, James has a background in design, development and testing of ballistic armour components.

Deepak Ganga, Membership Liaison Officer
Mr Deepak Ganga holds a BScEng and MScEng from the University of Natal in South Africa, and has completed Project Management courses from the University of Pretoria and University of South Africa. Mr Ganga has wide-ranging technology development experience in industry and university roles in the defence and nuclear power sectors. His career began at the University of Natal in 2004 where, amongst other industry projects, he specialised in turbine shock and vibration modelling for a military aircraft engine maintenance program before joining the nuclear power industry in 2006 as a design engineer on the development of a high temperature, gas cooled reactor. In 2009 Mr Ganga returned to the defence industry as Project Manager for Blast, Impact and Survivability R&D on Landwards Systems until joining DMTC in January 2011 in the role of Membership Liaison Officer.

Suganthini Athiththan, Assistant Accountant
Suganthini Athiththan has been working with DMTC as an accountant since 2009. She is a member of CPA Australia and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (U.K.). Suganthini Athiththan has extensive experience in a diverse range of industries including manufacturing, retail, financial services, law, business and consultancy services.

Bronwynne McPherson, Office Manager
Bronwynne McPherson is responsible for the day-to-day smooth running of the DMTC headquarters. Her wide ranging experience in executive and event management roles adds enormous value to her administrative duties at DMTC. Before starting at DMTC in September 2008, Miss McPherson supported the DSTO Strategic Director responsible for implementing the DFTC program in the role of Executive Assistant.