Dr Catherine Ball PhD

Academic at ANU’s School of Cybernetics, Bestselling Author, Futurist and Visioneer

Award-winning scientific futurist, author and technology leader, Associate Professor Dr Catherine Ball is a trusted voice on emerging technologies, sustainability, and the future of work — inspiring audiences to navigate and shape the digital world with purpose.

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An academic, company director, bestselling author, futurist and visioneer, Associate Professor, Dr Catherine Ball works across global projects where emerging technologies meet humanitarian, education and environmental needs.

Having been called a ‘social architect’, Catherine also likes to create businesses and champion movements, search for unicorns, collaborate with peers, and advise current and future game-changers.

A champion of diversity and inclusion, Catherine believes we need points of difference to truly innovate and curate the changes we want to see in the world. Working to protect the natural environment and empowering all members of society through mutual education and respect are core aspects of her chosen projects. As well as supporting Australian start-ups and leaders from all generations; Catherine is particularly passionate about social mobility and equity.

Catherine is proud to be an advisor to a broad range of enterprises and philanthropic organisations; i.e. an international advisory board member for the Schmidt Ocean Institute, and an XPRIZE visioneer and member of their Global Brains Trust.

Catherine’s latest business ventures span angel investments and advisory across the broad emerging technology sector, from insect protein to personalised brain health through AI and neuroscience. Her internationally recognised work on drones and robotics community engagement via the World of Drones and Robotics Global Congress continues and is evolving. Catherine is also proud to be a member of Australia’s Robotics Advisory Council.

Catherine holds a BSc Honours (Environmental Protection), and a PhD (Spatial Ecology, Descriptive and Predictive Statistics) both from the University of Newcastle- upon-Tyne in the UK, and recently was awarded a DSc (Doctor of Science Honoris Causa) from Worcester Polytechnic in Massachusetts, USA.

Catherine lives in Sydney, Australia, with operations out of Los Angeles and London.

Topics

Current Trends

  • Chat GPT
  • Analog knowledge in digital world
  • Generative AI
  • Web 3
  • Metaverse
  • How to think like a futurist

Business

  • Industry 5.0
  • The New Director
  • Sustainability
  • Future of Work

Innovation

  • Creativity
  • Future Technology
  • Science & Engineering
  • Robotics
  • Cyber Security
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Drones & Robotics

Motivation

  • Goal Kicking
  • Resilience
  • Recovery from Failure

Politics and Advocacy

  • Environment & Climate Change
  • Communcation & New Media
  • STEM economics
Catherine had our audience in the palm of her hands as she toured them through future trends and used her unique way of truth telling to call them to action to help shape a better world. CoreNet Global
The feedback we received from brokers and our executive team was overwhelmingly positive, and your efforts played a significant role in the overall success of the event. Your focus on delivering insightful and engaging content made a lasting impact. Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia
Catherine was an integral part of our Palo Alto Networks, Ignite on Tour, participating in three key speaking engagements: as a Women in Cyber panelist, Keynote Speaker, and AI Expert Panelist. She transformed each of these events from good to great! Her keynote was thought-provoking, funny, and engaging Palo Alto Networks
Dr Catherine Ball shared so many interesting and thought provoking applications of AI for the good of humanity in the near future as well as confirming that businesses and governments need to embrace AI in an ethical and responsible way to propel them forward. Thank you Catherine, you were amazing Opentext