Dr Kate Brand is the manager of the Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre (ASWFC) within the Bureau of Meteorology’s National Security & Space Program in Adelaide, South Australia. With a background in geophysics, she oversees 24/7 monitoring of solar activity and its potential impacts on Earth and in the near-Earth space. Her team plays a vital role in safeguarding Australia from the disruptive effects of geomagnetic storms, solar radiation storms and solar flares, and their potential impacts to critical infrastructure and national security. She also oversees the Bureau’s Australian Spaceflight Weather Service, which combines terrestrial and space weather services for the space sector – supporting launch, returns and satellite operations.
Kate is an advocate for public engagement in science, recently completing Science & Technology Australia’s Superstars of STEM program, which aims to increase representation of women and non-binary people in STEM.