Mr Peter Kerr has been the Coordinator for Defence and National Security within the SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre since November 2019. This role is focused on ensuring SmartSat CRC research is aligned to Defence technology priorities and supports industry development across the space value chain.

Prior to this he spent 34 years working within the Defence Science and Technology Group and defence industry.
His early career from 1985 to 1992 focussed of HF RADAR and included 2 years with AWA at the Jindalee Facility Alice Springs (JFAS) which coincided with the major evaluation trial in 1986 and the first procurement phase for the Jindalee Operational RADAR Network (JORN).
His S&T career has focused on the fields of Radio Frequency (RF) sensors and RF communications, predominantly satellite communications. He was the Principal S&T Advisor to Defence for Military Satellite Communications from 2000 until 2010, a period of time which covered the introduction to service of the Optus C1 satellite, the development and implementation of the Wideband Global SATCOM MoU between Australia and the USA and the decision to fund a hosted UHF SATCOM payload on the Intelsat IS-22 satellite. This also included time as the Defence S&T lead for the CRC that built, launched and operated FEDSAT from 1998.

He has held corporate positions in international engagement, covering the UK, Europe and NATO, and as a Scientific Advisor to the Joint Capabilities Group and to the Chief of Joint Operations (CJOPS).

He played a key role in reforming the Defence innovation system following the release of the 2016 Defence Industry Policy Statement, both within Industry Policy Division and DST Group and has a long-standing interest in productive research collaboration and effective research translation.