New South Wales Government - Office of the Chief Scientist & Engineer

Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte, the current NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer, with Professor Salah Sukkarieh at the Australian Centre for Field Robots. In the foreground is the 'Digital Farmhand' agricultural robot. **Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte** Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte is the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer. [Professor Durrant-Whyte's Curriculum Vitae](https://npd-web.matrix.squiz.cloud/ocse/about/professor-hugh-durrant-whyte-cv). **Office of the Chief Scientist & Engineer** Professor Durrant-Whyte manages the Office of the Chief Scientist & Engineer (OCSE), which has four distinct functions: **Independent Reports** OCSE is tasked with delivering evidence-based scientific advice to government on a range of difficult challenges. In compiling this advice, OCSE assembles panels and committees comprised of eminent academics and experts in relevant fields. Examples of recent work includes independent reports on the [2023 Mass Fish Deaths in the Darling-Baaka River at Menindee](https://npd-web.matrix.squiz.cloud/ocse/independent-reports/menindee-fish-deaths), [Synthetic Turf in Public Spaces](https://npd-web.matrix.squiz.cloud/ocse/independent-reports/archive/synthetic-turf-in-public-spaces) and the annual [Assessment of Summer Preparedness for the NSW Energy Market](https://npd-web.matrix.squiz.cloud/ocse/independent-reports/assessment-of-the-nsw-energy-market). **Research Support** OCSE manages the NSW Government’s [Research Attraction and Acceleration Program](https://npd-web.matrix.squiz.cloud/ocse/research-support), which ensures that NSW attracts and retains researchers and research infrastructure. Support is provided to NSW facilities successful in receiving funding at the Commonwealth level through programs including the [Australian Research Council’s Centres of Excellence](https://npd-web.matrix.squiz.cloud/ocse/news/four-nsw-arc-centres-of-excellence-announced), [National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy](https://npd-web.matrix.squiz.cloud/ocse/research-support/infrastructure-support/national-collaborative-research-infrastructure-strategy) and [Cooperative Research Centres](https://npd-web.matrix.squiz.cloud/ocse/research-support/co-investment-grants/cooperative-research-centres). OCSE also provides sponsorship support to [research conferences](https://npd-web.matrix.squiz.cloud/ocse/research-support/conference-sponsorship-program) held in NSW and manages investment in targeted research, including the Quantum Computing Fund and Macquarie University’s Synthetic Biofoundry.