Dr Cathy Foley AO PSM was Australia’s ninth Chief Scientist from January 2021 until 2024. Prior to this Dr Foley had a long career at Australia’s national science agency, the CSIRO, including as the agency’s Chief Scientist. Dr Foley is an internationally recognised physicist with major research achievements in superconductors and sensors which led to the development of the LANDTEM sensor system to locate valuable deposits of minerals deep underground.

Dr Foley’s scientific excellence and influential leadership have been recognised with numerous awards and fellowships, an Order of Australia for service to research science and to the advancement of women in physics. She is a Fellow of Australian Academy of Technological Science and Engineering (2008) and is an inspiration to women in STEM across the globe, with her tireless championship for equality and diversity in the STEM sector.

Dr Foley has made outstanding contributions to solid state physics, particularly in the development and application of superconductivity devices. She has tirelessly promoted physics in the community including the furthering of "Women in Science". Dr Foley and her team have developed new superconducting sensors leading to the discovery of extensive new mineral deposits. The team is further developing this technology for application in submarine detection, oil prospecting and the monitoring of food quality. Cathy has given many Plenary Lectures at international conferences, ran a science program on ABC Radio National, is President of teh Australian Institute of Physics and is an inspiration to her staff.