Invention to innovation – as listeners you might be thinking don’t these words mean pretty similar things. Our next guest, Larry Marshall, will help you understand that Australia has historically punched above its weight as inventors but have left a bit to be desired in terms of our ability to commercialise and innovate game-changing inventions on home soil.
With a PHD in Physics from Macquarie University in Sydney Larry spent much of his early years studying blue green lasers under professor Jim Piper. Through Jim, Larry was introduced to the dean of research at Standford University Bob Byer, the university where Larry wrote up his thesis on laser physics. Larry’s time in the US saw him spend extended periods in the renowned Silicon Valley where he founded and worked in an array of startups over a period spanning more than 25 years.
More recently, Larry has served as Chief Executive Officer of the CSIRO. From the time of his appointment on 15 January 2015 to the end of his time on 30 June 2023, Larry was the organisations longest serving Chief Executive in the past 50 years.
Larry sought to live his innovation mantra through his leadership of the business. Among his many initiatives, Larry oversaw the creations of the CSIRO Innovation Fund – Main Sequence Ventures, he developed the CSIRO’s ON program (a national science accelerator), and in 2020 Larry led the establishment of CSIRO’s Missions program which aims to bring together research agencies, universities, industry government, and community to tackle urgent problems facing the country.
Larry now sits on the board of the Australian National University where he continues to champion innovation amongst some of our nation’s brightest young minds.
