South Australia’s digital security is receiving a major boost with a United Nations University Institute computer science researcher Dr Mamello Thinyane appointed as the inaugural Optus Chair of Cyber Security and Data Science at UniSA. 

“I am excited to be taking up this position and look forward to strengthening collaborations and partnerships with key stakeholders as we address these challenges and exploit the opportunities before us,” Dr Thinyane said. 

Dr Thinyane, who brings over 15 years of international experience in managing digital development projects in Africa, Asia, and Australia, will join UniSA in its collaboration with Optus from the United Nations University Institute in Macao. 

He will lead a team within the Cyber Security Research and Collaboration Hub at Lot 14, focused on innovative research and teaching. 

“It is a real coup for UniSA and the State to secure Dr Mamello Thinyane for this new role, given his global experience in computer science,” Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington AO, UniSA Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise said. 

“Under Dr Thinyane’s leadership, we will develop new technology that Optus and other organisations and sectors, including defence, can deploy to strengthen data security. Our goal is to make South Australia a leading centre of cybersecurity and data science.” 

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The researcher has previously led research into citizen cyber resilience and data and sustainable development for the past six years. Prior to this, he worked at the University of Fort Hare in South Africa and is a former Visiting Researcher at the Australian Centre of Cyber Security at UNSW in Canberra. 

Dr Thinyane’s appointment is a co-funded role, building on the strategic alliance between Optus and UniSA to deliver research outcomes that drive technology innovations for Australia’s most critical industries and educate Australia’s next generation of cyber security and data science specialists.  

“Australia and the global community will not be resilient to the evolving cyber threats until we strengthen the cyber security ecosystem,” Dr Mamello Thinyane said. 

“This partnership between Optus and UniSA provides an opportunity to train the next generation of cyber security professionals, undertake powerful applied research, and to find solutions to some of the most pressing societal cyber security challenges.” 

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Gladys Berejiklian, MD, Enterprise and Business at Optus states that Optus and UniSA partnership along with the appointment of Dr Mamello Thinyane further proves Optus’ dedication to UniSA and the wider university partner ecosystem. 

“We know that this investment will go a long way to helping fight against cyber-crime, which impacts businesses of all sizes, but more importantly, affects Australians that rely on those businesses,” she said. 

“I would like to extend a warm welcome to Dr Mamello Thinyane as he develops a world-class cyber security and data science research program at UniSA. I look forward to seeing the exceptional contributions that he and his students will deliver and hope many of them will look to further their careers helping in the fight against cyber crime after graduating.” 

Eliza Sayon

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Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.

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