Keynote Speakers

Professor Judy Bowen

Professor Judy Bowen is a Professor in Software Engineering in Au Reikura / School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Waikato. Originally from South Wales, Judy moved to New Zealand in 1999 and completed her MSc and PhD at the University of Waikato, both focussed on the use of formal methods for interactive system design. Her research spans the disciplines of software engineering and human-centred computing and focusses on interactive system design, model-driven development and testing, and the impacts of new technology on end-users. She leads the Human-Centred Computing group at the University of Waikato and has run projects on wearable technology in the workplace, medical device design and model-driven development. Her current research focuses on how AI can be meaningfully and usefully incorporated into real-world domains such as healthcare.

Emeritus Professor Bruce Thomas

Professor Bruce Thomas is currently an Emeritus Professor at Adelaide University. His current research interests include the following: user interfaces, augmented reality, virtual reality, visualisation, wearable computers, CSCW, tabletop display interfaces, and the use of cognitive psychology in virtual environments research. He has served in many roles for the IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality, IEEE Virtual Reality, and IEEE/ACM International Symposium on Wearable Computers, including program chair, general chair and on the steering committee. He also founded the ACM Interactive Surfaces and Spaces Conference (formerly IEEE Tabletop). He is a member of the IEEE VGTC Virtual Reality Academy, 2025 IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (ISMAR) Career Impact Award, and the ACM International Symposium on Wearable Computers (ISWC) 20-Year Impact Award. Prof. Thomas' academic qualifications include the following: a BA in Physics from George Washington University, an MS in Computer Science from the University of Virginia, and a PhD in Computer Science from Flinders University. Prof. Thomas has over 350 publications and has been cited over 14500 times.

Professor Rachael McDonald

Professor Rachael McDonald is an occupational therapist, health researcher and innovation leader specialising in assistive technology and healthcare innovation. Her research brings together design, engineering, allied health, industry and people with lived experience to co-design technologies, services and systems that improve health, participation and quality of life for people with disability, older adults and other underserved populations. Her work spans inclusive design, rehabilitation engineering, implementation science, health service innovation and research translation. Rachael is Professor of Practice and Director of MedTechVic at Swinburne University of Technology, where she leads multidisciplinary collaborations across universities, health services, government and industry to accelerate the development, evaluation and implementation of innovative medical and assistive technologies. Her current research focuses on co-design methodologies, disability innovation, assistive and medical technologies, ageing, neurological conditions, health system transformation, and translating research into policy, practice and sustainable impact.