Dr Milica Symul is Chief Research Development Officer and Executive Director at Flinders University, with 20 years’ experience across research, innovation, and university leadership. She previously served as COO of the $200M iLAuNCH Trailblazer space program, and held senior roles at RMIT, the University of Canberra, and the ANU, where she led research and industry partnerships, business development, and major infrastructure projects. Her track record includes securing over $30M in industry and Defence funding, growing research income by 60%, and establishing institutes and partnerships spanning space, health, and technology sectors. She holds a PhD in Physics from ANU and was a 2025 Global COO Excellence Award winner.

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