Dr Larry Marshall is Chief Executive of CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency and innovation catalyst. For almost a century, CSIRO has translated excellent science into profound impact for the benefit of all Australians and the world. This impact has come in the form of WiFi, plastic banknotes, extended wear contact lenses and insect repellent, just to name a few.
Larry is a scientist, technology innovator and business leader with a wealth of experience in creating new value and impact with science. He was born in Sydney and received his PhD in physics at Macquarie University then left Australia in 1988.
He began his career in the USA where he pioneered a new field in semiconductor lasers and non-Linear optics most notably creating the eyesafe laser which enabled wide use of lasers without eye hazard, and a Newhouse generation of optical parametric oscillators creating tuneable solid state green, blue, and UV laser sources. He created the first solid-state ophthalmic laser curing blindness in diabetics and enabled his first IPO in 1996. He worked closely with his PhD examiner at Stanford, licensing several technologies and spinning out students and startups from their prestigious labs.
Prior to joining CSIRO, Larry had 25 years’ experience as an international technology entrepreneur. He has over 100 peer reviewed publications and conference papers, holds 20 patents and has founded six successful United States companies in biotechnology, photonics, telecommunications and semiconductors.
He has been a passionate supporter of Australian innovation since the 90s, and has helped both sides of government to improve Australia’s innovation performance, including giving up his career in the US to take up the leadership of CSIRO which he believes is the fulcrum to pivot Australia’s economy.
Check out Larry on the panel “Australia –Are We Innovating or Stagnating?” at the 2016 Advance Global Australian Summit and the panel “The Next Big Wave: Directions for Australian Innovation” at the 2015 Advance Global Australian Summit.
