Dr. Cassandra Steer is Deputy Director – Mission Specialists, of the Australian National University Institute for Space (InSpace). She is also Chair and founder of the Australian Centre for Space Governance. Globally recognised for her expertise in space governance, space law, and space security, she has published widely on these topics, including the application of the law of armed conflict and use of force in outer space. She has consulted to the Australian, Canadian and U.S Departments of Defence, the Australian Space Agency and Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on these issues. She has taught space law and space security at McGill university, the ANU College of Law, the National Security College and the Australian Defence College.

Dr Steer is multilingual, and has lived and worked in five countries, in a range of educational, non-profit and public institutions. She has degrees in philosophy, civil law, international law, international criminal law, and training in common law, comparative law and space law. Dr. Steer is a member of the Australian Space Agency’s Technical Advisory Group for Space Situational Awareness, a member of the Space Traffic Management Committee of the International Academy of Astronautics, and a member of the International Institute of Space Law.