Giacinta (Gia) Parish is Director, Defence & Security Institute and Professor, School of Engineering at the University of Western Australia; and a Director on the Board of AROSE.

Professor Parish joined UWA after completing a PhD at the University of California, Santa Barbara as a Fulbright Scholar. She has a multidisciplinary background in electronic engineering, materials science and chemistry; particularly advanced semiconductor materials and device technologies. Her main research interests are III-V nitride materials and devices, and more recently porous silicon. Specific interests within these areas currently include development of processing technology, transport studies, and development of novel chemical, bio- and infrared sensors for environmental and industrial monitoring and defence applications.

 In 2024 she was awarded the Science & Technology Excellence in Leadership Award at the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG)'s Innovation, Science & Technology Awards for Excellence. Her contribution to science and technology research and education has also previously been recognised with Senior Membership of the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and as an inaugural Women in Technology WA (WiTWA) ‘20 in 20’ award winner in 2018. As well as Director of UWA DSI she is a member of the Advisory Board for UWA’s International Space Centre.

Director, UWA Defence & Security Institute
Professor , Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering

semiconductor materials and devices

chemical sensors

ion sensors

biosensors

gallium nitride

porous silicon

MEMS