Dr Christine O’Keefe.

Dr Christine O'Keefe: protecting our privacy

Dr Christine O'Keefe is the Science Leader for Privacy and Confidentiality in CSIRO Mathematics, Informatics and Statistics.

• 27 July 2011 | Updated 14 October 2011

Overview

• Current activities
• Background
• Achievements
• Academic qualifications

Current activities

Dr Christine O'Keefe is the Science Leader for Privacy and Confidentiality in CSIRO Mathematics, Informatics and Statistics. 

Her research focuses on developing techniques for:

• analysing databases of sensitive or confidential information while protecting the privacy and confidentiality of individuals or entities represented in the database
• assessing and measuring disclosure risk associated with release or analysis of data.

Background

Dr O'Keefe is a mathematician who has been working with CSIRO since 2000.

Recently she has completed appointments as:

• Operations Director of the Preventative Health National Research Flagship
• Director of the Population Health Research Network Centre for Data Linkage.

Prior activiities included various research and leadership roles within CSIRO, especially in privacy technologies in the health domain.

Academic qualifications

Dr O'Keefe has been awarded a:

• Bachelor of Science with Honours in Pure Mathematics from The University of Adelaide, South Australia, 1982
• Doctor of Philosophy in Pure Mathematics also from The University of Adelaide, 1988
• Master of Business Administration from the Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory, 2008.

Achievements

Dr O’Keefe has been awarded the:

• Newton Turner Career Award 2010 for exceptional senior scientists in CSIRO
• Sir Roland Wilson Prize 2008 for leadership and excellence
• Acumen Alliance Prize for Entrepreneurship and New Venture Planning, 2007
• Accenture Prize for Corporate strategy, 2005
• Australian Mathematical Society Medal for distinguished research in the Mathematical Sciences, 2000
• Hall Medal from the Institute of Combinatorics and its Applications for outstanding contributions to the field, 1996
• RC Heddle Award from The University of Adelaide, South Australia,1982
• Dux of Loreto College, Adelaide, 1977.

She is also a:

• member of the Australian Privacy Advisory Committee
• a Fellow of the Institute of Combinatorics and its Applications
• a Fellow of the Australian Mathematical Society
• a member of the Combinatorial Mathematics Society of Australasia
• an Associate of the Confidentiality and Privacy Group, University of Manchester, United Kingdom.

In 2000 Dr O'Keefe was included on the National Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame Signature Quilt, A Patchwork of Empowerment.

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