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February 2026

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Next Gen Connect! This newsletter is designed for the many people who play a role in the Next Generation Graduates Program – students, supervisors, industry partners, project collaborators and the wider CSIRO student community. We look forward to keeping you informed and connected as the program continues to grow.

Meet our student - Aricia Kostouros

Next Gen student research story

Bringing human‑centred design into an AI-enabled future for healthcare

Combining expertise in public health, design and industry practice, PhD candidate Aricia Kostouros explores how generative AI can be used as a meaningful tool to support practical, grounded transformation in complex healthcare systems.

Read more

What's On

29–30 April 2026, Adelaide, South Australia

Quantum Australia Conference 2026

This Conference brings together leading researchers, startups, industry and government to explore how quantum technologies are shaping real-world applications. Focused on “Quantum for Impact: Unlocking Productivity,” the event showcases early-stage research, global insights and pathways from lab to market across quantum computing, sensing and communications.

Register now
28 April 10am-12pm | online

Conference presentation skills workshop

This practical workshop is designed for students who want to deliver clear, engaging conference presentations. Bring a talk or idea and learn how to structure your message, design effective slides, and present with confidence – with chances to practise and get feedback. Email us if you'd like to join!

Email us

Innovations & Insights

Quantum batteries could supercharge the future of quantum computing 

A new quantum-battery‑powered architecture could make future quantum computers faster, more efficient and easier to scale.

How CSIRO is guiding Australia's responsible AI adoption

As AI adoption accelerates, CSIRO is applying science and engineering to build responsible AI systems Australians can trust.

Australia launches National AI Plan to capture opportunities, share benefits and keep Australians safe

The plan sets out a bold vision for harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) to build a fairer, stronger Australia where every person shares the benefits.

New guidance helps Australians identify AI-generated content

The National AI Centre has released new guidance to help business show clearly when they use AI to create or modify digital content.

Note to readers

If you have news, events or updates you'd like featured in an upcoming issue, email Data61-NextGenGrad@csiro.au, we'd love to hear from you!