Senior figures from Australia’s technology industry have received awards or appointments during 2026 Australia Day ceremonies, including space engineer and astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg, quantum physicist Michelle Simmons, and eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant.

Bennell-Pegg was named Australian of the Year for 2026, after becoming the first astronaut trained under the Australian flag.

She is also the director of space technology at the Australian Space Agency.

Bennell-Pegg used part of her acceptance speech in Canberra on Sunday to call for more Australians to engage with the STEM subjects of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

"For Australia to be able to influence and to contribute to addressing the global issues of the next years, the next century, we need every curious mind engaged, regardless of gender, of background or of postcode,” she said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Bennell-Pegg was “an inspiration to the next generation of Australian scientists, engineers and astronauts”.

“In every way possible, Katherine shows her fellow Australians what we can achieve when we reach for the stars,” he said in a statement.

Innovators make Australia Day Honours List

Several technology experts were recognised for their achievements in the annual Australia Day Honours List by Governor-General Sam Mostyn.

Quantum physicist and former Australian of the Year, Michelle Simmons, was appointed to the second-highest honour — Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) — for her “service to quantum physics and nanotechnology research, to atomic-scale engineering, to technology innovation and commercialisation, and to STEM education”.

Simmons, who is founder and CEO of Silicon Quantum Computing, has spent decades pioneering technologies which allow the production of electronic devices in silicon at the atomic scale.

In a statement to Information Age, Simmons said she liked "pushing the bounds of technology" and praised her "incredible team, who are equally driven".

"We do what we do because we want to make devices that no one else can — new computing tools that will completely change the way humans think and compute," she said.

"There’s only really one reward we crave, and that’s the success of our mission, yet I am grateful for the recognition Australia has given us this Australia Day.

"It’s a reminder that Australia is behind us — that Australians value and believe in what we are doing."

Carbon capture scientist Professor Peter Cook was also appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia for his service to science innovation, policy development, and climate change mitigation.

Electrical engineer and signal processing expert Professor Eliathamby Ambikairajah was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for his service to the field, as well as tertiary education and research.

University of Sydney mathematician professor John Cannon, an expert on algorithms in pure mathematics, was also appointed an Officer for “distinguished service to tertiary education, to mathematical computation, to cryptography, and to the development of algebraic software systems”.

Defence technology expert distinguished professor Saeid Nahavandi from the Swinburne University of Technology was appointed an Officer for his work in education, engineering, defence, robotics, and haptics.

Professor Adrian Paterson, a scientist and engineer who ended his time as CEO of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) in 2020, was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) “for significant service to science in the field of nuclear technology”.

eSafety Commissioner Inman Grant awarded

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant was awarded an Australian Public Service Medal (PSM) “for outstanding public service to the improvement of online safety for Australians”.

As the nation's main online regulator, Inman Grant has been tasked with enforcing Australia’s world-first but controversial under-16s social media ban.

An American by birth who joined the Australian Public Service after more than two decades in the technology industry, Inman Grant said her award reflected the work of her wider team.

“Many will never know the horrors lurking in the darkest corners of the web, the resilience and resolve these roles require, or understand the sacrifices eSafety staff make every day,” she said in a statement.

“This medal extends to my team at the eSafety Commissioner and reflects the best of public service, which we offer gladly to our fellow Australians, most of all our children.”

IT mainframe expert Peter Cottrell was awarded the Public Service Medal for “outstanding public service to Australia’s critical IT infrastructure”.

Cottrell “plays a pivotal role in leading the operation and support of the mainframe platform within Services Australia” — the government agency responsible for Centrelink, Medicare, Child Support, and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs — according to the Governor-General's office.

“With the increasing focus on cybersecurity and new capabilities provided in newer storage hardware, Mr Cottrell has been able to significantly bolster the security of the mainframe platform by encrypting all mainframe data, including sensitive customer and medical information,” Mostyn's office said.

“This progress has also positioned the agency to mitigate future cyber threats.”

The PSM was awarded to Elizabeth Wilson, the inaugural chief information officer of Victoria's Department of Education.

Her work had “delivered transformative leadership in digital capability, driving major improvements in the department’s information technology services”, according to officials.

Malcolm Smith was among those to receive the PSM, notably for “outstanding public service in cybersecurity” over his 18 years of work in Tasmania's department of premier and cabinet.

The 2026 Australia Day Honours List recognised the contributions of 949 Australians, an increase of more than 200 awards from last year's list.