Professor Michael Milford

Director of the QUT Centre for Robotics, Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow, Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering

Michael conducts interdisciplinary fundamental and applied research at the boundary between robotics, neuroscience, computer vision and machine learning. From 2022 – 2027 he is leading a large research team combining bio-inspired and computer science-based approaches to provide a ubiquitous alternative to GPS that does not rely on satellites. His team has worked on patented, award-winning commercial autonomous vehicle navigation technology with companies like Ford and Caterpillar, and been funded by and/or collaborated with organizations like Amazon, Intel and Google Deepmind.

He is also one of Australia’s most in demand experts in technologies including self-driving cars, robotics and artificial intelligence, and is a passionate science communicator and mentor. Michael currently holds the position of Director of the QUT Centre for Robotics, Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow, Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, and is one of only three Australians ever to become a Microsoft Research Faculty Fellow. He recently won the 2025 Eureka Prize for Outstanding Mentor of Researchers.