Introduction

An alumni is intended to foster a mutually beneficial relationship between an entity and its former members. With roots in the academic environment, the concept has been applied more widely over recent decades to non-academic entities.

Defence Science and Technology (DST) Group of the Department of Defence has a culture of its employees identifying strongly with the organisation, aided by long average tenure of its staff and also that many have spent their entire working lives in the organisation. Establishing an alumni of former employees adds to the sense of DST as a community and provides a way for former employees to remain part of and continue to contribute to this community. Defence values a relationship with its former staff and has fostered the establishment of this alumni.

While the alumni is not yet formally established as an association, the goal is to move to do so as an association independent of but fostered by DST Group.

Purpose statement

To establish strong, enduring and mutually beneficial relationships between Defence and former Defence Science and Technology staff and among former DST staff.

Objectives:

• develop and maintain mutually beneficial relationships between Defence and former DST staff
• provide a means to help former DST staff retain:
  personal, social and professional linkages; and
  currency with defence science and DST Group
• provide opportunities for members to give back to Defence science and technology and DST staff, in acknowledgement of and in response to their former relationship working within the organisation
• provide members an opportunity to continue contributing to a broad defence science network.

Constitution

A constitution has been drafted in preparation for establishing the association and will be posted here once the association is formalised.

DST History

DST Group has a proud history of delivering innovative science to support the defence of Australia. Defence science work has been conducted in Australia since 1907 and today DST is our nation's second-largest publicly funded research agency.

One feature of the organisation that has remained constant over the past century and more has been the outstanding calibre of DST's people and the high-quality outcomes of their work. See DST's timeline for key moments in its history, or browse through some of its most notable innovations.

Further information on DST Group's history is available here and if you are interested in DST publications, please click here. Of note is the electronic version of the book Fire Across the Desert, which traces the development of Woomera and the Anglo-Australian Project 1946-1980. Release of the electronic version was timed to coincide with the 50th Anniversary celebration of the launch of Australia’s first satellite, WRESAT, from the Woomera Rocket Range on 29 November 1967.

How to join, including eligibility

We welcome the opportunity to maintain a relationship with those who have worked in Defence Science and Technology in any capacity. Application for membership may be made by completing the on line registration form here.

Any former Defence employee working in Defence Science and Technology Group or its predecessor entities is eligible to apply for membership.

Others who have worked within Defence Science and Technology in a different capacity than Defence employee are also invited to apply for membership.