Adjunct Professor Michael Davis AO is a former Chair of the Space Industry Association of Australia.
He holds the degrees of Bachelor of Laws from the University of Adelaide, Australia and Master of Space Studies from the International Space University in Strasbourg, France.
Michael practised law for 41 years, including 22 years as a partner of Ward & Partners, a major South Australian legal firm. In 2002 he co-founded Adelta Legal, a specialist commercial law firm, retiring from legal practice in 2014.
His volunteer service in the space sector includes five years as Chair of the Space Industry Association of Australia and 20 years’ membership of the Board of that organisation.
Michael proposed Adelaide as the host of the International Astronautical Congress which was held in 2017, and chaired the Congress Local Organising Committee for that event. He was a leading advocate for the establishment of the Australian Space Agency, an Australian Government decision announced at the Congress.
Michael also played a key role in organising a number of International Space University programs and courses in Australia including the Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program which is held annually in Adelaide.