Janis Louise Cocking is a retired Australian

metallurgist Metallurgy is a domain of materials science and engineering that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their inter-metallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are known as alloys. Metallurgy encompasses both the sc ...

. Her last post before retirement was as Chief Science Strategy and Program at

Defence Science and Technology Group The Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) is part of the Australian Department of Defence dedicated to providing science and technology support to safeguard Australia and its national interests. The agency's name was changed from Defence ...

, a branch of the

Department of Defence Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to: Current departments of defence * Department of Defence (Australia) * Department of National Defence (Canada) * Department of Defence (Ireland) * Department of National Defense (Philipp ...

. She retired on 25 July 2018.

Career

Cocking completed her degree in metallurgy at the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...

and started work for Defence Science and Technology Organisation, initially in high-temperature alloys to develop a thermocouple for measuring high temperatures, to extend the life of turbine blades at the hot end of

Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

jet engines. Cocking was appointed as visiting scientist at the

United States Naval Research Laboratory The United States Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is the corporate research laboratory for the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. It was founded in 1923 and conducts basic scientific research, applied research, technological ...

. On her return to Australia, Cocking worked on submarine and air independent propulsion systems, and coordinated a team working to remedy design issues with the ''Collins''-class submarines and has been Research Leader Undersea Platform Systems, DSTO Submarine Science and Technology Co-ordinator, Director of the Maritime Program Office and Chief of Maritime Division before her current role as Chief of Science Strategy and Program Division. She was involved in development of ''Collins''-class submarines, and in the requirements and design for the ''Collins''-class submarine replacement project. She has also been a member of the board of the

Australian Maritime College The Australian Maritime College (AMC) is a tertiary education institution based in Launceston, Tasmania, established by the ''Maritime College Act 1978'' (Cth). Tertiary education is provided and organised by the University of Tasmania (UTAS) as ...

. Cocking was awarded a Doctor of Engineering ''honoris causa'' by the

University of Tasmania The University of Tasmania (UTAS) is a public research university, primarily located in Tasmania, Australia. Founded in 1890, it is Australia's fourth oldest university. Christ College, one of the university's residential colleges, first pro ...

on 23 August 2014. Cocking was awarded a Public Service Medal in the

2018 Queen's Birthday Honours (Australia) The 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours for Australia were announced on 11 June 2018 by the Governor-General, Sir Peter Cosgrove. The Birthday Honours were appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and ...

for her service to Defence science and technology. She has also been elected as a Fellow of the

Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) is a learned academy that helps Australians understand and use technology to solve complex problems. It was founded in 1975 as one of Australia's then four learned academies (now five) ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cocking, Janis Louise Australian metallurgists Australian women scientists Fellows of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering Recipients of the Public Service Medal (Australia) University of Melbourne alumni Living people Year of birth missing (living people)