Peter Leihn

Professor Peter Leihn serves as Deputy Director of the Data Science Institute at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), within the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology. With over 30 years of experience spanning industry, government, and academia, his career has centered on science and technology development and commercialization. Previously, he held leadership roles including Director of the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer, Business Unit Director at NICTA, and Commercial Director of CSIRO's Data61.

Leihn's research interests focus on applying cutting-edge artificial intelligence and data science to address complex challenges in industry and government. Key areas include technology commercialization, data sovereignty, and software engineering for scalable solutions. His work bridges the gap between academic research and real-world applications, emphasizing trustworthy digital systems and societal impact.

Currently, Leihn leads two significant funded research projects: "Rise of Data Sovereignty" (2025) examining governance frameworks for data control, and "Trend Atlas-Tool Refactoring and Durable Functions Integration" (2025) focused on modernizing software infrastructure. He also acts as a strategic advisor to numerous organizations and contributes to developing the next generation of data scientists through UTS programs.

As an experienced company director and graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Leihn brings strong governance and commercial acumen to his academic role. He collaborates with a distinguished team at the Data Science Institute to advance AI-driven solutions for societal benefit.