Cassandra Steer

Dr. Cassandra Steer is a Senior Lecturer at the Australian National University (ANU) and Associate Expert at the ANU National Security College. As founder and CEO of the Australian Centre for Space Governance, she shapes global space policy through consulting for the UN Institute for Disarmament Research, US, Canadian, and Australian defense agencies, and the Australian Space Agency.

• Current roles: Senior Lecturer (2020–2024), Associate Expert (2025–present)
• Education: PhD in International Law (2014), LLM (2005), and civil law degrees (2004)

Research Interests

Her work spans space security, law of armed conflict in space, space traffic management, and the Women, Peace and Security agenda in extraterrestrial contexts. She advocates for ‘space citizenship’—a framework emphasizing collective responsibility for sustainable space governance.

Scientific Awards

• Fulbright Scholar (2011)

Advising & Grants

She has led expert roundtables for institutions like the McGill Institute for Air and Space Law and directed research centers. Funding sources include the Australian Department of Defence and Department of Foreign Affairs.

Labs & Teams

Founder of the Australian Centre for Space Governance (2020–present) and key member of the International Institute of Space Law and Space Industry Association of Australia.