Keith Joiner

Dr Keith Joiner, CSC, PhD, MSc, MMgmt, BEng(Aero), CPPD, CPEng, is a Senior Lecturer in Test and Evaluation in the School of Engineering and Technology at UNSW Canberra, University of New South Wales. He joined the Australian Air Force in 1985, advancing through roles as aeronautical engineer, design engineer for aircraft and missiles, project engineering manager, chief engineer for several aircraft types, base commander for an airfield and domestic infrastructure, and teacher over a 30-year career. From 2010 to 2014, he served as Director-General of Test and Evaluation for the Australian Defence Force, overseeing defence-wide test and evaluation policy, trials for new capabilities, and operational evaluations. In this position, he testified to the Senate Inquiry into Defence Procurement in 2012, developed reforms tasked by Service Chiefs, and was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross. In 2009, he performed wartime service as a plans officer in Baghdad for the Multi-National Force Iraq, earning the United States Meritorious Service Medal. Dr Joiner holds a PhD in Calculus Education, a Master of Science in Aerospace Systems Engineering with distinction from Loughborough University, a Master of Management, and a Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering. He is a Certified Practising Project Director with the Australian Institute of Project Management and a Certified Practising Engineer with Engineers Australia.

Since joining UNSW in 2015, Dr Joiner's research specializations encompass defence test and evaluation of complex systems and platforms across land, maritime, aerospace, and joint domains, cybersecurity assurance, complex systems governance, human factors, anthropometrics for submarines and combat vehicles, cyber-physical systems, aviation safety, and drone technology. He has authored or co-authored 77 journal articles, 10 book chapters, 55 conference papers, and more, with notable works including 'Enhancing Pilot ‘Mission’ Projection Through a Virtual Reality Flight Simulator: A Quasi-Transfer of Training Study' (2026), 'The Impact of a Structured Training Program on the Depth Perception of Ab Initio Drone Pilots' (2026), 'Drone approach parameters leading to lower stress sheep flocking and movement: sky shepherding' (2021), 'Modelling workforce employability pipelines for organisational resilience' (2021), and 'Architectural choices for cyber resilience' (2019). As Chief Editor of the ITEA Journal of Testing, he contributes to the international test and evaluation community, influencing defence acquisition, systems engineering, and engineering education.

Professional Email: k.joiner@adfa.edu.au