Kate is the Executive Director of the Institute for a Broadband-Enabled Society (IBES) - an interdisciplinary research institute at the University of Melbourne focusing on broadband applications and uses with societal benefits. The Institute actively engages industry with academia in its research that focuses on health, education, social inclusion and community infrastructure. In July 2011 she was awarded the prestigious Australian Communications Industry Young Achiever Award in recognition of her work at IBES.

Kate is also the General Manager of the Centre for Energy-Efficient Telecommunications at IBES, a joint venture between the University of Melbourne, Victorian State Government and Alcatel-Lucent, including the company?s research arm Bell Labs. The activities in the centre focus on increasing the energy-efficiency of telecommunications.

Previously, Kate was the Senior Telecommunications Adviser and Deputy Chief of Staff to Senator Stephen Conroy, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. Her roles included advising on the National Broadband Network policy, consumer issues and regional telecommunications.

Kate Cornick undertook her PhD in optical telecommunications at the University of Melbourne and, as part of her studies, spent time at AT&T Research Laboratories, USA.