The AI leader building resilient cities

From using data science to help public transport run on time to building AI models that predict when the pipes carrying a city’s water supply could fail, Professor Fang Chen has played a significant role in improving the systems that keep Australian cities running.

As Executive Director of the UTS Data Science Institute, the many paths of her storied career converge on one destination: the positive impact that algorithms can have on people’s everyday lives.

It’s an ethos that has won her a slew of national and international awards, including a Eureka Prize, NSW Premier’s Prize, and several transport and water industry awards, including most recently 2026 Woman of the Year at the ITS Australia Awards.

She has now been recognised by the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering as a Fellow.

“My work has never been only about algorithms or technical innovation. It has always been about how technology can improve the systems people depend on every day, including clean water, safer roads, reliable transport and resilient infrastructure,” Professor Chen said.

Born in China, Fang completed her PhD there before heading to the United States, where she made the leap from academia to industry. Technology company Motorola brought her to Sydney, where she went on to work at NICTA and CSIRO before joining UTS to head up the Data Science Institute in 2018.

“I remember walking into a transport control room for the first time and seeing technology and human judgement working together in real time. To me, that is where AI is most powerful,” she said.

“AI gives people better tools to make better decisions, not take them out of the decision-making process. It can make sense of enormous amounts of information and complexity, but people still bring the context, judgement and responsibility.”

In Australia, she developed a predictive analytics platform that identifies spots in water and sewer networks where pipes could fail, allowing for proactive maintenance. First used by Sydney Water, it saved nearly $30 million in its 18 months of operation and is used by more than 30 utility companies worldwide.

Professor Chen also developed AI models to help Transport for NSW identify the key factors behind the on time running of trains and buses across the network and understand the ripple effects caused by delays.

She also pioneered cognitive load measurement systems that are used in emergency management environments and delivered impact across the health, agriculture and energy sectors that are central to Australia’s future resilience, productivity and quality of life.

On top of this impressive record of impact, Professor Chen also contributes to policy and assurance around AI and is a strong advocate for its ethical, transparent and responsible use.

For Professor Chen, a consistent focus throughout her career has been turning research into measurable real-world impact, something she believes is increasingly important for Australia in the AI era.

“Australia has excellent research capability, but its real value is realised when research is translated into practical solutions that are trusted, adopted and make a tangible difference,” Professor Chen said.

“AI is most valuable when it helps us address problems that are too complex to solve easily through conventional approaches. The goal is not technology for its own sake, but using it to support better decisions, strengthen the systems we rely on, and deliver better outcomes for people.”