Dr. Johnny Chamata

I am a Professor and Research Fellow with over 25 years of combined academic, research, and industry experience across Asia, the Middle East, and Australia, specialising in technology adoption, AI integration, and digital transformation. My academic career includes senior appointments at the University of South Australia and Curtin University, where I have led and co-authored influential research on AI adoption, drone technology, and emerging mobility systems, secured more than USD 700,000 in competitive research funding, and published extensively in ABDC-ranked journals. I have supervised and mentored doctoral, master’s, MBA, and DBA candidates from multiple countries, and I actively contribute to the academic community as an associate editor, journal reviewer, and advisory panel member for leading international publishers. My research is strongly industry-engaged, translating sociotechnical and behavioural models into practical insights for policymakers, SMEs, and large organisations. In parallel, I bring substantial commercial experience from consultancy and business development roles in Malaysia, the Gulf, and North Africa, where I advised organisations on strategy, operations, project management, and market expansion across ICT, education, and industrial sectors. 

I hold a PhD in Business from Curtin University, where my doctoral research developed a behavioural model for predicting public attitudes toward civil drones, grounded in technology adoption theory. I also earned a Master’s degree in Project Management from Curtin University and a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the Arab Academy for Science and Technology, giving me a strong technical and managerial foundation. In addition, I completed a Diploma in Modern Applied Psychology, strengthening my expertise in human behaviour, decision-making, and organisational change.