The Ball Strategic Endowment

Priority area: Leading in our region
Professor Ball’s research, writing, teaching and advisory work has made an indelible mark on Australian defence policy, global strategic thinking and the security architecture of the Asia Pacific region.

The Ball Strategic Endowment marks the career of Professor Desmond Ball, ANU Special Professor of Strategic Studies, 1987 - 2013 and furthers Des' lifelong commitment to academic engagement in some of the world's most sensitive and important areas.

Donations to the Endowment support future generations of scholars who will devote themselves to the concerted study of Australian defence, and the changing security dynamics of the Asia Pacific region.

Specific areas of support include the establishment of The Ball Chair. The Chair is a visiting Professorship that invites leading strategic and defence studies thinkers from around the world come to ANU for a period of three to six months each year.

The work of the Chair will be focused on the field of strategic studies, reflecting the scope of Professor Ball's own work in nuclear strategy and, more recently, cyber strategy.

Who was Des Ball?

After completing his PhD at ANU in 1972, Professor Ball went on to produce more than 60 books and monographs, and innumerable articles, chapters and other outputs. His pioneering contributions to understanding nuclear strategy, Australian defence, signals intelligence, regional security politics, and most recently, conflict in Southeast Asia, have all been motivated by an unflinching commitment to rigour and openness in policy-making.

Your support of the Endowment will help future generations rise to the challenge of Des' masterful example in pursuit of a more just and peaceful world.

Page Owner: Philanthropy