Dr Peter Connolly, DSC, CSC

Dr Peter Connolly is a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the United States Studies Centre. He is a strategist and researcher with extensive knowledge of international relations and geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific, and significant experience in defence and national security. His research and operational experience have connected strategy to tactical challenges on the ground, forming strong networks in the Pacific and amongst Australia’s allies and partners.

During a distinguished military career of more than three decades as an infantryman Pete served in combat, Parliament House, and on the Joint Staff in the Pentagon. He commanded teams at platoon, company and battle group level on active service in Somalia, Timor-Leste and Afghanistan. He subsequently directed force structure development for Australia’s Department of Defence, engagement on Afghanistan for the US Joint Staff, international engagement for the Australian Army, and the Australian Army Research Centre. He now advises the Australian Chief of Joint Operations on the Pacific

Pete holds a PhD in International, Political and Strategic Studies from ANU (2023) with a dissertation entitled Statecraft and Pushback: Delivering China’s grand strategy in Melanesia 2014-2022. He has a Bachelor of Arts in History and Politics with Honours from UNSW Canberra, a Masters of International Relations from Deakin and a Masters of Management in Defence from UC. He is a Senior Visiting Fellow with SINU in Honiara, a Visiting Fellow at UNSW Canberra and CSIS in Washington, DC.