29 August 2025
Air Force Officer Cadet Charli Mulligan has her sights set on a career that combines her dream to fly with her love of science and maths.
At the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) open day in Canberra, she and her fellow trainee officers wrapped up this year’s National Science Week doing what they love most at the flight simulation display.
Each year, Defence celebrates National Science Week in recognition of the contributions made by science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals to Defence and national security.
Officer Cadet Mulligan said she loved maths and science at school and always dreamt of flying, so a career in aviation was the perfect choice. She will graduate with a UNSW Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in mathematics and aviation.
“I have always been interested in science-based subjects, particularly chemistry, which I enjoyed studying and found I was good at,” she said.
“I love the hands-on aspects of science. Walking into a lab for the first time and getting to do experiments that look at displacement, speed and how weight affects forces really appealed to me.”
Officer Cadet Mulligan is also no stranger to military life. Before applying to ADFA at 17, she’d seen much of the world with her Australian Army dad taking the family on postings across the country and overseas.
She had even been an Australian Army Cadet while at school, but it was the Air Force that won her over in the end.
'I think they’re incredible aircraft and the crew get to do amazing things like humanitarian aid and helping people around the world.'
Her specialisation as mission aircrew will prepare Officer Cadet Mulligan for the Mission Elementary course that will ultimately lead to her being selected for a specific aircraft – she already has one in mind.
“I came to ADFA straight out of high school because I already knew I wanted to join the Air Force and hoped to one day fly in a C-130J Hercules,” she said.
“I think they’re incredible aircraft and the crew get to do amazing things like humanitarian aid and helping people around the world.”
For now, Officer Cadet Mulligan is enjoying campus life. Outside of academic and military commitments, she said ADFA has a wide range of sports and other clubs for trainee officers.
“I’ve always played a lot of team sports like rugby, touch football and soccer growing up. It’s a good way to balance study, stay active and make friends, so it’s great that I get to keep doing that here,” she said.
Officer Cadet Mulligan’s younger brother got to see his big sister’s passion and achievements at ADFA first-hand at the open day, and is hoping to follow her example one day.
STEM skills are critical to Defence now and into the future. There are jobs in STEM at Defence and with defence industry that you cannot do anywhere else – both in and out of uniform.
Find out more about ADFA and Air Force STEM careers at www.adfcareers.gov.au
