Grace Corcoran is a Research Fellow and the Senior Policy and Projects Manager in the Security and Geopolitics team at the Australia India Institute. She is particularly interested in Australian foreign and defence policy in Asia, Indian Ocean security, and minilateral cooperation. In her role, she researches security issues across the Indian Ocean, and leads on a project looking at defence and security cooperation between Australia, India and the Republic of Korea.
Grace has over eight years’ experience in designing and delivering high-level dialogues, strategic initiatives, and policy research across South and Southeast Asia. Prior to joining the Institute, Grace managed DFAT-funded social protection programs across the Asia-Pacific at Development Pathways, providing technical policy advice and overseeing a multimillion-dollar regional portfolio. As Program Lead – Diplomacy at Asialink, she directed over 100 strategic initiatives, including the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit Emerging Leaders Dialogue, the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Dialogue, and bilateral forums on digital health, green economy, and strategic engagement across India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
Grace was a member of the New Colombo Plan (NCP) External Advisory Group in 2024, advising the Assistant Foreign Minister on youth mobility and regional education strategy. She was the first NCP Scholar to the Federated States of Micronesia and has undertaken fieldwork and policy roles in Sri Lanka, the Philippines, the Maldives, and Canada. In 2025, Grace was a finalist in Asia Society’s Melbourne Asia Game Changer Awards and was named one of Australia’s Young Women to Watch in International Affairs in 2023. Grace has held leadership positions with Amnesty International Australia and the Victorian Pride Lobby.
Grace holds a Master of Development Studies from the University of Melbourne and a double Bachelor’s degree in Public Health and Global Studies from the Australian Catholic University.