Tony Beasley received a B.Sc in Physics (with First-class Honours) in 1986 and a Ph.D. in Astrophysics in 1991 from the University of Sydney. His doctoral thesis examined magnetic field generation and solar-stellar activity in post-main-sequence stars. After graduation, he worked as a astronomer postdoc, staff member and senior manager at the US National Radio Astronomy in Socorro, NM and Charlottesville VA, and project manager for CARMA and ALMA millimeter telescopes (Owens Valley, CA and the Atacama Desert, northern Chile). His career has focused on the construction and management of large scientific facilities.