Hugh Durrant-Whyte received the B.Sc. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of London, U.K., in 1983, and the M.S.E. and Ph.D. degrees, both in Systems Engineering, from the University of Pennsylvania , U.S.A. , in 1985 and 1986, respectively. From 1987 to 1995, he was a University Lecturer in Engineering Science, the University of Oxford, U.K. and a Fellow of Oriel College Oxford. Since 1995 he has been Professor of Mechatronic Engineering at University of Sydney where he leads the Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR).

He is also Research Director of the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Autonomous Systems, the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) Centre of Expertise in Uninhabited and Autonomous Systems, the Rio Tinto Centre for Mine Automation and the BAE Systems Strategic Partnership in autonomous Systems; all at the University of Sydney . He has been awarded two Australian Research Council (ARC) Federation Fellowships; in 2002 and 2007. His research work focuses on robotics and sensor networks. His work in applications includes automation in cargo handling, surface and underground mining, defence, unmanned flight vehicles and autonomous sub-sea vehicles.  He has published over 350 research papers and has won numerous awards and prizes for his work. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (FAA), the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE), the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (FIEEE), and an IEEE Robotics Society Distinguished Lecturer. He was named the 2008 Professional Engineer of the Year by Engineers Australia Sydney Division.