Fergus Hanson is a Research Fellow at the Lowy Institute and is the Director of the Lowy Institute Poll Project. The Poll Project conducts annual opinion polling in Australia and periodic polling internationally.

Hanson has a Master’s in International Law from the University of Sydney. His published thesis focused on regional stability in the Pacific.

He worked for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) from 2004 to 2007. From 2005 to 2007 he served at the Australian Embassy in The Hague where he was responsible for Australia’s relations with five international legal organisations and domestic political issues. Prior to joining DFAT, he was a fellow at Cambridge University’s Lauterpacht Research Centre for International Law.