Roger Brissenden studied at the University of Adelaide and obtained a BSc (Hons) in Physics and Computing Science in 1985, and five years later was awarded a PhD in Astronomy from the Australian National University.
In 1990 he moved to Boston in the United States to take up a position as an associate of Harvard College Observatory and computer programmer analyst at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, where he was appointed AXAF Project Software Scientist for the NASA mission support contract. In 1993 Roger Brissenden was appointed the manager of the Chandra (formerly AXAF) X-ray Centre where his work with an instrument rivalling the Hubble telescope has resulted in new discoveries, spectacular photographs, and wide acclaim. He assumed the additional role of Flight Director of the Chandra X-ray telescope Mission.
Roger Brissenden's work has been honoured with the NASA Public Service Medal, various NASA and Smithsonian achievement awards and membership of the American Astronomical Society.