Of the day

 The Menzies School of Health Research awards its Menzies Medallion to Peter d’Abbs. He is recognised for his, “significant contribution” to research on substance misuse, alcohol and other drug policy issues

Dan Doran is Tanya Plibersek’s new chief of staff. Mr Doran is a long-serving staffer to the Shadow Minister for Education.

Meegan Fitzharris joins ANU as senior fellow in health policy and leadership. Ms FitzHarris is a former health minister in the ACT Labor government. She resigned from the ministry and Legislative Assembly mid-year.

Tim Hume is confirmed as Macquarie U COO, he has acted since June.

Of the week

 Rose Amal (UNSW) is the NSW Scientist of the Year. Professor Amal works on nanomaterials for solar and chemical energy applications. (The other NSW premier’s science award winners are in CMM, Wednesday).

 Bianca Beetson will become Griffith U’s new director of the Indigenous Research Unit in the new year. She now convenes the university’s contemporary Australian Indigenous art programme.

 Martin Cole is the new head of the University of Adelaide School of Agriculture, Food and Wine. He moves from CSIRO, where he is deputy director, agriculture and food.

Carol Evans will become Griffith U PVC Learning and Teaching in February. She joins from the University of Birmingham in the UK.

Sebastian Kaempf (Uni Queensland, political science) wins the 2019 Deborah Gerner Innovative Teaching Award from the International Studies Association.  Dr Kaempf created the Global media, war and technology MOOC (via edX) which has had 9600 enrolments.

Queensland’s chief entrepreneur, Leanne Kemp becomes an adjunct professor at QUT, where she will, “boost entrepreneurship and blockchain initiatives.”

Southern Cross U’s impact award winners are in CMM, yesterday

Green energy business founder (Zen Energy) Richard Turner joins Uni SA as entrepreneur in residence and professor of practice.