Of the day
Jane O’Dwyer leaves ANU to become CEO of the Cooperative Research Centres Association. She replaces the long-serving Tony Peacock.
Uni Sydney VC Michael Spence receives the Asia-Pacific Leadership Award for 2019 from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. The external relations, fund raising focused council cites Dr Spence for achievements in teaching and research organisation and in particular the university’s corporate fund-raising campaign which reached $1bn in 2019, an Australian first.
Of the week
The Australian Council of Graduate Research announces new executive committee members for 2021. Imelda Whelehan (UWA) is Convenor Elect next year and Convenor in ‘22. She is joined by Anne-Marie Hede (Victoria U), Simon Moss (Charles Darwin U) and Stephan Riek (Uni Sunshine Coast).
The Australian Information Security Association announces its 2020 awards. * Cyber security educator: Box Hill TAFE * Student of the year: Emily Pendlebury (La Trobe U) * Researcher of the year: Matthew Warren (RMIT) * STEM promotion of the year: Charles Sturt U’s “Girls in cyber security advancing” (sic)
Atmospheric scientist Greg Ayers is new chair of the ANU-located National Computational Infrastructure Advisory Board, replacing Michael Barber.
Lyn Griffiths (QUT) wins the outstanding achievement award for 2020 from the Australian MedTech Industry. Professor Griffiths is ED of the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation.
The NSW chapter of the Australian Association for Environmental Education chooses Lesley Hughes (Macquarie U) as the state’s tertiary educator of the year.
The Hunter Medical Research Institute announces its 2020 awards. Research excellence, Nick Talley. Mid-career researcher, Tracy Burrows. Early career, Andrew Gardner. All from Uni Newcastle.
Kelvin Kong (Uni Newcastle) wins the Menzies School of Health Research’s Medallion, “for his leadership in Aboriginal health service delivery, advocacy and research.”
Peter Leggat (James Cook U) is “formally recognised” as the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene’s Distinguished International Fellow.
Helen Lochhead is UNSW’s new PVC Precincts, which are where the university wants to co-locate university, industry and government organisations. Precincts include Randwick health and education (adjacent to UNSW Kensington), Canberra City and the Western Sydney Aerotropolis. Professor Lochhead moves from dean, built environment.
Simon Lucey is appointed co-director of the Australian Institute of Machine Learning at Uni Adelaide. He moves from major AI research centre, Carnegie Mellon U. Prior to Pittsburgh he was at CSIRO.
Tim Marchant is the incoming director of the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute. He moves from Research Dean at Uni Wollongong. Asha Rao (RMIT) was appointed interim director in August following Tim Brown’s announcing he would stand down (CMM August 21)
Enrico Palermo (COO Virgin Galactic) will become head of the Australian Space Agency next month. He will replace Megan Clark who moves to chair the agency’s advisory board.