TEQSA announced yesterday Joan Cooper is appointed a commissioner. The former academic and recent chair of TAFE NSW’s academic board has a five-year term at the Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency.

Rod Cam joins NOUS consultants, based in Brisbane. Mr Camm led the Australian Council for Private Education and Training through the VET FEE HELP debacle, and did so with political, well, nous.

Christina Turner is the new HR director at the University of the Sunshine Coast. She replaces Mark Nugent, who has retired.

ANU’s David Lindenmayer is elected a fellow of the Ecological Society of America. In other awards to ANU-ites (ANU-ers?) emeritus professors Tom Griffith (History) and Libby Robin (Environment and Society) are jointly awarded the American Society for Environmental History’s distinguished career award.

Kent Anderson (ex ANU and UWA, now in advisory roles) is renewed as a member of the Australian National Library’s council.

The Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute is expanding its board with five appointments; Anne Baly from consultants PhillipsKPA. Sue Barrell, ex Bureau of Meteorology. Robyn Owens, DVC UWA.  Joe Forbes co-founder of commercial maths and analytics company, Biarri. Andrew Peele, director, Australian Synchrotron.

Ian Watt joins the Australian Maritime Museum Council. Dr Watt wrote the 2016Research Policy and Funding review (CMM December 7 2015).