Appointments: Tanya Monro becomes Defence Chief Scientist

Tanya Monro is the new Chief Defence Scientist. Professor Monro is now DVC R at the University of South Australia. She replaces Alex Zelinsky who moved in November to be VC of the University of Newcastle. Prior to UniSA, Professor Monro was director of the 165-staff ARC biophotonics research centre at the University of Adelaide.

“We need a spectrum of research activity that allows people to bring together really fundamental curiosity-driven research alongside the applied because the two fertilise each other – sometimes pure becomes applied, and vice versa, ” she told David Myton in a 2018 CMM profile, here.

Professor Monro is a poster person for women in STEM In 2017 she marked International Women’s Day with a personal donation of $80 000 over two years to assist women managing research commitments and a new baby (CMM March 17 2017). ““I want the money to be used in ways that release the pressure on women researchers and helps them to keep momentum during their leave or shortly after their return to work without feeling they’ve had to sacrifice time with their baby,” she said.

Other Appointments

UTS VC Attila Brungs is the 2019 chair of the Australian Technology Network. The post rotates annually among the four university members, (QUT left in September).

Roberto Barrero joins QUT as bioinformatics solutions architect in the Office of eResearch.  He recently worked to develop a plant diagnostic toolkit for viruses at the previous Plant Biosecurity CRC.

At UoQ, Louise Hickson moves up to associate dean  – external engagement for the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences. She has been head of the universitys School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.

Former race discrimination commissioner Tim Soutphommasane has joined the University of Sydney as a professor of practice in sociology and political theory.

The Australian Research Data Commons has two new independent directors. Anne-Marie Lansdown (Universities Australia) and Toni Moate (CSIRO).

Yves Bréchet is joining Monash U’s engineering faculty part-time, following six years as France’s high commissioner for atomic energy and alternative energies.

Two new appointments at Swinburne U. Richard Bolt is VP strategy and innovation, leading strategy, commercial, business analytics, campus spaces, audit and risk teams, plus government, legal and integrity. VP and chief financial officer Nancy Collins heads finance, information technology, and facilities and services.

Rosie Hicks will become CEO of the Australian Research Data Commons in April. She moves from the Australian National Fabrication Facility, (micro and nano materials research) after 11 years plus as chief executive

The Academy of Science panel to advise Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on fish kill in the Murray Darling basinTim Flannery, Uni Melbourne. Lee Godden, Uni Melbourne. Quentin Grafton, ANU.  Lesley Head, Uni Melbourne. Richard Kingsford, UNSW. John Williams, ANU.  Sue Jackson, Griffith U. Jenny Davis, Charles Darwin U and Linda Blackall, Uni Melbourne.

 


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