Big week for appointments, achievements
Of the day
Uni SA announces Viraj Perera as the new head of commercialisation unit, UniSA Ventures. He joins from Malaysian government technology commercialisation platform.
Anthony Capon will be the next director of the Monash Sustainable Development Institute. Professor Capon will join in October, from the University of Sydney, where he is professor of planetary health.
Of the week
Michael McDaniel is NAIDOC scholar of the year. Professor McDaniel is PVC (Indigenous leadership and engagement) at UTS. The NAIDOC citation states he is a proud member of the Kalari Clan of the Wiradjuri Nation, who “has led a distinguished career in Indigenous higher education and has a record of service to the arts, culture and community which spans more than 30 years.”
Shivani Bhandari from CSIRO wins the Astronomical Society of Australia’s Louise Webster Prize for early career research – she found fast radio bursts and tracked them to source galaxy.
The Australian Space Agency’s advisory group is announced; Steven Freeland, (space law, Western Sydney U). Lisa Harvey-Smith, (astrophysics and science comms, Australian Government women in STEM ambassador). Peter Klinken, (chief scientist WA). Pamela Melroy (director, space technology and policy, Nova Systems). Chris Pigram, CSIRO deep earth imaging advisory panel). Frank Robert, (associated VP A. T. Kearney). Margaret Sheil (VC, QUT). Andrew Thomas (SA government space advisor).
La Trobe U announces Russell Hoye is the new dean and head of school of allied health, human services and sport. He moves from PVC research and development and Director of Sport at the university.
The Gonski Institute of Education at UNSW announces two new fellows. Amy Grahamjoins from Charles Darwin U. Fatemah Aminpour moves from UNSW’s built environments faculty.
Biz ed accreditor the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business names Geoff Perry chief officer, Asia Pacific. Professor Perry is DVC at the Auckland University of Technology.
Mark Lamont is the new chair of EduGrowth (“Australia’s education technology and innovation industry hub”). Mr Lamont “directs a portfolio of EdTech companies as co-founder or investor.”
Griffith U has announced the vice chancellor’s research excellence awards;
research leadership: Hamish McCallum (Environmental Futures Research Institute)
early career: Lee Morgenbesser (Griffith Asia Institute and Centre for Governance and Public Policy)
mid-career: Tara McGee, (Griffith Criminology Institute), Jun Zhou, Institute for (Integrated and Intelligent Systems)
research supervision: Seroja Selvanathan, (Griffith Asia Institute)
research group/team award: Claire Rickard, Marie Cooke, Andrew Bulmer, Amanda Ullman, Nicole Marsh, Tricia Kleidon, Josh Byrnes, Gillian Ray-Barruel, Jessica Schults, (Alliance for Vascular Access Teaching and Research team, Menzies Health Institute Queensland)