Clare Collins won the Hunter Medical Research Institute research excellence award on Wednesday night. Professor Collins is a senior research fellow in nutrition and dietetics at the University of Newcastle.

Sally Wheeler is the next dean of law at ANU, moving from Queen’s University in Belfast, where she interim PVC Research and Enterprise.

Linda Kristjanson is appointed to a federal government taskforce on aged care workforce strategy. The Swinburne U VC  has “an extensive research career in palliative care.”

The University of South Australia has announced the appointment of some-time soldier Matt Opie as its director for defence industry collaboration. Mr Opie joins from Saab Australia where he led industry engagement.

John Shine is the new president of the Australian Academy of Science. The biochemist and molecular biologist takes over from Andrew Holmes.

Keith Hill from Curtin University will receive life membership from the Australian Association of Gerontology this week. Professor Hill is head of the school of physiotherapy and exercise science at Curtin.