Syed Ahmed joins Uni Wollongong’s council as a state government appointment. Mr Ahmed has “15 years of senior leadership experience in large corporate enterprises and global consulting firms.”
Catriona Bradshaw (Monash U) is in Time Magazine’s 2025 top 100 health leaders. Professor Bradshaw’s research discovered bacterial vaginosis is a sexually transmitted disease, leading to a revolution in treatment.
Brett Challoner (Brigadier, retired) joins Uni WA’s Defence and Security Institute as an advisor on defence.
Jason Clare continues as Education Minister in the new Government. He is joined by junior minister Julian Hill, charged with international education.
NSW senator Tim Ayres replaces Ed Husic as Industry, Innovation and Science Minister. He was assistant minister for both Trade and Future Made in Australia in the last parliament. He gets a helper, Andrew Charlton who is Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy.
Andrew Giles remains Skills Minister in the Employment portfolio, now led by Amanda Rishworth.
Michael A Cowling moves from CQU to RMIT, where he becomes director of the Hub for Apple Platform Innovation (HAPI).
Jon Faine will present a podcast, “spotlighting current legal issues” in interviews with researchers from Uni Melbourne’s law school. Mr Faine is a former ABC Radio presenter and current VC Fellow at the university.
Denise Fassett (U Tasmania emerita) is inducted to the Tasmanian Nurses and Midwives Honour Roll.
Geoff Lee becomes DVC Western Sydney and External Engagement at Western Sydney U. (It is an internal appointment. Prior to WSU, Professor Lee was variously Skills and Tertiary Education Minister and Corrective Services Minister in NSW Coalition State Governments.
Kirsten McKenzie will be the Whitlam-Fraser visiting professor of Australian Studies at Harvard U, 2026-7, following UNSW’s Megan Davis. Professor McKenzie is an historian who, “delights in following the transnational lives of marginal historical characters.”
Katherine Richards becomes chief engineer at Engineers Australia.Rear Admiral Richards retired from the RAN last year.
Scott Thompson-Whiteside is RMIT Vietnam’s new PVC. He was ED Design at Torrens U.
Lisa Wirihana becomes Dean of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Sciences at CQU. She replaces Moira Williamson.
