On the move | October

FRESH FROM RIO Dr Xiaoling Liu has been announced as QUT’s new chancellor. A former president and CEO of Rio Tinto Minerals in the United States, gaining her PhD at Imperial College London and completing her Bachelor of Engineering in China, Liu has returned home to deepen her connections to the Brisbane and QUT community. “Her industry experience across several continents provides her with a diverse and global perspective that aligns perfectly with the aspirations of many QUT students and graduates,” said vice-chancellor Professor Margaret Sheil, who also praised Liu’s “understanding of higher education as an agent for deep and abiding social change”. THE PERKS OF BEING A DEAN Once the head of the George Institute for Global Health, Professor Vlado Perkovic is now dean of medicine at UNSW Sydney. A top specialist in kidney disease, Perkovic has worked as a nephrologist and general physician, and has lead large-scale clinical trials. He replaces Professor Rodney Phillips, who is moving into the new role of pro vice-chancellor (health) within the university’s Division of Enterprise. “The role will offer many opportunities to make a difference to people’s health and how we train the doctors of the future,” Perkovic said. “Some of the massive global challenges we're facing in health and education – from the epidemic of obesity to the need to manage comorbidities as people live longer – create enormous possibilities to make a real impact.” CFO FOR JCU She studied at James Cook University, and now Danella Forster has returned to take on a new financial role at the university as JCU’s chief financial officer. Forster holds qualifications as a CA, is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, a certified internal auditor (CIA) with the Institute of Internal Auditors, and a has Bachelor of Commerce from JCU. She has over 20 years’ experience spanning leadership and management, operations, finance, IT, HR, marketing, work health and safety, quality management, risk and compliance, with 13 years of that experience in the higher education sector. FEMALE-STRONG LEADERSHIP RMIT has announced the appointment of Professor Martie-Louise Verreynne as its new deputy pro-vice-chancellor (research and innovation) in the College of Business. Her appointment brings the college leadership team to an unprecedented eight female executives out of 12. “I see a significant opportunity for researchers in the college to transform business and society as they work with researchers across the university to solve the grand challenges we face,” said Verreynne, whose remit is to strengthen connections between the college and the university’s innovation and entrepreneurship offerings through its Activator startup hub. “I believe that RMIT is well placed to address these challenges,” she said. GONSKI GOES FOURTH By unanimous decision, USNW has extended David Gonski’s term as chancellor of UNSW Sydney for another four years. A household name advocate of Australian education, and one of the nation’s foremost business leaders and philanthropists, Gonski is the first UNSW alumnus to hold the position. He combines the role with various others, including chairman of the UNSW Foundation and president of the Art Gallery of NSW Trust. “We are fortunate that although the role of chancellor at UNSW is an honorary position without remuneration, David gives it the highest of priorities,” said UNSW vice-chancellor Professor Ian Jacobs. A NATIONAL CHANGE The former deputy leader of the NSW Nationals is now professor of food sustainability at Charles Sturt. Niall Blair has decades of experience in agriculture, working in the NSW upper house to bring reform to water, fisheries, and agricultural research and innovation. “Farming systems are being disrupted through technology and changes in consumer behaviour, and Australia needs to embrace these changes and seize on the opportunities they provide through innovation and research," Blair said. His appointment has been cleared with the NSW Ethics adviser.