NSSN Co-Director appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research)
Professor Ben Eggleton has been named Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Sydney. Photo: Supplied.
Professor Ben Eggleton has been appointed to the role of Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Sydney, to ensure research excellence and its translation into meaningful impact. It is a role he will take up in addition to his continuing role as Co-Director of the NSW Smart Sensing Network.
Professor Eggleton is currently the Director of the University of Sydney Nano Institute and a Professor in the School of Physics where he leads a research group in photonics, nanotechnology and smart sensors.
“I am thrilled that we have attracted such an outstanding research leader to our team. Ben has proven himself as an inspirational, collaborative leader who will be key in shaping and refining our research services and supporting an inclusive culture of research excellence,” said Professor Emma Johnston, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research).
“As a highly awarded researcher with a breadth of experience in strategy, external engagement, and commercialisation, Ben will be essential to ensuring our research has tangible impact for local and global communities. Ben is also perfectly placed to strengthen our research support systems and establish new initiatives under the University’s recently announced 2032 Strategy.”
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) has executive responsibility for pivotal areas of the University’s Research Portfolio relating to research policy, performance and conduct including clinical trials, research reporting and compliance. The role has responsibility for research integrity and ethics management.
In accepting the appointment, Professor Eggleton said, “I’m excited to begin this role as we commit to our strategy for the next ten years and to contribute to the University becoming the national leader and internationally recognised for the influence and excellence of its research. The way we operate and engage is critical to both our research performance and making the University a better place to work.
“In my role at Sydney Nano I established a whole-of-university approach to transformational and translational research. This has allowed me to build strong partnerships with all faculties and key internal and external stakeholders. It has given me an appreciation of the challenges in the research and innovation pipeline and how those can be addressed operationally, including streamlining our commercialisation and industry engagement and research grants administration.”
Background
Professor Eggleton obtained a PhD degree in Physics from the University of Sydney and was founding Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Ultrahigh bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems (CUDOS) that was headquartered in the School of Physics from 2003-2017. He was a recipient of a NSW Scientist of the Year Award (Physics and Astronomy) in 2008, Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science in 2011, Eureka Prize Winner of the Defence Science and Technology award in 2020 and the Academic of the Year at the 2022 Defence Industry Awards. Ben is also a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) and the Australian Academy of Science (AAS).
Disclaimer
The NSW Smart Sensing Network (NSSN), a consortium of nine leading universities across NSW and the ACT, is a not-for-profit innovation network that brings together universities, industry and government to translate world-class research into innovative smart sensing solutions that create value for NSW and beyond.