Cybersecurity expert receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Chris Goetze is Swinburne’s go-to person for cybersecurity threats and complex technology issues. He’s an expert of our systems, workflows and architecture, an innovator, a calm presence in times of stress who has worked tirelessly to protect Swinburne and our community throughout his career.

Those are just some of the reasons Chris was honoured at Swinburne’s Vice-Chancellor’s Awards 2020 with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

For many at Swinburne, Chris Goetze is the face of cybersecurity. He’s always the first on hand – often out of hours – to thwart phishing campaigns and cyber threats. But he’s not just reactive. Chris’ involvement in wider cybersecurity networks means he learns about potential vulnerabilities or issues early, and works to mitigate Swinburne’s exposure before it becomes a problem.

“His peers describe him as dedicated, composed, a cool head, and a critical thinker in times of need,” says Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Pascale Quester.

“He is known as an outstanding cybersecurity analyst. He regularly goes above and beyond to protect Swinburne and our community, and for that we are forever grateful,” she adds.

From student to leader

Chris started at Swinburne as a student. He studied electrical engineering, then transferred to electronics. He got a job in the AV department changing the globes in overhead projectors before jumping into a role with IT support. He’s now a Senior Security Analyst and is instrumental in protecting Swinburne’s reputation, data, technology and people.

Chris has grown up alongside the university, from a kid straight out of high school to a married father of two. 

People sometimes ask him, ‘Isn’t it boring doing cybersecurity at a university?’ To that, Chris explains that in the morning he could be securing an MRI medical scanner and in the afternoon he could be ensuring PhD students are able to submit their assignments safely and on time. Where else can you get that kind of variety?