Professor Alan Duffy to lead flagship initiatives at Swinburne

Director of Swinburne University of Technology’s Space Technology and Industry Institute, Professor Alan Duffy, has been appointed to the newly created role of Pro Vice-Chancellor, Flagship Initiatives (PVCFI) at Swinburne.

Professor Duffy will facilitate large and ambitious transdisciplinary research across Swinburne’s flagship research areas: Space and Aerospace, Med Tech and Health Innovation, Innovative Planet, and Innovative Society.

He will actively engage with external organisations, including government, industry, and non-government organisations, to identify large-scale opportunities that require university-wide collaboration and the formation of coalitions of universities and partners.

“Professor Duffy will continue with his research and interests in space technology, but this new role will allow us to utilise his skills to benefit the whole institution. He will work closely with Swinburne’s Research Institutes, Research Platforms and Schools to help us bring people and technology together to build a better world,” says Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Karen Hapgood.

Professor Duffy is eager to take on this new role.

“There are extraordinary opportunities to address some of the biggest challenges facing our society by bringing together research excellence across our university and partners to deliver transdisciplinary solutions,” Professor Duffy says.

“Focussing on strategically identified Flagship Research areas Swinburne can provide that critical scale of capability to advance initiatives that address not just our national but also international needs.

“What makes this role so exciting is that advances in AI, space, quantum and renewable technologies amongst so many others are shaping our future and providing solutions to challenges that affect us all. If we are to leverage those advances we need to work seamlessly across research domains.”

The Space Technology and Industry Institute (STII) will be co-led by Dr Andrew Ang and Dr Rebecca Allen. Dr Ang and Dr Allen have been acting directors of the STII for several months, working with industry partners to identify needs, design solutions and develop technologies in a range of fields central to the space sector.