Chancellery
Professor Parfitt commenced as Pro Vice Chancellor and Vice
President of the Division of Information Technology, Engineering and the
Environment on 6 August 2007. Previously, he was the Director of UniSA's
Institute of Telecommunications Research (ITR) (2004 - 2007), one of
Australia's foremost ICT research organisations. In addition to his
responsibilities as Director of ITR, Andrew has contributed widely to
UniSA. He has been an active member of Research Policy Committee and
Academic Board, and chairs two of our important research committees: the
Cooperative Research Centres Engagement Group and the e-Research
Implementation Group.
In 2006 he concurrently acted as Head of the School of Electrical and
Information Engineering and led the strategic planning that resulted in
the formation of the new Defence and Systems Institute and a closer
cooperation between our electrical and electronic engineering related
disciplines.
Andrew has been a major contributor to the ATN Universities' push to
establish and maintain applied research representation on the research
evaluation agenda.
He has a PhD in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Adelaide
University and was an Associate Dean in the Faculty of Engineering
there, before joining CSIROs Telecommunications and Industrial Physics
division in Sydney. Within the CSIRO he led the Space and Satellite
Communication Systems team from 2001. During this time he was
responsible for fundamental and applied research in areas ranging from
radar and communications to satellite systems and radio astronomy
technologies.
Andrew has had an outstanding career as a specialist in antenna and
radio systems and more recently in areas relating to space science and
technology. A graduate in engineering from the University of Adelaide,
he began his professional career with the Defence Science and Technology
Organisation before returning to study under a DSTO cadetship.
In 2003 Andrew took on the leadership of the Cooperative Research Centre
for Satellite Systems (CRCSS), the national research group responsible
for launching FedSat, Australia’s first satellite in 30 years.
He has held adjunct academic positions at UniSA, the University of
Adelaide, Sydney University and Macquarie University. In a professional
capacity he is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers and has been Chair of both its South Australia and
New South Wales Sections. He is Chair of the Australian Academy of
Science National Committee for Radio Science, and is a Fellow of
Engineers Australia.
He is a Board Member of the Defence Teeming Centre and the Electronics
and ICT Association.
