Our Advisory Board
Dr Matthew Cuthbertson (Chair)
Dr Matthew Cuthbertson (FTSE, FRACI, FAICD, FAIM) has postgraduate qualifications in both science and intellectual property law. His early career was spent in advanced materials research with CSIRO and in various business/technical development roles with ICI Australia.
He later joined optical lens maker SOLA International in Adelaide, rising
to the position of Vice President Research and Technology; with global
responsibility for product development, information management and
manufacturing support. Matthew joined the CRC for Sensor Signal and
Information Processing as CEO in 2003 and later that year he was awarded a
Centenary of Federation Medal for his contributions to technological
innovation in Australia. In December 2005 he was appointed CEO of the new
CRC for Advanced Automotive Technology, based in Melbourne. Matthew has
outstanding leadership skills and a particularly strong record in strategic
organisational development, product innovation, IP commercialisation and
technology transfer. He serves on the boards of GroundProbe Pty Ltd, ARRB
Group Ltd, the Centre for Energy and Greenhouse Technologies and the Ian
Wark Research Institute and holds an adjunct professorship at RMIT
University.
Mr Graham Smith
Graham is the CEO of the Institute of Environmental Science and Research
(ESR) in Auckland, New Zealand. ESR is a Crown Research Institute with 350
staff working at four sites and revenue of more than $53 million. ESR's
operational and research science underpins the health and justice systems in
New Zealand. Its work enables central and local government to deliver better
evidence-based policy and operational outcomes through provision of
independent scientific advice and services. It supports government agencies
deliver on their key priorities and organisational and sector outcomes. ESR
is the:
o sole provider of forensic services to the New Zealand Police
o principal science advisor and service provider to the Ministry of Health
o science advisor and service provider to the Ministry of Agriculture and
Forestry (MAF - biosecurity and food safety), New Zealand Customs Service,
Medsafe, Pharmac and the Department of Corrections
o advisor and service provider to local authorities, industry organisations
and the private sector.
Before joining ESR in August 2011, Graham was the Chief Executive and
Managing Director of ITEK, the commercialisation company of UniSA, and prior
to this he was the Chief Executive of The Katolyst Group, an organisation
specialising in improving the development and commercialisation capabilities
of New Zealand industry, Universities and government owned research
laboratories.
Prior to this Graham was a senior manager for the AgResearch Group, the
largest government owned research organisation in New Zealand, where the
emphasis was on working with scientists and academics to develop and
commercialise new technologies and products. Graham has also worked for
major food companies in Australia in the dairy, soft-drinks and sugar
industries. He has led teams that researched, developed and launched over
twenty food products, rationalised supply chain management systems and
introduced new technologies into food factories. He has also worked for an
international marketing & advertising company in a variety of roles in
Australia and overseas.
Professor Andrew Parfitt
Professor Andrew Parfitt commenced as Pro Vice Chancellor and Vice President of UniSA's Division of Information Technology, Engineering and the Environment in August 2007. Andrew has been a major contributor to the ATN Universities' push to establish and maintain measures of applied research on the research evaluation agenda. 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.
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 Teaming Centre and
the Technology Industry Association. In 2010 he was appointed to the
Commonwealth Government's Space Industry Innovation Council.
Professor Jill Slay
Mr Len Piro
Mr Len Piro is Executive Director, Manufacturing, Services and Business Sustainability in the South Australian Department of Trade and Economic Development, where he leads the Department's service delivery functions to manufacturing and knowledge intensive services as well as the Industry Capability Network SA (ICNSA) and Strategic Project Facilitation. Mr Piro has extensive experience in manufacturing policy and program delivery and has led the delivery of Structural Adjustment Programs in South Australia, following major industry closures or downsizing (eg Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited, ION Automotive and Electrolux).
He is a member of the Board of Innovate SA, the Water Industry Alliance
and the Technology Industry Association in South Australia as well as the
Federal Government's Automotive Industry Innovation Council and was
previously a member of the interim Enterprise Connect Manufacturing Advisory
Committee. He has previously held management roles in the South Australian
Centre for Manufacturing and the South Australian Workplace Resources Centre
Limited.
Professor Gordon Wallace
Gordon Wallace is currently Director of the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute and Executive Research Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science. His research interests include organic conductors, nanomaterials and electrochemical probe methods of analysis and the use of these in the development of Intelligent Polymer Systems.
Gordon was elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in
2007 and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering in
2003. He was elected as a Fellow of the Institute of Physics (UK) in 2004.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI). He
received the RACI HG Smith Prize in 2008 and was named as NSW Scientist of
the Year (Chemistry Category in the same year). In 2009 he was awarded a
Life Time Achievement Award by SPIE in recognition of his sustained
contributions to the development of smart materials. He received the
Inaugural Polymer Science and Technology award from the Royal Australian
Chemical Institute (RACI) in 1992. He was awarded an ETS Walton Fellowship
by Science Foundation Ireland in 2003. He received the RACI Stokes Medal for
research in Electrochemistry in 2004.
Dr Jurgen Michaelis
Dr Jurgen Michaelis has over 20 years experience as a senior executive in the international life science industry, having worked in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. He has raised more than $150 million in private equity and venture capital for biotechnology companies, as well as participated in the full lifecycle of technology development and commercialisation (including R&D facilitation and technology licensing).
Jurgen is a Director and Chair of the Investment Committee of Terra Rossa Capital Pty Ltd which manages the $35 million South Australian Life Science Advancement Fund. In addition, he is the CEO of Bio Innovation SA, the South Australian Government's biotechnology industry development organisation. He serves on a number of government and industry boards including an ASX listed company.
Mr James Nicholson
Mr James Nicholson is the Engineering Director of SMR Automotive and SMR
Technologies, the Australian operations of Samvardhana Motherson Reflectec,
one of the largest manufacturers of rear-view mirrors for passenger cars in
the world. James has over twenty years experience in the automotive
components industry, having managed operations, engineering, and the
organisation's research and development activities.
In Australia, SMR has a long track record and strong reputation for
commercialising new niche technology, not only for the local market but also
for export to global markets. SMR has been able to consistently invest in
research within Australian due to its broad networks built through various
CRC and ARC linkage projects. James has led engineering teams that have
developed electrochromic products utilising conducting polymers with the
University of Wollongong, and overseen the construction of a new
Adelaide-based manufacturing facility for thin film coatings in
collaboration with the University of South Australia.
James is a Board member of the CRC for Advanced Automotive Technology and
has a strong commitment to developing and growing the advanced manufacturing
base within South Australia.
Professor Rob Short
Rob has a 20 year track record of research and commercialisation in the
fields of thin film coatings, biomaterial science and life science tools
research. He studied Chemistry (BSc) and Physical Chemistry (PhD) at the
University of Durham (UK) and joined the University of Sheffield in 1988,
where he held the Chair of Material and Biomaterial Chemistry from 2001.
During this period, he was a founder Director of two University spin-out
companies. He was appointed Director of the Mawson Institute, University of
South Australia in 2006, and in 2008 he joined the ARC College of Experts
(2008-10). He has held positions on several Boards and on Scientific
Advisory Groups.
Rob's principal research field is plasma polymerization. He hopes that his
work in this field has contributed to a better understanding the
multi-facetted processes that lead to thin film growth from low temperature
plasma. Studies have involved the application of mass spectrometry and novel
electrostatic probes. In 1992 he was awarded the CR Burch Prize for
outstanding work in Physical Chemistry for Thin Films or Vacuum.
Relevant contributions in biomaterial science, in the areas of protein
adsorption, cellular attachment and wound-healing, have led to the
development of a bandage that attaches and releases cells into non-healing
wounds. This technology was commercialised in 2000 by the University of
Sheffield. The resulting product, MyskinTM , and its allogenic variant
cryoskinTM, are used clinically to treat burns, scalds and chronic ulcers.
In 2003 Rob founded Plasso Technology, an advanced surface engineering
company for developing tailored coatings for use in diagnostics and life
sciences. The company's first product EpranExTM
(now known as the BDTM Heparin
Binding Plate) is used to immobilise heparin without modification, thereby
retaining its natural ability to interact with other biomolecules. In May
2007 the company was sold to BD Biosciences, a leading global medical
technology company. Based upon the acquired technology BD Biosciences have
developed a range of surfaces for a number of applications in life science
research.
Rob is kept busy with a major building project (M2 Development) and the
Wound Management Innovation CRC (Web Site).
In 2004 Rob was awarded the UK Society for Biomaterials' second highest
prize, the Biocompatibles Endowed Lecture (for mid-career achievement).
Associate Prof. Peter Murphy
Peter joined the University of South Australia in October 2003, having spent the previous 10 years working within private industry. During his time with SOLA (Scientific Optical Laboratories of Australia) International, he worked in the area of thin film coating technology, specialising in plasma polymerisation. This work covered many areas, from fundamental research with Universities in the USA, Canada and Europe, to applied, commercially focused projects working with Leybold Optics, one of the major designers and suppliers of thin film coating equipment in Europe.
Since joining the University of South Australia, Peter has diversified
his research interests, generated IP leading to patent applications, and now
holds an ARC Linkage project investigating the use of conducting polymers to
fabricate thin film electrochromic devices in collaboration with Professor
Gordon Wallace at the University of Wollongong and Visiocorp. Since joining
the Mawson Institute in April 2007, Peter has continued to develop his
interests in applying cutting edge science and technology to real life
applications with a commercial focus.