Our People - Andy Koronios
It is hard to believe I have been at UniSA and in Adelaide for more than three and a half years; the saying “time flies when you are having fun” certainly rings true with me.
I am incredibly privileged to be leading the School of Computer and Information Science, which has nearly 100 staff. The Greek philosopher Socrates said “you cannot put your hand into a pot of honey without some of the honey sticking to it”. At UniSA we are immersed in an environment of scholars and dedicated administrative staff who present us with great opportunities for learning and personal growth. I feel very lucky to be a part of such a community.
As a head of school my role is diverse and requires me to have a number of “balls up in the air” at the same time. This, although challenging, is what I find most exciting; the opportunity to get involved in so many innovative initiatives. The role of the contemporary head of school is not only as an academic leader and manager but also an entrepreneur in achieving the financial viability and success for the school.
Through necessity, I have had to acquire some of these skills. Having come from a very poor family, I have not had the luxury of a full-time education since mid-high school. Leaving a Greek village at the age of 17 and coming to Australia, I joined the Australian Army and continued my education by learning real Australian Army English, and how to play Aussie Rules Football. While in the army I went to night school to matriculate, studied electrical engineering and then discovered computers. After several years as an IT consulting and training firm manager director in Queensland, I was fortunate enough to become an academic and to continue to learn through postgraduate study, researching and teaching.
At UniSA, I am also the research program leader of the Systems Integration and IT of a CRC. This CRC looks at how large engineering assets can be managed and maintained so that they do not fail at the wrong time. We are working with DSTO, DMO and the Australian Navy to ensure that assets such as naval ships and aircraft operate efficiently and safely.
In my free time I love enjoying Adelaide’s wonderful cafes as well as its parks, bikeways and the Adelaide Hills. I also spend lots of time at the beach with my eight-year-old son. The rest of my time I spend renovating our home; another of Adelaide’s great features is its very old character homes. Renovating them can soak up lots of one’s time and even more of one’s money and somehow it appears to be never-ending; the results however, can be delightful.
Andy Koronios is the Head of School, Computer and Information Science.