Communications expert to head UniSA school
by
Emma Masters
Accomplished journalist and journalism educator and researcher
Professor Kerry Green has joined UniSA as Professor of Communication and
Head of the School of Communication, Information and New Media.
Prof Green, who has come to UniSA from the University of Canberra where he was Head of the School of Professional Communication, says he was attracted to UniSA because the school is well placed to deal with the increasing convergence of all forms of communication.
“Technical convergence is producing convergence of a different kind – because consumers can get information to inform their decision-making from a variety of sources, our graduates need to have some understanding of the processes involved,” he said. “I see a school that has a high degree of convergence already built into it and that’s congenial to me. I think there are great possibilities with the sorts of courses where people come out of a degree with not just one set of skills but the capacity to transfer those skills to different areas.”
Prof Green says he is also looking forward to further developing student publications.
“The more publications students have had a hand in, the better it is for them and the better it is for the university, and of course the more satisfaction the teachers get out of it as well,” he said. “One of my aims is to make the public more aware of the great work that we already do and at the same time expand the avenues for publication.”
With a PhD in journalism from the University of Queensland, Prof Green’s research interests include investigative journalism, computer-assisted and multimedia journalism, and news media organisation and management.
He is currently leading an Australian Research Council grant looking at trauma in the newsroom.
Before moving into academia Prof Green gained more than 20 years experience as a journalist where he worked as editor of the daily The Queensland Times and deputy editor of both The Cairns Post and Brisbane’s evening daily The Telegraph.
“What I’ll be looking to provide is efficient administration that provides maximum opportunities for our staff and students and it’s my administration background that will help me to do this,” he said.
Prof Green replaces Associate Professor Michael Galvin who held the position of Head of School for more than 10 years.