New Appointments

Professor Longley to head Regional Development

MURDOCH University Professor Kateryna Longley has started in the newly-created position of Pro Vice Chancellor (Regional Development) and Principal of Murdoch's Rockingham Campus.

The Executive Dean of the Division of Social Sciences and Education at Murdoch's South Street Campus since 1999, Professor Longley will have special responsibility for Murdoch activities in the Rockingham, Kwinana and Peel areas together with other regional initiatives.

Professor Longley holds a PhD in Literature from Melbourne University, a Masters degree from Sussex, a BA (Honours) degree and Diploma of Education from LaTrobe University as well as an AUA from the University of Adelaide.

Professor Longley commenced her career as a secondary school teacher of Mathematics and Science in England, the United States and Australia.

In 1986 she took up her first position at Murdoch as a Lecturer in the English and Comparative Literature Program. Professor Longley has published extensively in the field of contemporary Australian and Canadian literature. As a Ukrainian immigrant she has a special interest in literature dealing with issues of migration and cultural dislocation.

She has served on many committees and boards both within the University and in the wider community. In 2000, she won the WA Telstra Business Women's Awards in the Shell Community and Government category, for her contribution to Higher Education.

"I am delighted to have the chance to work with the local communities, schools and businesses to help create opportunities for people in this exciting and rapidly growing south west region," she said.

Eminent historian to guide Murdoch's future

EMERITUS Professor Geoffrey Bolton has taken over the reins from Mr Fred Chaney as Chancellor of Murdoch University.

"Fred Chaney has found it necessary to resign as Chancellor due to his commitment to the important and demanding issues of Reconciliation and Native Title," said Professor Bolton.

"During his seven and a half years as Chancellor, he has made a splendid contribution to Murdoch University through his clarity of vision, quick insight and commitment to humane and scholarly values.

"He will be a hard act to follow."

Professor Bolton, formerly Murdoch's Pro Chancellor, is one of Australia's pre-eminent historians.

He graduated from the University of Western Australia with a first in history and completed his D Phil at Oxford in 1957.

After working in the Australian National University and Monash University, he returned to the University of Western Australia in 1966 as Professor of Modern History.

His appointment to the Foundation Chair of History at Murdoch in 1973 was quickly followed by his designation as part-time Pro Vice-Chancellor, with considerable input to Murdoch's educational philosophy and management.

Judge Kate O'Brien has accepted the position of Pro Chancellor of Murdoch University as Professor Bolton moves into the roles as Chancellor.

Judge O'Brien was appointed President of the Children's Court of Western Australia earlier this year and has been a tireless contributor to legal affairs, both in this State and nationally.

A good head for business

The Division of Business, Information Technology and Law has welcomed Professor Narayanan (Nara) Srinivasan to head up the School of Business.

Professor Srinivasan was previously the Head of the School of Justice and Business Law at Edith Cowan University.

He holds qualifications from the University of Malaya and Cambridge University

His research interests include corporate governance, trade liberalisation and gender issues, police management, cybercrime, aviation security management, anti corruption and corporate and commercial crimes.

Professor Srinivasan is an invited member of both the OECD/World Bank Corporate Governance Roundtable and the Asian Development Bank/OECD Anti Corruption Roundtable.

He is also currently the Director of Project ACORN (Asian Corporate Governance) a project funded jointly by AUSAID, Australian Securities and Investments Commission, PriceWater-houseCoopers and regional corporate governance organisations.

New leader for Science

Professor Yianni Attikiouzel, AO FTSE, has joined Murdoch as the Executive Dean of the Division of Science and Engineering.

An electrical and electronic engineer, accomplished researcher and eminent scientist, Professor Attikiouzel was Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Western Australia.

Professor Attikiouzel brings to Murdoch a wealth of experience in industry and research and development as well as electrical and electronic engineering, and maintains strong interests in intelligent information processing systems including: artificial intelligence; artificial neural networks; computer science; fuzzy systems and virtual reality.

Professor Attikiouzel was made a member of the Order of Australia in 1998 for his services to science and technology in the fields of electrical and electronic engineering - with particular emphasis on the application of neural networks to industrial and medical problems - and to the Greek community in Western Australia.

He was also the first-ever Western Australian to be elected a Fellow of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, USA) for his leadership in electrical and electronic engineering education.