Macquarie Uni chooses wine research chief for key role

Macquarie University has picked the CEO of the Australian Wine Research Institute, Dan Johnson, to be its new pro vice-chancellor for research innovation.

Dan Johnson, the CEO of the Australian Wine Research Institute who is the new pro vice-chancellor (research innovation) at Macquarie University.

In today’s Higher Ed Daily Brief: new research PVC, indigenous atlas updated

Macquarie’s new research maven

Macquarie University has picked the CEO of the Australian Wine Research Institute, Dan Johnson, to be its new pro vice-chancellor for research innovation. Professor Johnson, who has headed the AWRI since 2011, will leading the university’s efforts in research and development, innovation, translation of research into applications, and commercialisation of research.

Macquarie’s deputy vice-chancellor for research, Sakkie Pretorius, said that his role would include building and sustaining the university’s research relationships with business and other research institutions, and increasing the take up of the university’s intellectual property.

“He also has a strong track record as an effective leader who has both academic research and entrepreneurial commercial realisation skills and proven strategic planning experience, particularly in the development of commercial partnerships in the context of academic research and development,” Professor Pretorius said.

Professor Johnson will start his new job in February next year.

Indigenous atlas updated

The Australian National University has updated a landmark publication, the Macquarie Atlas of Indigenous Australia, which tells the story of indigenous culture from 60,000 years ago to the present day.

It has led the work to produce a new edition of the book which, as well as maps, has hundreds of photos, illustrations and indigenous artworks.

The director of the ANU Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, Tony Dreise, says the atlas covers everything from housing to astronomy.

“A resource like this should sit in every classroom in Australia. It’s a starting point for understanding historical and contemporary First Nations Australia,” Professor Dreise said.

The first edition was published in 2005 and he said future editions might go online and be more interactive. It is a collaborative project between ANU, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Macquarie Dictionary.