Career profile

Tertiary and postgraduate education

1982 -1985 Liverpool University, B.Sc. (Hons) Physical Geography
1985 -1988 Liverpool University, Ph.D.: The Development and implementation of a new land surface scheme for use in general circulation models.



Appointments (principal)

April, 2007
Professor, UNSW
January 2002-2007
Professor (Personal Chair)
August 2000-December 2003
Deputy Dean of Division
January 1999-December 2003
Head of Physical Geography
January, 1999-December 2002
Professorial Fellow
January 1997 - December 1998
Associate Professor, Macquarie University
May 1994 - December 1996
Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University
May 1991 - May 1994
Lecturer, Macquarie University
March 1989 - May 1991
Macquarie University Post-Doctoral Research Fellow.
January 1989 - March 1989
Research Fellow, Liverpool University

 

Awards

Priestly Medal for excellence in Atmospheric Science Research (2004)
Dean's award for science leadership (2005).

 

Administrative and leadership experience

 

Key roles at University and Faculty level include:

  • Deputy Dean, Environmental and Life Sciences (resigned December 2003);
  • Member of Faculty's Research Strategy Committee;
  • Member of the Macquarie University Information Technology Planning committee;
  • Chair of the Marine Science Working Party;
  • Member of the Research /Innovation and Foresight Working Party;
  • Chair of the University task force on computer ownership by students;
  • Chair of School of Earth Science Research Committee and IT Committee;
  • member of School of Earth Sciences strategic planning and restructuring groups;
  • Management representative on Faculty Job Design committee;
  • Preparation of guidelines for "Thesis by Paper" adopted in 1999;
  • Chair of the Faculty Information Technology committee (reported December, 1999).

As Head of Department

Andy took over the Department of Physical Geography immediately after University restructuring. The Department began with a debt of ~$230,000, a low level of recognition within the University, a traditional teaching program and three staff in non-permanent positions. The department was funded as "non-Science" which did not reflect the type of teaching conducted. Outcomes of this tenure included:

  • restructuring the undergraduate program; Our traditional program was replaced by flexibility that recognises the needs to maintain quality while still being affordable. We deleted some 300-level units, introduced a 100-level unit and added of 800-level units for select students;
  • restructuring of the postgraduate program; reducing the undergraduate program allowed the introduction of a range of 800-level units for Masters students. Rather than run a postgraduate Masters program we linked these units into the Graduate School of the Environment;
  • a debt of $230,000 (1999) converted to a surplus > $500,000: achieved by control on general staffing and course budgets etc, but also via investment to encourage income generation. The financial improvement was achieved via investment in innovation rather than cuts;
  • submission of review of department's position in the University funding model; I prepared a case for the department to be funded as "science" in the Divisional Funding Model. This was successful and provided an opportunity for long term viability;
  • revision of department's strategic plan;
  • implementation of policy to return research quantum to active staff; I returned money earned via research to academic staff as a "reward" This has enabled individuals to invest their money in ways that suite them - moving decision making to the individual level;
  • conversion of fixed term staff to permanent positions; moving three key staff on to permanent positions reduced risk to the undergraduate program;
  • maintenance of departmental morale and activity through implementation of University restructuring: driving team development, recognising individual excellence, investing in staff research and development of flexibility in workloads;

Thus, the department began 2003 with all staff in permanent positions, a budget surplus, a streamlined undergraduate and postgraduate program and an internal funding model which allows the recognition of research and consultancy performance in workloads.