New Dean heads UQ engineering, architecture and IT faculty

Internationally renowned engineering academic Professor Simon Biggs has been appointed as the new Executive Dean of The University of Queensland Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology.

Professor Biggs joins UQ from The University of Leeds in the UK, where he was Pro-Dean for Student Education for eight years.

He said he was looking forward to building on the Faculty’s ground-breaking curriculum developments and outstanding research.

“The Faculty is fortunate to have genuinely world-leading activities in both research and student education,” he said.

“This is rare, and gives us a great opportunity to deliver a challenging research-led and problem-based curriculum.”

Professor Biggs takes over from Acting Executive Dean Professor Caroline Crosthwaite, who will return to her position as the Associate Dean (Academic).

The Faculty’s Associate Dean (Research) is Professor Stuart Crozier, who co-invented and developed patented technology used in about 70 per cent of the world’s MRI machines.

Professor Biggs said he felt honoured to be working with a team with an outstanding reputation.

“It is my privilege to be able to work with Caroline and Stuart – two outstanding academic leaders who bring a wealth of expertise and innovative thinking into the team,” he said

About Professor Biggs

Professor Simon Biggs is a chemical engineer and pioneer in the application of atomic force microscopy to the study of colloid particle science.  He was appointed to the Royal Academy of Engineering/BNFL Chair in Particle Science and Engineering at the University of Leeds in September 2002 after spending eight years at The University of Newcastle (New South Wales, Australia).  Professor Biggs has been Pro-Dean for Learning and Teaching at the University of Leeds since 2006.

Before his appointment at Leeds, Professor Biggs developed his research career through post-doctoral positions at the Institut Charles Sadron (Strasbourg, France) and the University of Melbourne. His undergraduate and doctoral education was undertaken in the UK at the University of Bristol from where he received a PhD in Colloid Chemistry.

Professor Biggs is an author of more than 150 refereed publications. He is the Director of Chamelic Ltd and Escubed Ltd – spin-out companies from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Leeds. He received the 2005 Beilby Medal from the RSC/IMMM/SCI for his contribution to research of practical significance.

Media: Madelene Flanagan (m.flanagan@uq.edu.au or + 61 7 3365 8525)